An Ancient Vedic Institution

This section presents less known but enlightening nuggets of information about our ancient culture as revealed in our temples, images, symbols, and inscriptions.

- Dr. Chithra Madhavan

Tribhuvanai, a small and historic village, is located about 23 km from Pondicherry on the Villupuram road. Inscriptions mention that it was known in the Chola times as Tribhuvana Mahadevi Chaturvedimangalam, named so after the queen of Parantaka Chola I (10th C.E) who was the great-grandfather of Rajaraja Chola I. The word Chaturvedimangalam indicates that it was a place peopled by scholars of the four Vedas. An old temple for Vishnu, dating back to the reign of Parantaka Chola I originally called Sentangi Vinnagar and now known as the Varadaraja Perumal temple is located in Tribhuvanai. The epigraphs in this temple, state that the original name of the deity in this temple was Naduvil Sri Viranarayana Vinnagar Azhvar.