This journey was planned for a family of seven persons from Bengaluru. There was tight schedule of responsibilities together with age related ailments. So we thought to spend two leisure days in Tiruvannamalai together with flying visit to Vellore Golden temple and Vellore fort on return to Bengaluru.
After spending 2 nights in Tiruvannamalai we took a train to Vellore (VLR). Just in 1 hour 15 minutes we got down at Vellore railway station. There is no cloakroom facility at Vellore railway station.
We all 7 headed to Lakshmi Narayani (Goddess Lakshmi, consort of Lord Vishnu) temple, 8 KM from station by 7 seater auto.
How to reach
Vellore and Katpadi are well connected by train and bus from Pondicherry, Chennai and Bangalore. Nearest airport is Chennai. Golden temple is 16 KM from Katpadi and 8 KM from Vellore railway station. We took 7 seater auto for Rs. 250 to reach from Vellore railway station to Golden temple. From Katpadi full 7 seater auto takes Rs.450.
How much time needed to visit Vellore
There are many points to see in Vellore. DIstances from Vellore railway station are Vellore fort (3 KM), Golden temple (8 KM), Margabandeeswarar Temple (18 KM). You can cover all distances by auto. Total it will take maximum 6 hours.
Where to stay
I saw many good and average hotels in Vellore in all tariffs. It is a neat place and not so crowded. Near golden temple also cheap to high range hotels are available. Food available is average. Just adjacent to temple is a good restaurant. If you are on flying visit you can deposit all your luggage in cloak room available in Golden temple premises.
We deposited our suitcases, mobile phones in the temple premise cloak room and headed towards the main temple.
The temple is in very big area of 100 acres. PHOTOGRAPHY IS STRICTLY NOT ALLOWED INSIDE AND MOBILES MUST BE DEPOSITED AT CLOAK ROOM.
We walked about 2 KM under the passage corridor of temple all covered by roof. Beautiful garden is maintained by temple trust and it is so pleasant walking inside the premises. Drinking water is available every 0.5 KM on passage.
The temple was shining like gold. It is said that the temple has a total of 2700 Kg of gold foil cladding in this temple. This temple is constructed by the Vellore-based charitable trust, Sri Narayani Peedam, in 2007 headed by its spiritual leader Sri Sakthi Amma also known as ‘Narayani Amma’.
We reached the main golden temple in about 30 mins of walk. It was a remarkable sight to see.
Epilogue
Golden temple Vellore. One of very few Goddess Lakshmi temples. This temple needs no introduction – 2700 Kg of gold foil used, large corridors, beautiful gardens, resting roof for devotees, cloak room for luggage, all spread in 100 acres. It is managed by a trust. The golden temple looks like a shining star on Earth, so neatly maintained and managed.
Other place which should be visited is Sri Margabandeeswarar Temple,12 KM from Vellore fort and Jalakandeswarar Temple inside Vellore fort.
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