Etymology
The word "Tiruvallur" is supposedly derived from the Tamil sentence "tiru evvull?" meaning, "Tiru" - god (a common prefix in South India for temple towns), "evvull" - where do I sleep. So, Tiruvallur means, a place/town where, the god, Veera Raghavar asked a saint for a place to sleep for a night. A Rishi named Saalihothirar came down from Badrinath now in Uttaranchal State and settled in this place in order to reach Paramapadam (The abode Of Lord Mahavisnu). He took bath in Hiruthaapanasana Theertham and started the silence fasting (mouna viratham ) for one year. Daily he collected some rice and after a year of fasting, he purified collected rice and cooked. He offered a part of cooked rice to God (Naivedhyam) duly keeping the rest for himself to eat. He waited for some Guest, probably a muni or rishi, so that he could offer him to eat and end his fasting. At that time the God Narayana with the intention to test devotion of the Rishi came there as an old muni. He looked as if he was so hungry and thirsty. On seeing him, Saalihothirar greeted him and made him to sit and offered him a part of rice he already kept for himself. But the Guest (Lord Narayana) wanted the entire quantity of food (Rice).Saalihothirar was very happy to gave all of the food to the Guest starving himself. After eating the entire food,the Lord asked where can he sleep?( Ev-uL-uRangalAm). Saalihothirar asked him to sleep in his hut itself . In Tamil ='Ev' (எவ்)=which/'uL' (உள்)=place/room/uRangalAm(உறங்கலாம்) could sleep. Tiru (திரு) is a prefix before name of any holy place. ur( ஊர்) means a place/village. Therefore திரு+எவ்+உள்+ஊர் transmute as திருவள்ளூர்.
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