Sholinghur

The name first given to this town was Thirukkadigai. This signified its status as one of the 108 Divya Desams in Vaishnavism. The name Thirukkadigai was chosen for the following beliefs:

• It is believed by historians that the sage Vishwamitra attained the title of sage by worshiping Narasimha at the temple for 45 minutes.
• The Saptharishi, described as the Seven Sages of Hinduism, possessed the wisdom of the universe, receiving visions and blessings from Lord Narasimha for a time described as 'Kadigai' (approximately 45 minutes), earning the name 'Thirukkadigai'.^[5]
• It is also believed that Indra, with his demigods, would take baths in the pushkarani, a sacred tank at the temple^[6], and pray to Narasimha. The pushkarni was bestowed the name 'Thakkan'.
• The pushkarani is believed by historians to have contained medicated water which cured all diseases.
• Budha (son of Chandra) worshipped the deity there and was cured from a curse given by the sage Durvasa.
• Many mental disorders, evil acts, and prolonged diseases were believed to be cured when people took baths in the pushkarani and pay obeisance to the lords on the two hillocks.

During the days of Cholas & Nawabs, the name Thirukkadigai was less used, and the name Chozha Singapuram acquired prominence. Reference is made to a ghatika in the Tiruvallam inscription of Nandivarman Pallavamalla dated in his 61st year. Again, an arbitrator having the title Trairjyua ghatika madhyasthan is mentioned in three inscriptions of Parthivendradhipathi from Brahmadesam in the North Arcot District (Kanchipuram district) of Tamil Nadu.^[7] This ghatika was presumably a different from the one at the Pallava capital, Kanchipuram. It was the Ghatikachala at the Sholinghur hill. This place is referred to as Kadigai in the siriya thirumadal and periya thirumoli of Vaishnava saint Tirumangai Alvar, a contemporary of Nandivaraman Pallavamalla.

During the Pallava period, it was a well-known centre of Sanskrit learning and a stronghold of Vaisnavism. The early Vaisnava saint Peyalvar refers to this temple as Pungatikai in his Iyarpa third Andadi. Pallava infl,uences can be traced here. A cave temple belonging to Mahendravarma I, who reigned early in the seventh century, from Kanchipuram bearing the name Mahendravisnugrha is found in Mahendravadi. It is not unlikely that a ghatika was founded there by the successors of Mahendravarman, and the place was named Ghatikachalam. In his hymns on the Tirukkannapuram on the hill of Ghatikai. The ghatika is Sholinghur hill consisted of Vaisnava Brahmans who carried on a programme of higher studies specially drawn up for the institution. The institution presumably attracted its students from several places around Ghatikachalam. The ghatika was located, and the hill temple itself was dedicated to Narasimha. Sholinghur was a seat of Great learning in the Pallava age, and continued to be an educational centre in subsequent days of the Chola. Today, it hosts a Sanskrit College.^[8]

The current name of the town is a contraction of the words Chola-linga-puram. The name was given by a Chola king responsible for founding a natural lingam (suyambu), and building the Sholeswara temple over it. The temple is located in the middle of the town.^[9] According to legends, Lord Narasimha would take several incarnations in his work to reform the world. ^[8] Additionally, he would send his messengers as preceptors to perform this function. One such preceptor was Doddacharya of Chozha Lingapuram (சோழலிங்கபுறம்), who lived nearly 470 years ago, in service to Lord Yoga Narasimha.^[8] Doddacharya visited Kanchipuram Varadharaja Perumal temple each year during Bhramotsavam. On one particular year, he fell sick and was unable to visit the Kanchipuram Temple. On the banks of present-day Thakkan kulam (Pushkarini), he prayed to God, Varadharaja Perumal. Heeding his prayers, God, Varadharaja Perumal, came to him, while the Varadharaja Perumal idol disappeared in Kanchipuram. As a result, a temple dedicated to Varadharaja Perumal Temple was built on the banks of Thakkan kulam, near the Anjaneyer Temple in Sholinghur. This Varadharaja Perumal Temple at Sholinghur is open only during the Bhramotsavam Festival days in Kanchipuram. Today, during Bhramotsavam at Kanchipuram, the Varadharaja Perumal idol is closed off with a screen for a few seconds, then opened to mark the disappearance of the idol and its appearance before Doddacharya at Sholinghur some 470 years ago. The name Choza Lingapuram was later shortened to Sholinghapuram in common usage. During the late 20th Century, the name of the town was further shortened to Sholingur, which is currently the official name of the town.

The town was the site of a battle during the Anglo-Mysore Wars. It was here that Sir Eyre Coote fought against Tipu Sultan and Hyder Ali in the Second Anglo-Mysore War during the battle of Sholinghur in 1781. Near the Sholinghur Bus Terminus, we can see the burial ground dedicated to the soldiers of the Tipu Sultan army who fought in the war known as Kanja Shaib Tomb. The TVS group founded its first factory in the early 1980s and has since grown to be among the largest private employers in the region.

As per the Population Census 2011, there are total 7,359 families residing in the Sholingur city. The total population of Sholingur is 34,854 out of which 17,415 are males and 17,439 are females thus the Average Sex Ratio of Sholingur is 1,002.

The population of Children of age 0–6 years in Sholingur city is 3297 which is 11% of the total population. There are 1717 male children and 1580 female children between the age 0–6 years. Thus as per the Census 2011 the Child Sex Ratio of Sholingur is 920 which is less than Average Sex Ratio (1,002).

As per the Census 2011, the literacy rate of Sholingur is 85.6%. Thus Sholingur has higher literacy rate compared to 79.2% of Vellore district. The male literacy rate is 92.14% and the female literacy rate is 79.16% in Sholingur.

• Bank of India
• Indian Bank
• Indian Overseas Bank
• Karur Vysya Bank
• State Bank of India
• Vellore Co-operative Bank
• Andhra Bank
• City Union Bank
• ICICI Bank
• Sholinghur Co-operative Urban Bank - Pandiyanallur

1. Bharathi Venkatesh Hospital
2. Government Hospital, Sholinghur
3. Kalpana Hospital
4. Aayurdhaa Hospital, Sholinghur (formerly Ravibharathi Hospital)
5. SVS homeocare clinic
6. Sundaram Foundation Hospital - Pulivalam
7. Sundaram Health Centre - Multi Speciality Hospital, Kondapalayam

Sholinghur has a railway station (which is about 13 km away from Sholinghur at Banavaram - Sholingapuram Station). Sholinghur also has a government hospital that was awarded Tamil Nadu's Best Maintenance Award for the year 2006–07.

Government and private bus operators ply buses to Vellore, Tiruttani and Arakkonam every 15 minutes. There are also regular direct bus services available to Chennai, Vellore, Bengaluru, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tambaram, Tirupati, and Chittoor from the bus station.

The Sholinghur is a Municipality and legislative powers are vested in a body of 27 members, one each from the 27 wards. The legislative body is headed by an elected chairperson assisted by a deputy chairperson.

Sholinghur (State Assembly Constituency) is part of Arakkonam (Lok Sabha constituency).^[13]

Current M.L.A is Mr A.M.Muniratinam Mudhaliyar from Congress and M.P is S. Jagathrakshakan from DMK.

• Thirukkadigai
• Hanuman
• Narasimha
• Divya Desams