Tiruvalleeswarar Temple / Tiruvalithayam / Thiruvalithayam, Padi, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

This place, Thiruvalithayam, in the Thevara period, is now called Padi. This is the 21st Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam in Thondai Nadu. Since weapons for the war were stored in this temple premises, it is the so-called Padi. Sekkizhar mentioned the visit of Thirugnanasambandar in his Periyapuranam.

திருவேற்காடு அமர்ந்த செழுஞ்சுடர் பொன்கோயில்

சென்று அணைந்து பணிந்து திருப்பதிகம் பாடி

வருவேற்று  மனத்து அவுணர் புரங்கள் செற்றார்

வலிதாயம் வந்து எய்தி வணங்கிப் போற்றி

உருஏற்றார் அமர்ந்துறையும் ஓதவேலை

ஒற்றியூர் கைதொழச் சென்று உற்றபோது

பெருவேட்கை தருவாழ்வும் பெற்ற தொண்டர்

பெரும் பதியோர் எதிர்கொள்ளப் பேணி வந்தார்

... பெரியபுராணம்

Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of lord Shiva of this temple.

பத்தரோடுபல ரும்பொலியம்மலர் அங்கை புனல்தூவி

ஒத்த சொல்லி உல கத்தவர் தாம் தொழுது ஏத்த உயர் சென்னி

மத்தம் வைத்தபெரு மான்பிரியாது உறை கின்றவலி தாயம்

சித்தம்வைத்தஅடி யார் அவர்மேல் அடை யாமற்று இடர்நோயே.

Moolavar  : Thiruvalleeswarar, Sri Valithaya Nathar.

Consort    : Sri Jagathambigai

Some of the important features of this temple are….

The temple faces east and has a 3 tier Rajagopuram. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. In koshtam,  Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu in place of Lingothbavar, Brahma, Durgai. Moolavar is a little big in size and swayambhu on a square avudayar.

Ambal faces south and standing in one place we could be able to have the darshan of Moolavar and Ambal.

In the inner praharam Urchavars and Sannidhi for Somaskandar, Vinayagar ( Vinayagar is with his two wives Kamali & Valli ). Subramaniyar, Meenakshi Sundareswarar, Nalvar, Hanuman worshiped lingam, Suryan, Bharadwaja Lingam, Bhairavar, Arunagirinathar, Balamurugan and 63var ( Complete 63 vars are not there). In the outer prakaram Navagrahas and Guru bhagavan. 

Arunagirinathar Visited this temple and worshiped Murugan of this temple. Also  sang hymns in praise of Murugan.

    மருமல்லி யார்குழலின்                     மடமாதர்

        மருளுள்ளி நாயடிய                       னலையாமல்

    இருநல்ல வாகுமுன                           தடிபேண

        இனவல்ல மானமன                        தருளாயோ

    கருநெல்லி மேனியரி                         மருகோனே

        கனவள்ளி யார்கணவ                     முருகேசா

    திருவல்லிதாயமதி                              லுறைவோனே

        நிகழ்வல்ல மாதவர்கள்                    பெருமாளே

 

ARCHITECTURE

The Temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. A Two-tier brick Gajaprishta / Gajabrushta Vimana is over the sanctum Sanctorum. Stucco images of Shiva with Parvati, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are on the Tala and Greeva kostams. 

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The original temple existed before the 6-7^th Century as a brick temple and the same was reconstructed during the Chozha period and extended during the Vijayanagara period. As per the experts and Historians, the idols and sculptures belong to the 12^th to 13^th Century Chozha Period.

The Thevaram hymns mention this place as Thiruvalithayam and the same was corrupted to Thiruvallithayam during the Chozha Period. As per the inscriptions, this place was under Jayangoda chozha mandalathu Pauzhal Kottattu, Kundrathur Nattu (?) Thiruvallithayam. And Lord Shiva was called Thiruvalithayamudaiya Nayanar and Thiruvallithayamudaiyar and Ambal was called Thiruveethi Nachiyar ( AR 217 of 1910 ). The inscriptions mainly record the donations in terms of Kasu ( money ), Land donated to the temple towards poojas, prayers, Naivedyam, and celebrations.    

The inscription ( 214 of 1910), without the King's name and period, records that Chitrambalamudaya Nayanar was installed from Thiruvenkadu, for pooja Andhanars are  also brought from there and for their food a land was donated in This Thiruvalithayam which came under Jayangonda Chozha Mandalathu Puliyur Kottam, Sangama Chozha Valanadu. It also records that paddy is to be given to them, which should be measured in Thirugnanasambandar Nazhi alias marakkal.

Rajararaja-I’s 28th-year reign inscription ( 216 of 1910 ), records the construction of the Kshetrapala Pillaiyar temple and Naivedyam land was also gifted to this temple.

During Rajaraja-I’s period, the inscriptions ( 218 & 219 of 1910) record that Naranan Yadhavarayan of Chalukya, two houses, and two Nandhavanam ( flower garden ) in Chinthamanipuram, a part of Padi was gifted to this temple. Also, Parameswaramangalathu Silambur Kottathu Silambanithan Madhavarayan donated gold for lighting of perpetual lamp.  

Parthivendravarman's 6th reign year inscription records the gift of 1350 Kuzhi Manchikkam land after sale to this Puliyur Kottathu Thudarmuni Nattu Thiruvalithayam temple by Puzhal Kottathu Ambathur NaEri Kizhl Nattu Kurattur alias Sri Parantaka Chaturvedi Mangalam sabha.  As per the inscriptions, This place maintains the same name even after 1000 years, Korattur as Kurattur alias Sri Parantaka Chaturvedi Mangalam and Villivakkam as Villipakkam. The original inscription reads as...

ஸ்வஸ்திஸ்ரீ கோப்பார்த்திவேந்திர பந்மந்தி
யாண்டு ஆறாவது புழல் கோட்டத்து
அம்பத்தூரேரிக் கீழ்நாட்டுக் குறட்டூராகி
ய ஸ்ரீபராந்தக சதுர்வேதிமங்கலத்து
சபையோம் புலியூர் கோட்டத்துத் துடர்
முணி நாட்டு திருவலிதாயில் மகாதேவ
ர்க்கு யாங்கள் எம்மூருடத் தெ ன்கழனி
சபை மஞ்சிக்கமான நிலம் விற்பதற்குக்
கீழ்பால் அம்பத்தூரே ரி நீர் கோற்றூருக்
குப் பாய்ந்த காலின் மே ற்கு தெ ன்பால்..
அம்பத்தூரேரி நீர் வில்லிப்பாத்துக்குங்...... 

Continued... 

Puzhal Kottam

Ambattur

Thiruvalithayam

Vijayakanda Gopaladevar’s rule inscriptions ( 217 of 1910 ) record that Lady Dancers were brought from Kanchipuram and settled here. The inscription also records that jewelry and vessels were donated to Ambal, Thiruveethi Nachiyar.

LEGENDS

This is also one of the Guru parihara Shalam in and around Chennai. The Guru one of the Navagrahas has incurred a curse out of his lust and desire. To get rid of the Curse Maharishi Markandeya advised Guru to worship Lord Shiva of this temple.

Bharadwaja, Ramar, Anjaneyar, Suryan, Chandran, Indiran, and Valiyan (as birds) worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.

In another legend, Bharadwaja, son of Guru Bhagawan, was born to Valiyan ( sparrow – கருங்குருவி ). Bharadwaja, depressed about his birth as Valiyan, did penance on Lord Shiva of this temple. Pleased by the devotion Lord Shiva blessed him as a lord of birds. Hence this place was called Thiru ( Sri ) Valithayam and Lord Shiva was also called Tiruvalleeswarar.   

It was believed that this temple was used for storing weapons during the war, hence this place was called Padi. ( to support this the temple authorities, mention the Padavettamman, where soldiers stayed, prayed before the war, and offerings after the war which included Navakandam )

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, annual Brahmotsavam will be held in Chithirai ( April- May), and special poojas are offered on Thai Kiruthigai ( Jan- Feb ), Annabhishekam  in Aippasi ( Oct – Nov ), Thiruvathirai in Margazhi ( Dec –Jan ), Maha Shivaratri in Masi ( Feb-march ), pradosham and Guru peyarchi day / Transit day.  

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 06.30 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The landline number is 044 2654 0706 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH : 

The temple is in Padi, an industrial area in west part of Chennai ( wheels India and Lucas TVS bus stop. ). City and Town buses are available from various parts of the City.

The temple is about 7.5 km from Koyambedu,  9.6 km from Chennai Central, and 20 km from Domestic Airport

Nearest Railway Station is Anna Nagar Metro ( 4 KM ) and Junction is Chennai Central.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---