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| Location |
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Thiruvanmiyur. |
| Main Deity |
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Marunthiswara in the form of White Linga, hence also the name Paalvannar. |
| Other Deities |
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Chandeswara, Dakshinamurthy, Ganapathi, Murugan with Valli and Devanai, Nataraja, Samayacharas, Sixty-three Nayanmars, Thyagaraja, Tripurasundari also called Chokkanayaki, Vijaya Vinayaka (consecrated in 1985) also called Ondimara Pillayar. |
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Nearest Town : Chennai
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District : Chennai
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State : Tamil Nadu
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This ancient temple located in the southern fringe of the sprawling city of Chennai dates back to the past millennium when it was visited and sung by two of the Saivite Saints - Nayanmars Appar and Sambandar. Marundeeswarar or the The Divine Physician Shiva is the presiding deity here. Tiruvanmyur is said to abound in medicinal herbs. This deity is said to have been worshipped by Valmiki the author of the epic Ramayanam. The place itself owes its name to this sage poet. This shrine also enshrines Tyagarajar as in Tiruvotriyur.
The temple itself occupies an area of about one acre. The presiding deity faces the west. Two beautiful five tiered towers or Raja Gopurams grace the Eastern and the Western entrances to the temple. The main temple consists of two separate spacious chambers, the Thyagaraja Mandapam and the Marundeeswarar Mandapam. Thirty six massive pillars endowed with elegant carvings adorn the Thyagaraja Mandapam which houses the Somaskanda Swaroopam of Shiva. Tripurasundari the consort of the presiding deity is housed in a separate mandapam in the temple complex. Numerous images adorn the pillars of the temple, while stucco figures grace the Gopurams or the entrance towers.
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Marundeeswara is worshipped in the form of a 1 and a half feet high Shiva Lingam said to have manifested by itself. This deity is referred to as Marundeeswara or Aushadeeswara for having performed the act of introducing the mythological sage Agastyar into the mysteries of herbal medicine. Shiva is said to have blessed the Poet Sage Valmiki here and hence the name Valmikanathar. There is also a grand mandapam enshrining Tyagarajar - the festival image here. The Goddess Tripurasundari or Chokkanayaki is housed in a separate temple. Vijayaganapati and Subramanya have separate Mandapams smaller in size within the temple complex. Inside the Mahamandapam (enclosing the shrine to Marundeeswarar) are found images of the 63 Saivite Saints - the Nayanmars, images of Ganapati and Muthukumaraswamy (Kartikeya) and an iposing image of Nataraja with Sivakamasundari and Manikkavachakar. Also in this temple are found 108 Sivalingams and five massive Sivalingams representing the elements.
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The annual Bhramotsavam is celebrated in March - April. Eighteen types of dances involving the festival image of Thyagaraja is a noteworthy unique feature of this temple. The image is placed on a speciallly designed device called Thyagarkanai and taken out on the 10th , and 11th days of the Bhramotsavam and on Tiruvadirai in the December January months and the 18 dances are enacted.
Tyagaraja of Tiruvarur is said to have been worshipped by Mahavishnu and Indra the King of Gods. Seven shrines associated with Tyagarajar in Tamilnadu are known as the Sapta Vitanka stalams. Three replicas of Tyagarajar are found at Tiruvanmyur, Tiruvotriyur and Tirukachur.
The Vanni tree is the sacred tree or Vruksham here.Five sacred tanks or theerthams are associated with this temple - Janmanasini, Kamanasini, Papanasini, Gnanadhayini and Mokshadhayini. Gnanadhyayini is said to have ceased to exist. Kamanasini and Mokshadhayini are in the form of wells. Janmanasini is in the form of the Chitrakulam tank in front of the Eastern tower entrance, while the Papanasini is the massive tank situated a little away from the same tower.
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