Tiruvalleeswarar Temple, Tiruvalidhaayam, Padi – The
Temple
The east facing temple has a simple three-tiered Raja
gopura. The temple towers are artistically beautiful with a lot of stucco
images. It is said that the temple originally had many prakaras and even the
Padavettu Amman temple which is around 1 km from this temple was within the
temple complex. However, today only two inner prakaras remains with the temple
and all other parts of the temple have become buildings and roads. Even the
temple tank is situated outside the current complex of the temple. As soon as
you enter into the temple, you can find the images of one pair of small
fish and tortoise and another pair of big fish and tortoise on the floor.
It appears to be unusual.
Even what remains with the temple today is huge area. A
very tall flag staff, bali peetha and Nandi mandapam are situated in the open
space and they all face towards the sanctum sanctorum. The temple assumes more
importance as it is situated around 11 sacred places as a garland. It is
the staunch faith of the devotees that a visit and worship in the temple would
benefit them with total salvation. Inside the main entrance there is broad
inner courtyard on all the four sides of the main shrine. Entering the inner
mandapam, the main sanctum sanctorum of Lord Shiva is situated. Presiding Deity
is called as Tiruvalleswarar / Tiruvalitham Udaya Nayanar. Presiding deity is a
Swayambu Murthi and is facing east.
Moolavar is little big in size on a square Avudayar. The
vimana, tower above the sanctum sanctorum is of Gajabrushta design as the back
end of an elephant. Also, the vimana is unusually tall somewhat
similar to a small gopura. The wall around the sanctum has the beautiful and
big niche idols of Ganesha, Dakshina Murti, Vishnu, Brahma and Vishnu Durga.
Chandikeswara is found in his usual position. The main shrine has Garbhagriha,
Ardha mandapam and Maha mandapam. At the entrance of Garbha griha, the
sculptures of small Dwarapalas are found.
The relief images of Ganesha and Subramanya are found at
the entrance of the long Ardha mandapam. A small Nandi is also situated here.
The ceiling of Maha mandapam has many images of fish in different sizes. The
pillars of Maha mandapam and the inner prakara is full of beautiful sculptures.
Mother is called as Jagadambika / Thaayammai. Mother Shrine is located to the
right side of sanctum. Ambal is seen here facing towards south. A beautiful
Simha Vahanam and Palipeedam faces the Goddess from the southern outer
corridor.
Dharshan of Moolavar and Ambal can be seen from a
particular point in this Temple. As the Ambal statue is damaged new
one is replaced. The old Ambal is kept in the sanctum of the Swamy. The
Ambal shrine also contains two lingams worshiped by Indiran and Bharadhwaja
muni. The Bharadhwaja Theertham could be found opposite to the Ambal shrine. Sthala
Vriksham is Padhiri and Kondrai. Theertham is Bharadhwaja Theertham.
There are separate shrines inside the temple for
Somaskandar, Murugan with his concerts Valli and Deivanai, Anjaneyar,
Bhairavar, Naalvar, Hanuman worshipped Lingam, six Shiv Lingas under the
serpent, Vinayaga, Suryan, Arunagiri Nathar, Bala Murugan, Nataraja with Sivakami,
Navagraha, Veerabhadra in the seated posture, Eri Pattar, Neelakandar,
Ninraseer Nedumaran, Mangaiyarkkarasi and Meenakshi Sundareswarar ((Unusually,
Meenakshi is found with four arms). There is also a Shivalingam supposed to
have been worshipped by Sage Bharadhwaja Maharishi.
The pillars in this temple have beautifully carved
images of Natarajar, Murugan, Kothandaramar, Machavathara Moorthy,
Koormavadhara Moorthy etc. Complete 63 Nayanmars Idols are missing in this
temple. Just at the back of Goddess temple, at the North-east corner, Lord
Bhairava is located. Idol I very big. He is present here in Ugraroopa with
skewed teeth, three eyes. His Jadamaguda is surrounded with Jwalas with his
Vahana, a Dog. Not only this, at the south entrance, the four Samaya Kuravars
are in the standing posture. In the usual place where Chandra is found, the
idol of Valampuri Vinayaka is found.
A Nandavanam along the walls of outer corridor adds
beauty to the temple. Lord Vinayaka of the temple is praised as Varasiddhi
Vinayaka. According to history, Lord Vinayaka married Kamali and Valli,
daughters of Lord Brahmma. This is supported by the procession idol
of Lord Vinayaka in this wedding form. There is a separate shrine for Guru
(Jupiter) - one of the Navagrahas - in the eastern outer corridor and this
temple is also considered as a Guru Parikara Sthalam. Guru Dhakshinamoorthy is
sitting with his right leg down and left leg folded touching his waist under the
Kallala tree.
The jadaparam which was worn at his head adds to his
beauty. He has four hands and has got Udukkai rounded by serpent in his upper
right hand, Jwalai on the upper left hand. The lower right hand has got the
Chinmaya mudra and the lower left hand has got book facing down. His posture is
straight and equal. He wears tiger skin, Yagnopaveetham and Kundalas (ear
rings). The Rudraksha around his neck falls till his chest. Around
Dhakshinamoorthy, Sanakathi saints are placed. Muyalagan who is at his feet has
serpent on his left hand. This form of Guru Dhakshinamoorthy is called as
'Vyagyana Dhakshinamoorthy'.
Guru Bhagwan is found facing towards west. Guru shrine
in the prakara is facing Lord Shiva’s shrine with another shrine for Sri
Anjaneya in a worshipping form. Next to Guru shrine, the sub-shrine of
Navagrahas is situated. Devotees with abundant grace of Guru perform
Pariharams to the Dakshinamurthy. Devotees with average grace of Guru
perform Pariharams to the Guru in separate sannidhi. Devotees with little or no
grace of Guru perform Pariharams to the Guru in the Navagrahas.
There is a sub-shrine of Somaskanda Murti, where apart
from the attractive Somaskanda the metal Utsava idols of Vishnu with two
consorts, Ganesha, Subramanya with his two consorts and other idols are also
situated. Near the shrine of Jagadambal, the sub-shrine of Nataraja and Sivakami
is located. A beautiful Valampuri Vinayagar sitting under an Arasa Maram
outside the temple. There is ample space in the temple for feeding the
roosters, hens and pigeons that abound in this Sthalam. There is also a Goshala
within the temple.
Wonderful sculptures beautify the pillars of the inside
Stone Mandapam. We can see the brilliant sculptures like Sri Parvathi embracing
Shiva Lingam, Kannappa Naayanar plucking out his eye for Lord Shiva and Lord
Shiva stopping him, an ancient Sadhu or traveler with Thambura like musical
instrument and some baggage on his head etc., Few more unusual things about
this temple - in the south west corner, where Ganesha sub-shrine is supposed to
be located, the sub-shrine of Somaskanda is located instead. Subramanya
shrine is also not located in its usual location; instead it is found right
behind the main shrine.
This wonderful temple has many inscriptional evidences
right from the 12th century. There are mentions about this temple saying
“Jayamkonda Chola Mandalathu Puzhal Kottathu Ambathur Naattu Thiruvalidhaayam”,
in ancient inscriptions, which explains that, this place was under Ambathur
& Puzhal territories in ancient days.
