Shiva Temples of Tamilnadu

Thevaara Paadal Petra Shivasthalangal


Tiruvalleeswarar temple, Tiuruvalidhaayam


Temple Information
Location of the templeLocated at Padi in Chennai City
Deity known asTiruvalleeswarar, Validaayanathar
Female deity known asJagathambikai, Thaayammai
PathigamSambandar
How to reach This shiva temple is at Paadi in Chennai (12 Kms from Chennai Central Station) and is well connected by bus from every part of Chennai city. From Lucas TVS bus stop at Paadi, walk for 100 meters to Padavattamman Temple. The perpendicular road opposite to Padavattamman Temple leads to Tiruvalleeswarar temple.
Temple addressArulmighu Validaayanathar Temple
Paadi
Chennai
PIN 600050

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The ancient Valleeswarar Temple, located in Paadi, a suburb of Chennai, was historically referred to as Tiruvalidhayam during the era of the thevara hymns. This temple is conveniently reachable from the Paadi Tvs Lucas bus stop on Avadi Road. The name Tiru-vali-dhayam is attributed to Sage Bharathvaj, who worshipped the deity Validhaya Nathar in the form of a black sparrow, or 'valiyan'. The temple's eastern entrance is marked by a three-tiered gopuram that leads into a spacious courtyard, which features the dwajasthambam and Nandi. Surrounding the temple is a Nandhavanam that enhances its aesthetic appeal. To the right of the courtyard is the sannidhi dedicated to 'Guru', underscoring Tiruvalidhayam's status as a significant 'Guru Parihara Sthalam', where it is believed that the planetary deity Jupiter was able to overcome negative influences. A passage from the outer prakaram leads to the inner prakaram, which contains the east-facing sanctum of the presiding deity, Thiruvalidhayanathar, with its vimana constructed in the 'Gajaprushta' style. Adjacent to this is the south-facing sannidhi of the goddess Jagathambikai. A gateway opposite her sannidhi opens to the southern outer prakaram, where a 'simha' vaahanam and Balipeetam are positioned facing the goddess. Inside the sanctum of the presiding deity, there exists an original idol of Jagathambikai, believed to have been damaged, prompting the consecration of a replacement idol in the female deity's sanctum.


The sanctum's walls feature intricate sculptures of deities such as Surya, Balasubramaniar with four hands, Vinayaka, Dakshinamoorthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma, and Goddess Durga. It is believed that Rama worshipped Tiruvalidhayanathar, and in instances where Mahavishnu or his incarnations have prayed to Shiva, instead of Lingothbhava on the wall behind the sanctum, Mahavishnu is depicted. Within the inner prakaram, additional shrines include Somaskandar, Muruga accompanied by his consorts Valli and Deivanai, a Linga honored by Anjaneya, and Meenakshi Sundareswarar, who is said to have lifted Indira's curse. A Shiva linga revered by Bharadwaj Maharishi is also present among the other deities. The temple's pillars are adorned with exquisite carvings of Natarajar, Murugan, Kothandaramar, Machavathara Moorthy, Koormavadhara Moorthy, and other divine figures, enhancing the temple's architectural beauty and visually representing the various deities worshipped within. The 'Paadhiri' serves as the temple's 'sthala viruksham,' holding significant religious importance and being regarded as auspicious by devotees.



Bharathwaja Maharaishi was once cursed to transform into a black sparrow. He sought redemption from the curse by praying to deity Shiva. The well across Navagraha Sannidhi was created by the sage to perform the rituals, and is named Bharathwaja Theertha in his honor. Also, Tiruvalidhayam is considered to be a significant place of worship for individuals belonging to Bharatwaja gotra, symbolizing a spiritual connection to their lineage and heritage.


The Sthala Purana narrates the story of Brahma's two daughters, Kamali and Valli, who wished to marry Lord Shiva. To fulfill their aspiration, Brahma advised them to worship Shiva by the river Paalaru. Moved by their devotion, Shiva appeared before them and gently explained that he could not grant their wish as he was already married to Parvathi. Instead, he proposed that they consider marrying Ganapathy, his son with Parvathi. Ganapathy heroically vanquished the demon king Gajamukasuran and later traveled to Thiruvalidhaayam, where he married Kamali and Valli. In this locale, Vinayaka is depicted in 'Tirumana Kolam' alongside Kamali and Valli, leading to the belief that offering a garland to Vinayaka and performing 'Pradakshina' can eliminate marriage-related obstacles. The garland offered to Vinayaka is then worn by the devotee as they perform the circumambulation. Astrologically, the placement of 'Guru' (Jupiter) in a person's horoscope is thought to signify marriage potential, prompting devotees to worship 'Guru' on Thursdays, dressed in yellow and presenting garlands made of chickpeas.

The pathikam composed by Tirugyanasambandhar is in first Tirumurai.

Tiruvalidhaayam Temple photos

Temple entrance
Outer prakaram - East
Outer prakaram - South
Outer prakaram - West
Outer prakaram - North
Navagraha Sannidhi
Guru Sannidhi
Dwajasthambam, Nandhi and Balipeetam
Simha vahanam across Jagadhambikai
Another View