CHENNAI : Perambakkam, an ancient place close to Thiruvallur, is home to the Vaikuntha Perumal temple and also to the Siva temple dedicated to Cholishwarar. This Siva shrine belongs to the Chola era as seen from the numerous inscriptions found here and from vestiges of architecture as well. The original names of this deity were Kulottunga-Cholishwaram- Udaiyar, Kulottunga-Cholishwaram- Udaiya Mahadeva and Kulottunga-Cholishwara- Mahadeva.
The entranceway, sans gopuram, is via the south side but the principal sanctum which enshrines a large Siva Linga, worshipped as Cholishwarar, faces east. This Linga is believed to have nerve-like designs which devotees say, can be seen when abishekam or pouring of sacred water over it is performed. According to the tradition of the temple, this Lingam cannot be touched and even the abhisekam by the priests is done carefully. This deity is believed to cure nerve related disorders and other diseases.
Goddess Parvati, consecrated in a south-facing sanctum, close to the central one, is worshipped as Kamakshi Amman. She is seen in tribhanga pose with three bends in the body and also with a small space between the feet, so that they can be easily decorated with anklets. Interestingly, a girdle (udyanam) can also be tied to this deity. In the outer circumambulatory area (prakaram) are modern sanctums for Ganesa, Subramanya, Navagraha and Ayyapan.
There are numerous Tamil epigraphs of the Chola times, the earliest dated 1112 AD, belonging to the reign of Kulottunga Chola I. They mention the ancient names by which the main deity was worshipped and that Perambakkam was earlier known as Perumbakkam alias Irattapadi-konda-chola-nallur, situated in Pasali Nadu of Manavir-Kottam in Jayamkonda-Chola-Mandalam. Interestingly, an administrative organisation of the Chola times called niyayam and its members called niyayattar are mentioned in these inscriptions. A damaged 16th century epigraph of the Vijayanagara Emperor Achyuta Raya is also found here.