CHENNAI: Padi, an industrial area in Chennai, is home to an old Shiva temple where the deity is worshipped as Thiruvalishwarar. According to inscriptions this place was formerly known as Thiruvalidayil or Thiruvalidayam. The 7th century Nayanmar (Shaivaite saint), Thirugnanasambandar has sung in praise of the deity and it is thus one of the 275 padal petra sthalams or important Shiva temples sung in praise of by the Nayanmars. Arunagirinathar, the great devotee of Muruga who lived in the 15th century AD, has composed Tamil verses on Subrahmanya here in his famous work Thirupugazh.
The main sanctum enshrining the Shiva linga is apsidal shape with a rounded rear end known as gajaprishta in technical parlance, which is a trademark feature of many Chola temples. Goddess Parvati is worshipped here as Jagadambika Ambal. A large mandapa of the Vijayanagar style of architecture is seen in front of this shrine.
This medium-sized temple-complex is seen today with numerous sub-shrines for Meenakshi, Sundareshwara, Bhairava, Vira-Hanuman, Planet Jupiter (Guru), and other deities. Each of these were added at a different period over many centuries. There are numerous inscriptions here.
A 13th century epigraph records that a lady dancer from the Ekambareswarar temple in Kancheepuram consecrated the image of Goddess Parvati called Thiruvidi Nachiyar in this temple. The gifts she gave to this temple, including gold jewellery and gold vessels are mind blowing! An inscription of the Vijayanagara empire mentions an official named Mallappa Udaiyar who was in charge of collecting taxes in the region comprising the present-day Chennai.
(The writer is a historian who focuses on temple architecture)