The Ravishwarar temple in Vyasarpadi is for God Siva and has this name because the Sun God (Ravi) is said to have once worshipped the Siva Linga (Eswara) here. This temple faces east with a tall gopuram in the front. Steps from the road lead to the gopuram and visitors have to climb down again to reach the prakaram (enclosure). Straight ahead are the dvajastambham, bali-pitham, and Nandi mandapam. There are many sanctums in the prakaram for Anjaneya; a row of the sixty-three Nayanmars; Sundara Vinayaka, Vallalar, Munaikatha Perumal, Naga, Subramanya with Valli and Devasena, Chandikeshwara, Ayyappa, Kala Bhairava, and Navagrahas.
According to the tradition of this temple, the Vishnu image has the unique name Munaikatha Perumal because he protected the end (munai) of the tusk of Vinayaka from becoming blunt when he wrote the Mahabharata at Vyasa’s dictation. There is a small shrine for Sage Vyasa close to this Perumal sanctum. In fact, it is said that Vyasa Mararishi worshipped Siva in this temple and that is why this place came to be known as Vyasarpadi.
On the south side of the prakaram is an entrance which leads to a small mandapam; to the left of which is the principal sanctum enshrining the Siva Linga worshipped as Ravishwarar. The rays of the Sun fall on the Siva Lingam early in the morning through the gopuram and via a window in the shape of a Siva Linga cut in stone. The vimanam above the Ravishwarar sanctum, called the Indra Vimanam, has stucco images of various deities, including the Ashtadikpalakas or guaridians of the eight directions.
The south-facing shrine for Parvati, worshipped here as Maragatha Ambal, is adjacent to the main sanctum. Images of Surya, Chandra, and the Siva devotees — Appar, Thirugnanasambandar, Sundaramurti Nayanar, and Manikkavachakar (collectively called Nalvar) are in worship in this mandapam, as also bronze images of Nataraja and Sivakami. The devakoshtas (niches on the outer walls containing deities) of the central sanctum have Ganesa, Dakshinamurti, Maha Vishnu, Brahma, and Durga; while the devakosthas of the Ambal shrine have the images of Varahi, Vaishnavi, Brahmi, Kaumari, and Maheshwari.
Traditionally, the Sthala Vriksham (sacred tree) of this temple has been the Vanni Maram, but now only the stump of this tree is seen near the Subramanya sanctum. Opposite this temple, on the other side of the road, is a large pushkarini (temple tank) called Surya Pushkarini as it is said to have been created by the Sun God when he came here to worship Siva.