CHENNAI: The Valmikinathar temple in Cheyyur is situated off the East Coast Road, about 80 km from Chennai. The drive to this village is scenic, via the eye-catching salt pans. Inscriptions record that Cheyyur was once situated in Puraiyur Nadu, a sub-division of Sembur Kottam in Jayankonda Chola Mandalam.
This temple has a small granite entranceway with pillars etched with sculptures. Interestingly, there are two carvings of Venugopala on two pillars flanking the main door to the temple, as though in the place of davarapalakas.
The temple has a beautiful granite mandapa with six huge pillars chisseled with the rearing horse motif, the riders of which, incidentally, are all women. Facing south, in this mandapa is the sanctum for Parvati worshipped as Muttambikai Amman, while to the left is the principal sanctum enshrining the Linga, believed to be Swayambhu or self-manifested. Directly opposite the door of the Shiva sanctum is a Nandi, seen through a large opening in the wall of the mandapam.
The doorway of the Siva shrine has the sculptures of the river Goddesses Ganga and Yamuna while the entrance to this sanctum has granite dwarapalakas called Sudohan and Sumukhan on either side.
There are many donative Tamil inscriptions etched on the walls of this temple belonging to the Chola era. The earliest, dated 1068 AD, belongs to the reign of Vira Rajendra. Another one, dated 1117 AD, of the period of Kulottunga Chola I records a gift to the temple of Putridankonda Mahadevar at Seyyur in Jayankonda Mandalam. There are some epigraphs of other Chola emperors, including one of Rajadhiraja II dated 1171 AD which registers the gift of a piece of salt-pan to this temple.