CHENNAI: One among the many areas on the outskirts of Chennai is Paruthipattu, which is home to two temples — one for Siva and the other for Vishnu. The Siva temple is called Vazhavanda Vayulingeshwarar. This east-facing temple has a modern archway at the entrance. The main sanctum housing the Siva Lingam worshipped as Vazhavanda Vayulingeshwarar is situated right next to the sanctum for Goddess Parvati, known as Vriddhambika. It is interesting to note that in this temple Goddess Vriddhambika faces east, as the sanctums for Parvati in most temples in Tamil Nadu face south. It is said that this place got its name as it was full of cotton (paruthi) trees.
On either side of the entrance to the main sanctum are two tiny shrines for Bala Vinayaka and Bala Murugan. The vimanam of the principal sanctum has stucco images of various manifestations of Siva such as Dakshinamurti, Lingodhbhavamurti and Gajasamharamurti. A small Nandi is seen in front of the main Siva Linga and another in front of Goddess Vriddhambika’s shrine in place of the lion which is usually there in front of sanctums for Parvati. Chandikeshwara is worshipped inbetween the shrines of Vayulingeshwara and Vriddhambika.
An interesting fact about this temple is that it is one of the eight Siva temples (Ashta Linga temples) around the Vedapurishwarar temple in nearby Thiruverkadu. It is said that God Vayu (Wind-God) performed penance to Siva here in the middle of paruthi trees. A stone image of God Vayu is seen next to a pillar facing the main Siva Lingam in the Paruthipattu temple which is the reason why the deity is called Vayulingeshwarar. According to tradition, there are altogether eight Dikpalakas or guardians of the eight directions. Vayu is the Dikpalaka of the north-west and this temple is said to be to the north-west of the Thiruverkadu Siva temple.
Other deities enshrined in the prakaram (enclosure) are Nalvar (the four important Saivite devotees), Appar, Thirugnanasambandar, Sundarar, and Manikkavachakar); Vinayaka; Subramanya with consorts Valli and Deivayanai; Bhairava and Navagrahas. Interestingly, there is a sanctum for Vishnu, worshipped as Satyanarayana Perumal, facing west with Garuda in front. This image was found in a pond closeby and consecrated here. A plethora of festivals are celebrated in this Siva temple all around the year.