हिंदीOn this day
Standing

Marundeeswarar Temple, Tiruvanmiyur

The Lord of medicine on the south Chennai coast, who taught Agastya the virtue of herbs. Appar and Sambandar sang it, and Maharshi Valmiki is said to have worshipped here.

Built: Chola sanctum, enlarged in the 11th century; later Vijayanagara additionsWhere: Tamil Nadu (Chennai)Deity: Bhagwan Shiva as Marundeeswarar (Lord of medicine); Devi as Tripurasundari12.99° N, 80.26° E
  1. May 2008
  2. February 2020
Photo: Mohan Krishnan (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0

01Medicine and Valmiki

Marundu is medicine. The temple’s katha says Shiva sat here under the vanni tree and taught Agastya the healing powers of plants, and the sick still come to Marundeeswarar for relief; the vibhuti and milk of the abhishekam are taken home as prasadam. Kamadhenu is said to have worshipped here with her milk, so the Lord is also called Palvannanathar, the milk-white Lord. The name of the place is read as Tiru-Valmiki-ur: Maharshi Valmiki worshipped here, and a small shrine to him stands on the East Coast Road nearby. Appar and Sambandar both sang Tiruvanmiyur.

02The temple today

The Chola sanctum was enlarged in the eleventh century, and two seven-tiered gopurams and a large tank were added over the following centuries. Chola inscriptions on the walls record lamps and land given to the temple. The shrine was consecrated after renovation in May 2008 and again in February 2020. Panguni brings the Brahmotsavam, when the deities are taken round the streets of what is now a busy south Chennai neighbourhood.

The life of this place

  1. May 2008Kumbhabhishekam after renovation.
  2. February 2020The temple is consecrated again after renovation.
Visiting

On the East Coast Road side of Tiruvanmiyur; Tiruvanmiyur MRTS station is about 1 km away.

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