VADAPAZHANI SHIVA TEMPLES

1. VENGEESWARAR TEMPLE

Vadapazhani is a place in Chennai. In ancient days, Kodambaakkam and Vadapazhani were considered together as Puliyurkottam. Karkodagan the snake worshipped Shiva here in this temple and therefore this place was called Kodagambakkam or Kodalambaakkam. Lord Shiva bent the Maeru mountain here to kill the Thiripura Asuras. Kodu means hill and therefore this place would have been known as Kodambaakkam. Vyakrapaadhar reached this place and installed a linga for his worship. He stayed here and worshipped this linga along with Pathanjali. Since Pulikkaal Munivar stayed in this place it was called Puliyur, Vyakrapuri or Vaengaipuram. The Shiva worshipped by him was called Puliyurudaiyar, vyakrapureeswarar or Vengeeswarar. The story of Vaykrapaadhar is given in the reference about THIRUPULIVNAM TEMPLE.

STORY OF PATHANJALI:

One day, Lord Mahavishnu was praising abour Lord Shiva’s dance. Aadhiseshan was listening to this. He wished to watch the dance of Lord Shiva very closely. With the concent of Lord Mahavishnu Aadhiseshan came to the earth and performed thavam towards Lord Shiva. Anusuya the wife of Sage Athri wanted a child and was praying to God for childbirth. Aadhiseshan suddenly fell in the form of a five headed small snake on Anusuya’s lap. The frightened Anusuya suddenly stood up and the snake fell on to her feet. Suddenly the snake transformed into a child and Anusuya realised the truth. Since he fell on to her feet he was Pathamjali (patham means leg and chali means fall). He grew up as the son of Sage Athri and Anusuya. He performed thavam towards Lord Shiva and enjoyed viewing the dance of Nataraja in Chidambaram. We can find Sage Pathanjali beside Nataraja in all temples. 

VENGEESWARAR TEMPLE:

Since the Muruga temple was built in this area the place then came to be known as Vadapazhani. When we enter into the Rajagopuram we find the Dwajasthambam and the Nandhi. We find Vengeeswarar facing east. Opposite to the Moolavar Vaykrapaadhar and Pathanjali one on each side. The name of the Ambaal is Shanthanayaki. As in other temples we find Vinayaka, Dhakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Brahma, Chandikaeswarar, Durga in the Koshta, Vinayaka, Vali Devasana Subramaiyar, Viswanaadhar and Visalakshi, Lakshmi, Bhairavar, Nagadevadhai, Saneeswarar, Muneeswarar, Chandra, Surya, Veerabadra and Navagrahas in the Prahara. This temple is famous for the Panguni Uthira Mahotsava. There is a Sundharavalli samedha Azhagar perumal temple and a Nagaththamman temple near the Vengeeswarar temple. On the tenth day of the Brahmothsava the Kalyana Uthsavam is celeberated. The Azhagar perumal is brought to this temple and the wedding occasion of Shiva and Parvathi is celeberated in His presence. This is a special feature of this temple. The Chola kings have contributed (Thirupani) to this temple. 

2. PATHANJALEESWARAR TEMPLE


Vyakrapadhar and Pathanjali worshipped Vengeeswarar and Pathanjaleeswarar temples. The Vengeeswarar was installed by Vyakrapadhar and Pathanjaleeswarar was installed by Pathanjali. This Linga was very close to the Vyakrapureeswarar. Only a Linga Amman and Nandhi was present. Later when inhabitants inscreased in this area the Linga was placed in the Vyakarapureeswarar temple. Now they have named Pathanjaleeswarar as Viswanadhar. The Aavudaiyar is round in shape. The place was then called Puliyur.