Uttara Vaidya Lingeswarar Temple

Vaidyanatha or Vaitheeswaran Temple is an ancient and famous temple in Central Tamil Nadu. There is a temple with the same name located in Northern Tamil Nadu, and it is known as Uttara Vaidya Lingeswarar Temple. (The word Uttara denotes north).

The temple is located in Kattur village near Tiruporur on the southern outskirts of Chennai. The original temple was in a dilapidated state. To my knowledge, there was no inscription discovered on the site. The current structure is completely renovated with new icons in 2004 CE. The presiding deity and a few pillars in Maha Mandapa are the exceptions. The Maha Mandapa appears to be of 17th/18th-century work. 

The east-facing temple has a five-tiered tower. The sanctum enshrines a moderate-sized Shiva Linga called Vaidya Lingam. In Maha Mandapam, Thaiyal Nayaki, the Goddess, is enshrined in a south-facing shrine.

The images of four devotees of Shiva called Nalvar and Sekkilar are too found in the same enclosure.

As per the legend, Agastya got the darshan of Shiva's divine marriage on this site. Newly installed images of Shiva Linga, Uma, and Agastya are found in a corner to depict this scene. The celestial wedding is shown as relief images on the wall.

Ganesha, Dakshinamurti, Vishnu, Brahma, and Durga are the Koshta Devas. Chandikeswara, Nandi mandapa, and Navagrahas are located in their usual locations. 

As this temple is believed to be a Sevvai Parihara Sthalam, Angaraka is given a special status and a separate shrine. (Sevvai = Angaraka, Mangal or Mars) (Parihara Sthalam means the site where a particular deity is given special status so that he or she provides the remedy to specific problems.)

The sub-shrines of Ganesha, Gaja Lakshmi, and Subramanya-Valli-Devasena are situated on the prakara.

Happy travelling.