Masilamani Eswarar Temple, Vadatirumullaivayil
| Location of the temple | Located near Ambattur in Chennai City |
| Lord Shiva known as | Masilamani Eswarar |
| Female deity known as | Kodiyidai Amman |
| Pathigam | Sundarar |
| How to reach | This temple is 2 Kms from Ambattur, the industrial hub of Chennai city and is well connected by town buses. There is also a suburban railway station known as Tirumullaivayil on the Chennai Central – Arakonam section of Southern Railway and the temple is 1.5 Km from the railway station. |
| Temple address | Arulmighu Masilamani Eswarar Temple Tirumullaivayil Tirumullaivayil Post Tiruvallore District PIN 600062 |
There are 2 Paadal Petra Sthalangal in the name of Tirumullaivayil. To differentiate between the two, the one located in Thondai Nadu is known as Vadatirumullaivayil and other one near Sirkazhi is known as Thentirumullaivayil (North of river Cauvery).
Sundarar has composed hymns on the God of this temple. Sundarar when he lost his eye sight at Tiruvottriyur, came to Tiruvadamullaivayil and composed a Pathigam consisting of 11 songs. This temple is more than 1200 years old. The king Thondaiman, who ruled Thondai Naadu with Kancheepuram as the capital, was once defeated at the war by his enemies Kurumbars. The king, dejected by the defeat, was returning from the battle field on his elephant. When the elephant’s legs got entangled with mullai creeper on the ground, the king cut the mullai creeper with his sword to free the elephant’s legs. To his surprise he found blood coming out from underneath the mullai creeper. When he cleared them, he found a Sivalingam. After prayers to the God, the God sent Nandi along with him to fight his enemies once again. The king won the war, and in appreciation of God’s help in conquering his enemies, he constructed the temple at Thiruvadamullaivayil.
Because Nandi went to war along with the king, the Nandi in this temple is facing east instead of facing the God as seen normally in other Shiva temples. There is a grand tower on the southern entrance to the temple. Eventhough there is another entrance in the east, the southern entrance only is used to enter the temple. There is a 16 pillar mandapam in front of the south tower. You will see the Prasanna Vinayakar shrine once you enter though the south tower. Through an entrance in the south outer corridor, one can enter the inner prakaram where the sanctum sanctorum of both the Lord and His consort are located. Once we enter through the second south entrance, first we will see the shrine of Kodiyidaiamman on the left. The goddess is facing east. Situated next to the Goddess shrine is the shrine for Lord Masilamani Easwarar who is also facing east in the form of a sivalingam. Both the male and female presiding deities are facing east and the female deity’s shrine is situated to the right of presiding male deity. This is considered very significant. It is considered very special to pray the female deity Kodiyidaiamman here in full moon days. In this temple, there is no seperate shrine for Navagrahas, the nine planets. Sage Vasishtar has visited this temple and did penance and got Kamadhenu.
Saint Arunagirinathar has sung about the Murugar of this temple in his “Tiruppugazh”. Lord Muruga is seen here with one face and four hands along with his two consorts Valli and Deivanai. Lord Muruga’s shrine is located in the outer north prakaram. He is facing east. The shrine for Bhiaravar is located in the outer east prakaram. The flagpost, palipeetam and nandhi mandapam are also located in the outer east prakaram.