Marundeeswarar Temple

The Marundeeswarar Temple in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai, is a Shiva temple praised in the 7th century by the saints Appar and Sambandar, making it one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams. The stone temple dates from the Chola period, with expansions in the 11th century and later under Vijayanagara rulers, and inscriptions of Rajendra Chola's time survive in the Tripurasundari shrine.

Shiva is called Marundeeswarar, lord of medicine, because he is said to have taught the sage Agastya the healing powers of herbs, and the sick come here to pray. The sage Valmiki is said to have worshipped here, giving the area its name, and a shrine to him stands to the west on the East Coast Road. Shiva is also known as Palvannanathar, after the legend that the cow Kamadhenu bathed the linga with her milk, and the main shrine faces west. Two gateway towers and a large tank mark the complex, which covers about an acre.