Ravishwarar Temple, Vyasarpadi

Ravishwarar Temple stands on Murthy Iyengar Street in Vyasarpadi, in north Chennai, and dates from the Chola period. Shiva is worshipped as Ravishwarar, after Ravi, the sun, facing east, with the goddess Marakadhambal facing south, behind a three-tiered rajagopuram. Tradition says the sun god worshipped Shiva here and bathed in the temple tank, the Brahma or Surya Theertham, to be freed of a curse; an image of Surya sits within the Shiva sanctum, and sunlight enters through a linga-shaped opening. The sage Vyasa is said to have worshipped here too, giving the neighbourhood its name.

The sacred tree is the vanni, with vilva and naga linga trees also in the grounds. Shrines honour Vishnu, Nataraja, Bhairava, Sundara Vinayaka, Murugan with his consorts, Ayyappa and Hanuman. Many come on Sundays to pray for relief from illness. Festivals include Pongal, Rathasapthami, Aani Brahmotsavam, Skanda Shashti and Panguni Uthiram, and on the tenth day of Navarathri a plantain stem tied with vanni leaves is cut before the goddess to mark the slaying of Mahisha.