A Siva temple on the banks of the Thiruvallur temple-tank

Thiruvallur is well known as being home to the famous Veeraraghava Perumal temple, which his one of the 108 Divya Desams (places sacred to God Vishnu, praised by the Azhvars or important Vaishnava devotees). This deity is also known as Vaidya Veeraraghava Perumal, the word vaidya indicating that this God cures devotees of various diseases. A few Tamil inscriptions have been discovered in various parts of this Vishnu temple, which testify to the antiquity of Thiruvallur. The earliest of these was found etched on a step leading to the pushkarini (temple tank) known as Hriththapanashini, and belongs to the Pallava times of the 9th century CE. Not many know that there is a Siva shrine near the Veeraraghava Perumal temple, located on the banks of this pushkarini . The Siva Lingam in this temple is worshipped as Teerthishwarar. The Teerthishwarar temple faces east with a modern gopuram at the entrance, leading to a large open prakaram (enclosure). On the left is the main sanctum for Teerthishwarar, the presiding deity, which is a small Siva Lingam, facing east with the bali-pitham , dvaja-stambham , and Nandi mandapam facing it. Around this shrine is a small outer prakaram with devakoshtas (niches) for Ganesha, Dakshinamurthi, Maha Vishnu, Brahma, and Durga. The mandapam in front of the main shrine has a few sculptures of Ganesha seated on the mushika (mouse) vahana , Subramanya with consorts on the mayura (peacock) vahana , Siva and Parvati seated on the rishabha (bull) vahana ; and Dakshinamurthi, on the pillars. The ceiling of this mandapa, too, has many well-carved sculptures. Near the dvajastambham are images of Bhairava and Nalvar (the important Siva devotees: Appar, Thirugnanasambandar, Sundaramurthi Nayanar, and Manikkavachakar). Many Nagakal are seen behind the central sanctum in the prakaram . Interestingly, there is another small shrine near the Nagakal which has an image of Vishnu (Perumal) with consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi; a Siva Lingam, known as Mal Vinay Teerthishwarar, with Parvathi to the side; Veerabhadra and Naga Devata, and Nandi in front. It is said that God Vaidya Veeraraghava in the huge temple in Thiruvallur takes away the ailments of devotees, and Siva, here, takes away the ailments from Vishnu ( Mal ). Hence the name Mal Vinay Teerthishwarar, which, it is said, is also the full name of the presiding deity. The outer prakaram has sanctums for Ayyappa, Subramanya, and Tripurasundari Ambal, Pazhani Andavar, Navagrahas, Nataraja, and the Vahana mandapa . Close to the Tirthishwara temple, also on the banks of the Hriththapanashini tank, is a small temple for Varaha (the third incarnation of God Vishnu). The sanctum of this temple, which faces east, has the grand image of Lakshmi Varaha. The utsava murtis (processional images) of Lakshmi-Hayagriva, Lakshmi-Varaha, and Lakshmi-Narayana are in front of the principal deity. Several beautiful sculptures are seen on the vimanam of the main sanctum. This temple also has an image of Bala Anjaneya. Thiruvallur is approximately 50 km from Chennai and about 25 km from Poonamallee