The visit to this Sri Soma Sundareswarar Temple at Thirukkattalai,
in Pudukottai District, was part of “Shiva, Vishnu and Buddhist Temples Visit in
Puducherry, Nagapattinam, Sivagangai, Pudukottai, Thanjavur and Tiruchirappalli
Districts”, from 8th to 10th April 2026.
Moolavar : Sri Soma Sundareswarar
Consort : Sri Mangala Nayagi
Some
of the salient features of this temple are….
The
temple faces east with entrances from the east and south. The temple tank is on the
east side. Balipeedam and Rishabam are after the east side entrance. Moolavar
is on a square avudaiyar. In koshtam, Thiripurantakar, Maga Vishnu, and Brahma.
In the praharam, Suryan, Saptamatrikas with Vinayakar and Veerabhadra, Murugan, Jyeshta
Devi, Chandran, Chandikeswarar, Bairavar, and Ambal. The parivara sannidhis are
built abutting the compound wall.
Ambal
is in a separate sannidhi that faces south. Ambal is in a standing posture with
abhaya varada hastam.
ARCHITECTURE
The
temple was constructed with stone from adhistanam to the stupi. The temple consists
of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on
an adhistanam with jagathy, three patta kumudam, and pattikai. The bhitti
starts with vedikai. The pilasters are of Brahma kantha pilasters with kalasam,
kudam, mandi, palakai, and Taranga pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi
with bhuta ganas, kapotam with nasi kudus, and vyyalavari. A nagara vimanam is above
bhumi desam, with one tala, greevam, and nagara sigaram. Stucco images of Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are in the tala and greeva
koshtams.
HISTORY
AND INSCRIPTIONS
It is
said that the original temple was built during the 8th to 9th
century Pandya period and later received contributions from Chozhas and
Vijayanagaras.
The
Chozha king Koparaksari Barmar’s 9th reign year inscription on the
south side wall of the sanctum sanctorum records the endowment of burning a
perpetual lamp and Lamp stand (Nilai vilakku) by Kotranai Saththi Knadan Kotran
and his brothers. For the same, 10 kasu was gifted for the burning of the lamp and
one kasu for the lamp stand (Nilai vilakku).
Madurai
Konda koparakesari Banmar’s 35th reign year inscription on the south
wall of the sanctum sanctorum records the gift of land by the Karkurichi
Urar/people.
Kulothunga
Chozha I’s 9th reign year inscription on the south side wall of the
sanctum sanctorum starts with his meikeerthi and records the burning of a lamp. For
the same, 25 ewes were gifted to this temple.
Another
Kulothunga Chozha I’s, 10th reign year, incomplete inscription on the
same wall records the gift of land to this temple.
Kulothunga
Chozha I’s 14th reign year inscription on the south side of the
entrance wall is incomplete and damaged.
Kulothunga
Chozha’s 48th reign year inscription on the north wall of the
sanctum sanctorum records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp by Pappan
Senthan alias Kulothunga Chozhamangala nadalwan. The same fertile land was
gifted to this temple. The inscription is damaged in many portions, and it gives
the periphery limits.
Thirubhuvana
Chakravarthi Kulothunga Chozha’s 3rd reign year inscription on a
stone in the village is highly damaged and incomplete.
The
Vijayanagara King Sri Veerapratapa …. Mallikarjunarayar’s reign inscription on
the south side wall of the sanctum sanctorum records the endowment of naivedyam
for the morning poojas and rituals. For the same, punjai and nanjai lands are
gifted by the Thirukaddalai Kaniyalar Panakudi Parathesi and the general
public.
The
Vijayanagara King Sri Veerapratapa …. Mallikarjunarayar’s Son Pratapa
Devaraya Maharaya’s reign inscription
on the south side wall of the sanctum sanctorum records the gift of lands for
the naivedyam and poojas.
The
temple’s sanctum sanctorum south side wall, a highly damaged inscription of the 6th
reign year, without the king's name…. Kaikolan mudikonda Chozhadevan..….
Ref:
The
inscriptions of the Pudukottai State are arranged according to the Dynasties.
LEGENDS
POOJAS
AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart
from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on pradosham, Maha
Shivaratri, Vinayagar Chaturthi, Sankadahara Chaturthi, Karthikai, etc.
TEMPLE
TIMINGS
The
temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and from 17.00 hrs to
19.00 hrs.
CONTACT
DETAILS
Somasundara Gurukkal may be contacted on his mobile
numbers +919443646665 and +9198650 50553 for further details.
HOW TO
REACH
The
temple is about 6.6 km from Pudukkottai, 46 km from Karaikudi, 58 km from
Tiruchirappalli, 65 km from Thanjavur, and 112 km from Madurai.
The
nearest Railway Station is Pudukkottai.
LOCATION
OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
--- OM
SHIVAYA NAMA ---
