VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Sri Somanatheeswarar Temple / Somanatheswarar Temple at Somangalam near Chennai, Chandran Sthalam, one of the Navagraha sthalam around Chennai, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu.

Monday 1 February 2016

Sri Somanatheeswarar Temple / Somanatheswarar Temple at Somangalam near Chennai, Chandran Sthalam, one of the Navagraha sthalam around Chennai, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu.

1^st February 2016.

Participated with Sevas for the Uzhavaram at Sri Kamakshi Samedha Sri Somanatha Eeswarar temple at Somangalam. The works involves cleaning of the temple, clearing the bushes in side the temple premises, shifting Dakshinamurthy and Varahi Amman ( both damaged ) to the other moorthams kept adjacent to south side of compound wall. We also moved a epigraph tablet near the sthala Vruksham. It is one of the 108 Gajabirushta Vimana type temples constructed by Choozhas. This is the Chandran sthalam and one of the Navagraha sthalams in Thondai Nadu.

Moolavar : Sri Somanatheeswarar

Consort : Sri Kamakshi Amman.

Some of the important details of this temple are….

The temple is facing east with out Rajagopuram and Dwajasthambam. Only entrance arch on the south side. Sanctum is of Gajabirustam type. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma and Durgai. Nandhi is facing east opposite to moolavar. The story behind this was, during construction of this temple, Rishabam was sent to fight with enemies of the Chozha King.

In the front mandapam sannidhi for Brahma in sitting posture., Bala Murugan, Mahavishnu and Balasubramaniar.

In the outer praharam moorthams are positioned on a pedestal (damaged) adjacent to Compound wall, Chandikeswarar, Subramaniyar, Ambal, Bhairavar, Navagrahas, Chandran and Suriyan.

LEGENDS

Chandran worshiped Lord Shiva to get rid of curse given by Dhakshan, hence this is one of the Navagraha sthalam in Thondai Nadu.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

This Gajabirushta Vimana temple is believed to be built during 9^th to 10^th century Chozha period. As per the inscriptions this place was called as Jayangonda Chozhamandalathu Sengattu Kottathu Somangalam alias Rajasikamani Chathurvedi Mangalam and Lord Shiva was called as Someswarar. The inscriptions belongs to Kulaothunga chozha-I ( 1070 – 1120 CE ), Rajaraja Chozha-II ( 1150 – 1163 CE ), Kulothunga Chozha –III with his meikeerthi மதிரையும் ஈழமும் கொண்டருளிய (1178 – 1216 CE ). During Rajaraja-II period this place Somangalam was under Puliyur Kottam, Kulothunga Chozhavalanattu, Kundrathur Nadu. Kulothunga Chozha-III inscription 1192 CE inscription records the ( Adyar ) damage caused due to ( Adyar ) river flood and the rectification of Eri ( reservoir ). The inscriptions mainly records the gifts of lands, Cow, money etc,. towards burning of perpetual and Sandhi lamps. As per the inscriptions this place was called as Rajasigamani Chathurvedimangalam under Puliyur Kottathu Kulothunga Chozhavalanattu Kundrathur nadu and latter changed as Panchanadhivan Chathurvedi mangalam.

Rajathiraja-II’s ( 1174 CE ) inscription records the endowment of burning a lamp by Ekkattu Kottathu Perumunaiyur Karanaththan Chandrasekaran. For which 2 cows were gifted to this temple.

Kulothunga Chozha-III ( 1190 CE ) Inscription records that the eri breached on seven places due to heavy rain. Thiruchurakannappan Thiruvekambamudaiyan alias Kaman Kanda Vanavan rectified the breaches. He also gave a gift of 40 pazhangasu to rectify incase it the eri breaches again. Again 1192 CE he rectified the eri bund which breached again.

A 1206 CE inscription records the endowment of burning a sandhi lamp by Athipattu merchant ChikkaNdi Chekkar. For which one pazhangasu was gifted to this temple. Another 1209 CE inscription records the gift of 2 Pazhangasu to burn a lamp at Somanathar shrine by Udaiya Pillai.

Another 1244 CE inscription records the cows are gifted to this temple for Naivedyam by Kulothunga Chozha Kannappan Adhi Nayakan Neelagangarayan and Ullarilnallan Kalingatharaiyan

Koperusinga-I’s 1257 CE inscription records the Gopuram was built.