Thiruneedur Somanathaswami Temple Temple / Arul Somanatha Swamy Temple, அருள்மிகு ஆலால சுந்தரி ஸ்ரீ பத்திரகாளி அம்மன் ஆலயம், Thiru Needur – Nidur, Mayiladuthurai District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 75^th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam  and 21^st Sthalam on north side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. The place maintains the same name as Nidur, mentioned in Thevara Hymns. But during ancient times this place was called as Magizhavanam, Vagularanyam and Magizharanyam.

  

In PeriyaPuranam Sekkizhar mentions that, Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal stayed some time with Thirugnanasambandar at Sirkazhi. He expressed the wish of worshiping Lord Shiva of other temples. Both went to Kolakka and Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal alone started his pilgrimage.

ஆண்ட அரசு அழுந்தருளக் கோலக் காவை

        அவரோடும் சென்று இறைஞ்சி அன்புகொண்டு

மீண்டருளினார் அவரும் விடை கொண்டு இப்பால்

        வேத நாயகர் விரும்பும் பதிகள் ஆன

நீண்ட கருப்பறியலூர், புன்கூர், நீடூர்

        நீடு திருக்குறுக்கை, திருநின்றியூரும்

காண்தகைய நனிபள்ளி முதலாய் நண்ணிக்

        கண்ணுதலார் கழல் தொழுது கலந்து செல்வார் 

Appar, Sundarar and Vallalar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. Appar has sung this hymns praising Lord Shiva of both Thirupunkur and Nidur Temples.  

பிறவாதே தோன்றிய பெம்மான் தன்னைப் பேணாதார் அவர்தம்மைப் பேணா தானைத்

துறவாதே கட்டறுத்த சோதி யானைத் தூநெறிக்குந் தூநெறியாய் நின்றான் தன்னைத்

திறமாய எத்திசையுந் தானே யாகித் திருப்புன்கூர் மேவிய சிவலோகனை

நிறமா மொளியானை நீடூ ரானை நீதனேன் என்னேநான் நினையா வாறே

........ திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

ஊர்வ தோர்விடை ஒன்றுடை யானை ஒண்ணு தல்தனிக் கண்ணுத லானைக்

கார தார்கறை மாமிடற் றானைக் கருத லார்புரம் மூன்றெரித் தானை

நீரில் வாளை வரால்குதி கொள்ளும் நிறைபு னற்கழ னிச்செல்வ நீடூர்ப்

பாரு ளார்பர வித்தொழ நின்ற பரம னைப்பணி யாவிட லாமே

....... சுந்தரர்

                                        -“உருப்பொலிந்தே

ஈடுரிலாதுயர்ந்த வேதுவினா லோங்குதிரு

நீடுரிலங்கு நிழல் தருவே

.......... திரு அருட்பா.

Moolavar  : Sri Somanathawami, Arul Somanatha Swamy.

Consort    : Sri Aadhithya Abayaprathambigai, Sri Alalasundari

                 Sri Vedhanayagi, Sri Veyurutholoammai.

Some of the important features of this temple are............

The temple is facing east with and entrance arch is at the beginning of the road and at the entrance of the temple. Stucco image of Rishabarooder with vinayagar and Murugan are on both side on the arch. The balipeedam and Rishabam are after the entrance arch. Moolavar was made of mud / River sand. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala and artha mandapam. In Koshtam Narthana Ganapathy, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai.

In the prakaram for 3 Vinayagars – Chinthamani Ganapathy, Selva Ganapathy and Shivananda Ganapathy, Saptamatrikas, Chinmayananda Ganapathy, Subramaniyar, Shiva Lingas – Shivaloganathar, Kayilayanathar and Kasi Viswanathar, Natarajar Sabha,  Mahalakshmi, Kala bhairava, Munaiyadu nayanar with  Anjali hasta, Saneeswarar and Chandikeswarar. The Urchavars are kept at Therazhundur Perumal Temple for safety reasons.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal has sung Hymns on Lord Shiva of this temple, the original temple might have existed before 7^th Century and latter reconstructed during Chozha’s, Period.

The temple’s inscriptions belongs to Kulothunga-I, Rajathi Rajan-II and Rajarajan-III. As per Rajathi Rajan-III inscriptions this place was called as Rajasigamani Chaturvedi mangalam. The Kulothunga Chozha-I’s period inscription is in the form of song records that Mozhalai nattu Velkandan madhavan constructed the Vimana.

Yaparungalam and Yaparungakala karikai  was written by Amuthasagarar. But the inscriptions refers as Amithasagarar. 

Rajaraja-III’s  inscription records that Thiruindalur Nattu Rajasigamani Chathurvedi mandalam Pukazhaparana Pillaiyar Koil Nattar and Karayar assembled and decided to collect  Tax for the 1/32 veli land Five, One  kasu and nobody is authorised to collect taxes except the King. Nidur belongs to Rajathiraja Vala nattu indalur naadu.

Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on, 20^th June 1947,  4^th July 1985 and 05^th April 2007.

LEGENDS

Munaiyaduvar Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanmars, had done service at this temple and attained mukhi. He was a soldier and leads many battles and won in all. He used to turn the defeat in to victory of all wars. He spent all the money earned towards service of the Shiva Temples.  

At the end of every yuga all the living things will be destroyed during pralaya. But this place will not be subjected to Pralayam. Hence this place is called as Nidur. 

Indra had made the Shiva Linga out of Kaveri River sand  and Worshiped Lord Shiva. He sang in praise of Lord Shiva to have the darshan of Lord Shiva’s dance. Satisfied the Devotion of Indra, Lord Shiva gave the dance darshan on Margazhi Thiruvathira Nakshatra day. Hence Lord Shiva is called as “Sri Gana Nardhana Sankarar". Since the Shiva Linga is made of Sand no abhishekam was done to the Moolavar.

Suryan worshiped Ambal of this temple, hence Ambal is called as Adithya Varadha Ambigai. During Tamil month Avani sun rays falls on Moolavar for three days. Chandra worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple after creating a Chandra Theertham. Hence Lord Shiva is called as Sri Somanatha Swamy.

Suryan, Chandran, Kali and a Crab also worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.

It is believed that Bhadrakali, Visited this place after worshiping Lord Shiva of Kedarnath and Kasi, she was given the charge of protecting this Village. Hence called as Alalasundari and bless us in a separate sannadhi. 

Kali worships Lord Shiva ( some of the Photos are taken from the web site and thanks to the unknown photographers )

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Vinayaka Chathurthi in Avani ( Aug- September), Navaratri in Puratasi ( Sep- Oct), Thirukarthigai in Karthigai ( Nov - Dec ),  Makar Sankranti in Thai ( Jan – Feb ) and Maha Shivaratri in Masi ( Feb- March )

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept opened between 08.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

Mobile and Land line numbers +91  99436 68084, +91 364 250 424, and K. Sivasubramaniya Gurukkal may be contacted on his mobile +91 97868 79971, for further details.  

HOW TO REACH :

Just 4 KM from Mayiladuthurai town. Can come by auto also.

The temple is 4 KM from Mayiladuthurai, 23 KM from Sirkazhi, 44 KM from Chidambaram and 260 KM from  Chennai.

Nearest Railway station is Nidur and Junction is Mayiladuthurai.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---