Friday, December 30, 2016

Somanatheswarar Temple, Somangalam, Kanchipuram

Somanatheswarar Temple, Somangalam, Kanchipuram
Somanatheswarar Temple is dedicated to Hindu God Shiva located at Somangalam Village in Kanchipuram District of Tamilnadu. Presiding Deity is known as Somanatheswarar and Divine Mother Shakti as Kamakshi Amman. This temple is one of the Navagraha temples of Chennai (or Thondai Mandalam) devoted to Sri Chandra Bhagavan (Moon God). Somangalam is a Chaturvedimangalam, a village donated by the Kings to the Pundits of the four vedas to conduct various yagnas and regular poojas.





Somangalam, a village near Kundrathur, one of the suburbs of Chennai close to Porur, is a place of great antiquity. The two little known Chola temples in Somangalam, one for Vishnu and the other for Siva and the Tamil inscriptions found on their walls bear testimony to this suburb’s connections with the Cholas. The name Somangalam has continued to exist for more than a thousand years as evident from the Chola lithic records. The other ancient names of this village were Rajashikhamani Chaturvedimangalam and Panchanadivana Chaturvedimangalam indicating that it was peopled by scholars who were well-versed in the four Vedas. It was situated in the ancient territorial sub-division of Maganur Nadu in Chengattu-k-kottam in Jayankonda-Cholamandalam.






This temple is said to have been built by Kulothunga Chozha in 1073 AD during his 3rd year of reign. According to inscriptions found here, this place was referred as ‘Jayankonda Chozha Mandalathu Senkaattu Kottathu Maaganoor Naattu Somangalamaana Rajasigaamani Chathurvedhi Mangalam”. Those days the places gifted (tax free) to Vedic Brahmins by ancient kings were called Chathurvedhi Mangalams.




The inscriptions found in the temple also reveal the information about the local lake which got damaged and about the repair works done to it. Also, there is information about the cows donated to the temple to fetch revenue to light the lamps in the temple, every evening.





Legends
For brief details, please refer below link;
The Temple
For brief details, please refer below link;
Temple Opening Time
The Temple will be open from 8 AM – 10 AM and 5 PM – 7 PM – It is preferred to visit the temple only in the mornings since the evening timing is not sure. The temple is strictly closed between 12 pm and 4 pm.
Prayers
People with Chandra and water related Dhoshams, mind and water related problems like Cold, Asthma, mental sickness etc., can worship Somanatheswarar and Chandra here to come out of their problems. Also it is believed that Lord Somanatheswarar blesses people with timely marriage, progeny, peaceful and healthy life.
Contact
Somanatheswarar Temple,
Somangalam, Kanchipuram District,
Phone: +91 – 44 – 2717 8330
Connectivity
The Somanatheswarar Temple is located in Somangalam, Chennai suburb. Buses are available from Kundrathur bus terminus to Somangalam. The temple is within a km from the Somangalam bus terminus. Somangalam lies at about 35 kms south west of Chennai city. One can take the route from Tambaram via Kishkintha to reach Somangalam. The better alternative is to take the road from Pallavaram going to Kunrathur. After reaching Kunrathur junction, one has to take left (towards south) to reach Somangalam.
Somangalam is about 10 kms from Kunrathur. Also plenty of busses ply from Porur directly to Somangalam. Somangalam is in the Kundrathur – Padappai road and can be reached from Tambaram as well. It is 6 kms from Kishkintha. After Kishkintha, while proceeding straight the road divides into two and you have to take the road at the left. Go beyond Sairam Engineering College and you will see a road to the left to Dhanalakshmi Engineering College. Go straight further and you will reach Somangalam and the temple. 

References