Somanathaswami Temple, Needur –
The Temple
This Temple is facing towards east without any Rajagopuram or entrance arch. There is an entrance arch facing towards south, but this entrance corresponds to Mother shrine. The entrance arch has stucco images of Rishabaroodar flanked by Vinayaga and Murugan. The temple has two prakarams. Balipeedam, Dhwaja Sthambam and Nandi can be seen immediately after the entrance in the outer prakaram facing the sanctum. There is single tiered gopuram at the entrance to the inner prakaram.
There is a sub shrine for Shivaloka Ganapathy in the gopuram facing towards east. The Sanctum Sanctorum consists of Sanctum, Ardha Mandapam and Maha Mandapam. Dvarapalas can be seen guarding the Maha Mandapam. Nandi and Balipeedam can be found in Maha Mandapam facing the sanctum. Presiding Deity is called as Arul Somanatha Swamy / Nirudha Gana Piriyar / Padi Padiya Devar / Karkadeswarar / Bhadrakaleeswarar / Gana Nardana Sankarar and is facing east.
He is housed in the sanctum in the form of Lingam. Lord is a Swayambhu Moorthy (self-manifested). It is believed that sun rays fall on the lingam every year for a few days in the Tamil month of Aavani. Bala Ganapathy, Dakshinamurthy, Annamalayar, Brahma and Durga are the Koshta Idols located around sanctum walls. Chandikeswarar Shrine can be seen in his usual location. There is a covered circumbulatory path around the sanctum. The Vimana over the sanctum is of two tiers.
There is a beautiful relief depicting Bhadrakali and Suryan worshiping Lord Shiva on the sanctum wall. There is an enclosed Mandapam called Thiruchutru Thirumaligai running around inner prakaram. The procession idols of this temple include idols of Lord Indra, Goddess Badrakali and Saint Munaiyaduvar. There is no procession idol of Lord Nataraja. There is a stucco image of Nataraja in place of metallic idol. Mother is called as Veyuru Tholiyammai / Adhigandhi Ammai / Aalala Sundari / Vedanayagi / Aditya Abayapradambigai.
She is housed in a separate south facing shrine to the left side of the sanctum. Her Shrine is situated in the outer prakaram close to the second level Rajagopuram. Her Shrine consists of Sanctum, Ardha Mandapam and Maha Mandapam. The Maha Mandapam is designed to look like the forehead of a bat (Vovval Nethi Mandapam). There is an idol of Lord Saneeswarar facing towards east, located in the Maha Mandapam of Ambika’s Shrine. The devotee can have the darshan of Mother and Saneeswarar simultaneously for removal of the adverse aspect of the planet.
There are three separate idols of Lord Vinayakar namely Mikapperiyar Chinthamani (the lord who is wise and elderly), Mikappazhayar Selvamaang Ganapathy (the lord who is experienced) and Mihappanikar Sivanandha Ganapathy (the lord who acts as an advisor) in Thiruchutru Thirumaligai. Devotees can worship Lord Vinayakar here before undertaking any new work.
There are idols and shrines of Siddhi Ganapathy, Badrakali, Sapthamathas, Sivalokanathar, Kailasanathar, Kasi Viswanathar, Murugan with his consorts Valli & Devasena, Sinmayanantha Ganapathy, Somaskandar, Mahalakshmi, Suryan, Chandran, Kala Bairavar and Munaiyaduvar in the temple premises. Theerthams associated with this temple are Surya Theertham, Chandra Theertham, Indra Theertham, Munivar Theertham, Ananda Theertham, Senkazhuneer Odai, Bhadrakali Theertham, Paruthi Kundam and Varuna Theertham. Sthala Vriksham is Magizha tree.
