Somanathar Authoor

Somanathar, Authoor

Saivite Temples - Thoothukudi

God

Somanathar, facing east

Goddess

Somasundari, facing east

Other Deities

Outer Prakaram – Vinayaka, Naagar, Muruga with consorts. Inner Prakaram – Adhikara Nandi, Suryan, 63 Nayanmar, Saptha Kanniyar, Kanni Vinayaka, Kasi Viswanathar, Visalakshi, Chokkanadar, Meenakshi, Somasundarar, Muruga with consorts, Anantha Padmanabhar with Sreedevi and Bhoodevi, Saneeswara, Nataraja, Kalanhairava, Chandran. Sanctum niches – Dakshinamurthy, Chandikeswara, Chandikeswari in the Goddess shrine.

Somanathar Authoor is a large east-facing temple with 2 Prakarams. The entrance is through a long mandapam in the east. In front of the temple on the southeast side is a Temple Tank. The temple has 2 temple cars. Somanathar Authoor temple is under renovation at present. The outer Prakaram has cloistered mandapams all around. There are some super pieces of carvings in this ancient temple. Sadly some of the pillars have been mindlessly covered with concrete on the sides with only a few relief carvings jutting out. The ceiling in the Mandapam in front of the sanctum has wood-like beams carved out of stone. The massive pillars in the Mandapams here are really worth spending time. Some of them have beautiful little carvings of deities and ornamental motifs. The goddess shrine is a separate east-facing one with its own mandapams. The Ananthapadmanabahar idol is in a separate shrine with a Shiva Lingam near his outreaching hand.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Chandra Pushkarini

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Aala Maram (Banyan Tree – Ficus benghalensis)

History

Somanathar Authoor is an ancient temple as is evident from the several inscriptions found around the walls of the sanctum sanctorum. The details of the same and historical information are not available as of now.

Legend

In the ancient days, people found cows shedding milk on a banyan tree and decided to cut it. Blood spewed out as the axe fell on the tree and the incident was reported to the King. He discovered the Lingam inside and built the Somanathar Authoor temple without felling the tree. Since the Lingam came out of the Aala Maram, the place came to be called Aalathur and later became Authoor.

Chandran (Soma) is believed to have worshiped the lord here creating the Chandra Theertham. Sage Gautama and Lord Vishnu are also believed to have worshiped the Lord here at Somanathar Authoor.

Directions

Somanathar Authoor is about 17 kilometers north of Tiruchendur on the Thoothukudi road. The temple is inside on the left side as you go from Tiruchendur and before crossing the Tamiraparani River.

Stay and Food

None locally. The closest is Tiruchendur where there are many hotels, lodges, and restaurants for a comfortable stay and good food. Tiruchendur is about 40 kilometers south of Thoothukudi and 55 kilometers southeast of Tirunelveli. It is a well-connected coastal town.

Saivite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples