Shiva Temples of Tamilnadu

Thevaara Paadal Petra Shivasthalangal


Arul-Somanatheswarar temple, Tiruneedur


Temple Information
Location of the templeTiruneedur, near Mayiladuthurai
Deity known asArutsomanatheswarar, Gaana Nirthana Sankarar
Female deity known asVeyuru Tholiyammai, Aalalasundara Nayagi
PathigamTirunavukarasar, Sundarar
How to reach Tiruneedur is 4.8 Kms from Mayiladuthurai. Bus services are available from Mayiladuthurai to Needur.
Near by Temples1. Mayiladuthurai - 4.8 kms -
2. Vaitheeswaran Koil - 14 kms -
Near by Divya DesamParimala Ranganathar Temple, Tiruindalur - 3.7 kms -
Temple addressArulmighu Arutsomanatheswarar Temple
Tiruneedur
Needur Post
Mayiladuthurai Taluk
Mayiladuthurai District
PIN 609203

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The ancient Shiva temple at Needur, a place whose name reflects its enduring existence even beyond the dissolution of the universe itself, stands as a testament to the timeless nature of the divine. The temple has a modest east-facing entrance whose top is adorned with colorful and intricately crafted sculptures depicting Rishabharudar, Vinyaka, and Subramanya

The sacred 'Magizha' tree, revered as the 'Sthala Vruksham' or temple tree, stands as a majestic sentinel greeting devotees as they pass through the entrance of this temple. As one progresses further into the temple complex, the presence of the Nandi comes into view. Adjacent to the Nandi stands the Balipeetam and the Dwajasthambam. Within the temple's walls, two prakarams or concentric enclosures can be found, each housing a series of smaller shrines. The inner prakaram is home to several significant sannidhis or sanctums dedicated to various deities; Muruga, Shiva-Loka Nathar, Kailasa Nathar, Kasi Viswanathar, and Mahalakshmi. However, what sets this temple apart is the unique arrangement of three Ganapathy within the inner prakaram. Here, the murtis of Chintamani Ganapathy, Selva Ganapathy, and Shivananda Ganapathy, are positioned in close proximity to one another.

The Goshta Murtha's or subsidiary deities adorning the walls surrounding the sanctum includes Daskhinamurthy, Brahma, Annamalayar, Chandikeshwarar and Goddess Durga.

As one passes through the second gateway adorned with a single-tiered gopuram, the east-facing sanctum of the presiding deity Arul-Somanatheswarar comes into view, manifested as a self-formed swayambhu Linga. A unique astronomical phenomenon occurs during the Tamil month of Avani, spanning from mid-August to mid-September, when the sun's rays directly fall upon this deity. The sannidhi dedicated to the female consort deity is situated in the outer prakaram, with its entrance oriented towards the south. Within the enclosure directly in front of this sannidhi lies another east-facing sannidhi, reserved for Saneeshwarar. The spatial arrangement of these two sannidhis is particularly noteworthy, as it allows devotees to simultaneously behold both the female deity and Saneeshwarar from a single vantage point. This distinctive layout holds great spiritual significance, as it is believed that by offering prayers to both deities in this manner, the devotee can be liberated from the afflictions caused by 'Sani' dosha, the astrological influence of the planet Saturn. Interestingly, this temple does not house a separate sannidhi for the Navagrahas, the nine planetory deities, making the configuration of the female deity and Lord Saneeshwarar's sannidhis all the more exceptional



Sthala Purana - According to legend, the celestial deity Indira fashioned this sacred Linga out of sand in order to worship Lord Shiva. The Linga was further venerated by the celestial beings Surya, the sun god, and Chandra, the moon god. A unique aspect of this particular Shiva Linga is that it bears a hole, which is tied to the story of a demon who, due to his past negative Karma, was reborn as a crab. Seeking to absolve himself of this Karmic debt, the demon-crab sought the counsel of the wise Sage Naradha. The sage advised the crab to make a pilgrimage to Tiruneedur and worship the Shiva Linga there. Diligently, the crab would bathe in the holy waters of the river Kaveri and perform puja to the Linga. Moved by the crab's sincere devotion, Lord Shiva appeared before him and, in an act of divine grace, created an opening in the Linga. The crab entered the Linga through this hole and merged with the infinite divine consciousness of Shiva, thus achieving liberation from the cycle of birth and death. To this day, pilgrims and devotees can still see the hole in the Shiva Linga at Tiruneedur. The temple celebrates this legend each year during Karkataka Puja, which falls on the full moon day in the Tamil month of Aadi, corresponding to the zodiac sign of Cancer in the Western astrological tradition.

There are 2 pathikam composed by Tirunaavukkarasar and Sundarar for this temple. Tirunaavukkarasar's Pathikam in the 6'th Tirumurai is common to Tirupunkur and Tiruneedur.

Tiruneedur Temple photos

View of the temple
2'nd entrance - Gopuram
Shiva Loka Ganapathy
Outer Prakaram
Saptha Matha
Annamalayar
Muruga with Valli, Deivanai
Mahalakshmi
Veyuru Tholi Ammai