Somanathaswamy Temple, Nidur
A Shiva temple at Thirunidur, about 4 km from Mayiladuthurai, counted among the Thevaram Paadal Petra Sthalams. The presiding deity is worshipped as Arulsomanathar (Somanathar) with the goddess as Veyuruthol Ammai (Aalala Sundara Nayagi). It is a Chola-era shrine within the cluster of hymned temples surrounding Mayiladuthurai town.
Plan Somanathaswamy Temple, Nidur
Check entry arrangements. Ask temple staff about visitor entry, dress requirements and access to the inner shrine before you travel, especially if you are visiting as a non-Hindu.
Dress respectfully and follow the institution’s admission and photography rules.
Somanathaswamy Temple, Nidur is planned from Nidur, one of the travel bases in Mayiladuthurai district. Use Nidur for stays, food and local transport, then plan this place as a focused stop.
How to visit
- Base yourself in Nidur or nearby in Mayiladuthurai, then confirm the last-mile route locally before travel.
- If access depends on temple, museum or seasonal rules, check on the day before you go.
Best time
October to March is the cooler, drier season in the Cauvery delta.
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Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.
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Add a nearby businessSomanathaswamy Temple, Nidur — at a glance
Entry: Free
How to reach Somanathaswamy Temple, Nidur
About 4 km from Mayiladuthurai town; nearest railway Mayiladuthurai Jn (~4 km); nearest airport Tiruchirappalli (TRZ) ~150 km
If you need step-free access, contact the site before travelling. Ask about a level entrance, steps along the route, the nearest drop-off point, seating and accessible toilets.
Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.
What’s near Somanathaswamy Temple, Nidur
A Shiva temple in Anandathandavapuram village near Mayiladuthurai, mentioned in Appar's Thevaram as a Thevara Vaippu Sthalam and believed to date from the 6th century CE. It was reconstructed by the Cholas in the 12th century, and the deity is known as Panchavateeswarar, also called Kalyana Sundareswarar and Anandha Thandaveswarar. It preserves notable Chola-period architecture and inscriptions.
2.6 km · ~7 min by auto · straight line
A Vishnu temple on the bank of the Cauvery at Thiruindalur, adjoining Mayiladuthurai town, counted among the 108 Divya Desams. The reclining deity is worshipped as Parimala Ranganatha (Sugandhavana Nathan) with his consort Parimala Ranganayaki. It was glorified in the hymns of Tirumangai Alvar and Thirumazhisai Alvar and is closely tied to the Cauvery pilgrimage circuit.
2.7 km · ~7 min by auto · straight lineA sacred bathing ghat on the Cauvery at Mayiladuthurai that is the focus of the celebrated Thula Snanam pilgrimage, when devotees take a ritual dip during the Tamil month of Aippasi (Thula). Its most important day, Kadai Muzhukku (Mudavan Muzhukku), draws huge crowds who believe all sacred rivers converge here. The ghat adjoins the Mayuranathaswamy temple and is one of six Cauvery-bank sites regarded as equivalent to Kasi (Varanasi).
3.6 km · ~9 min by auto · straight line
The town's principal living Shiva temple, associated with the peacock tradition behind Mayiladuthurai's name.
4.4 km · ~11 min by auto · straight lineA Shiva temple about midway between Mayiladuthurai and Kumbakonam, forming part of the sacred circuit that narrates the celestial wedding of Shiva and Parvathi. Its name reflects the belief that the wedding ceremony, including the yagna (velvi), was performed here, and the deity is worshipped as Kalyanasundareswarar (Manavaleswarar). It complements nearby Ethirkolpadi and Thirumanancheri, which mark other episodes of the same wedding legend.
8.9 km · ~15 min by cab · straight lineA Shiva temple in Kuthalam town, about 12 km from Mayiladuthurai on the road to Kumbakonam, and one of the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams praised in the Thevaram. It is the 154th Paadal Petra Sthalam and the 37th on the south bank of the Cauvery, where Shiva is worshipped as a self-manifested (Swayambu) deity. By legend the sage Bharatha performed a yagna here from which Parvathi emerged as a child, tying the site into the Thirumanancheri divine-wedding circuit.
9.1 km · ~15 min by cab · straight lineA Shiva temple that forms one stage of the divine-wedding legend of Shiva and Parvathi, its name meaning the place where the groom was formally received. By tradition Shiva was welcomed here as a bridegroom by his father-in-law, the sage Bharatha, before the wedding at Thiruvelvikudi and the darshan at Thirumanancheri. The deity is worshipped as Airavateswarar, linked to worship by Airavata, the white elephant of Indra.
9.2 km · ~15 min by cab · straight lineA Chola-period Shiva temple (Viratteswara) in Vazhuvur village, known for its sculptural panels including a Gajasamharamurti depiction.
9.3 km · ~16 min by cab · straight line
A living Shiva temple associated with Vaidyanathar and the Angaraka shrine; astrology businesses nearby are separate private services.
10.4 km · ~17 min by cab · straight line
A Shiva temple (Swarnapureeswarar/Sornapurisvarar) in Sembanarkoil, part of the dense cluster of Chola-era shrines in the Kaveri delta near Sirkazhi.
11.3 km · ~19 min by cab · straight lineA Vishnu (Perumal) temple in the Chola-heartland village of Therazhundur, one of two major shrines in the village alongside the separate Vedapureeswarar Shiva temple.
11.8 km · ~20 min by cab · straight lineA Shiva temple at Thirukkurukavur counted among the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams and the 13th on the north bank of the Cauvery, praised in the Thevaram hymns. The presiding deity is worshipped as Velladai Eswarar (Velvidainathar), tied to a legend in which Shiva sheltered devotees from a storm. It is a small but historically significant Chola-era shrine in the temple-dense Kuthalam belt.
11.9 km · ~20 min by cab · straight lineWhere Somanathaswamy Temple, Nidur is
Somanathaswamy Temple, Nidur — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Somanathaswamy Temple, Nidur?
October to March is the cooler, drier season in the Cauvery delta.
What are the entry fee and timings at Somanathaswamy Temple, Nidur?
Entry: Free. Timings: Typically 6:30 AM - 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM.
How do I reach Somanathaswamy Temple, Nidur?
Base yourself in Nidur or nearby in Mayiladuthurai, then confirm the last-mile route locally before travel. If access depends on temple, museum or seasonal rules, check on the day before you go.
How much time do I need for Somanathaswamy Temple, Nidur?
About an hour.
What else is near Somanathaswamy Temple, Nidur?
Nearby you can pair Panchavateeswarar Temple, Anandathandavapuram (2.6 km), Parimala Ranganatha Perumal Temple, Thiruindalur (2.7 km), Thula Kattam Cauvery Bathing Ghat, Mayiladuthurai (3.6 km), Mayuranathaswami Temple, Mayiladuthurai (4.4 km).
Somanathaswamy Temple, Nidur guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Somanathaswamy Temple, Nidur itself yet. These cover Nidur and the wider district, with separate journeys between stops.
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