Somnath temple of Chennai

You may have heard of the great Somnath Temple of Gujarat. But did you know that Chennai too has a temple dedicated to Somanatha Swami? This lesser-known shrine is located near Ganga Theatre on Sannadhi Street in the Kolathur area.

The temple carries an interesting legend connected to the Nawab of Arcot. In 1745 CE, Muthukumarappa Mudaliar, who served as Diwan under the Nawab, is said to have discovered a Shiva Linga in Kolathur village. Being a devout follower of Lord Shiva, he built a temple for the Linga using the Nawab’s funds. When this came to light, the Nawab ordered his imprisonment. Before he could be arrested, Lord Shiva is believed to have appeared before Mudaliar in human form and handed him a bowl, advising him to seek alms. Mudaliar collected money through begging and eventually gathered more than the amount spent on the temple. He presented the entire collection to the Nawab, who was impressed and is said to have granted him three villages: Kolathur, Putharai, and Pallavarai.

This legend is mentioned in an old Tamil book. However, I could not find further historical documentation or corroborative records regarding this episode.

The temple is also associated with other local beliefs. One tradition states that Chandra is believed to have bathed in the temple tank here to be relieved of a curse, which explains the name “Somanath.” Another legend connects the place to the episode of the asuras Vilvan and Vatapi. When they attempted to disturb Sage Agastya, he destroyed them, and the place where Vatapi was burnt is believed to have come to be known as Kolathur.

The temple faces east and does not have a gopuram. A large image of Ganesha greets visitors at the entrance. The sanctum, also facing east, enshrines Somanath in the form of a small Shiva Linga. On either side of the sanctum entrance are small images of Ganesha and Murugan. The bali peetham, flagstaff, and Nandi are aligned before the main shrine.

The Goddess, Amritambikai, has a separate south-facing shrine. Opposite the sanctum are the images of Surya and Chandra. The Navagrahas are placed in a corner of the inner prakara. The outer wall of the sanctum carries the usual koshta images of Ganesha, Dakshinamurti, Vishnu, Brahma, and Durga, with Chandikeswarar in his customary position.

Within the inner prakara are shrines for Bhairava, Nataraja with Sivakami, a shrine housing bronze images, Ganesha with Siddhi and Buddhi, Murugan with Valli and Devasena, a Shiva Linga shrine, and the Nalvar, the four principal devotees of Shiva.

The temple also has a spacious outer corridor. Interestingly, there is a shrine here for Amrita Raja Perumal with his consorts Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi, reflecting the shared sacred landscape often seen in Tamil temples.

Though modest in scale, the Somanath Temple of Kolathur carries layers of legend and local history that connect it quietly to the wider sacred traditions of the region.

Happy travelling.