Pancharama 1 - Somarama
#WalkToTemple
#IncredibleIndia
Sri Someshwara Janardhana Swamy temple also known as Somarama is one of the Pancharamas.
Located at Gunupudi, at Bhimavaram, the present temple with Gopuram & Prakaram was built in 9th century by Eastern Chalukya Bhima.
The history of Pancharamas is thus.
Tarakasura was a powerful Asura who had the boon that he would die only at the hands of a child of Shiva. He had after penance to Shiva acquired an atmalingam which he wore & became invincible.
It is for Tarakasura samhaara that Karthikeya+
+ was born. Karthikeya as a child fought against Tarakasura and cut him up into pieces. But no matter how many times he did that, Tarakasura joined again & became alive. Lord Vishnu tells Karthikeya that this is happening bcs of the atmalingam that Tarakasura has. He tells +
+ Karthikeya to break up the atmalingam into 5 pieces. He also warns him that the 5 pieces would join again chanting the Omkara. So, the minute the atmalingam is broken, the 5 pieces where they fall should be installed and a temple built around them. That way, the atmalingam +
+ cannot join again & Tarakasura can be killed easily.
Karthikeya follows the instructions of Lord Vishnu & 5 Gods r ready to install the linga. Karthikeya breaks the atmalingam into 5 pieces by his Aagneyaastra (weapon of fire) & the 5 pieces are installed by Indra, Surya +
+ Chandra, Vishnu & Kumaraswamy and the temples built. Then Karthikeya kills Tarakasura.
Somarama was installed by Chandra. This lingam changes colour according to the lunar time. It is white during Pournami and a blackish brown during amavasya.
Dwarapalas
We went on Ekadashi and it was more of a whitish shade.
Janardhana Swamy is the Kshetra palaka of this gudi.
It is a two storied gudi and Annapurna ammavaru is on the top floor.
Ganesha and Karthikeya on either side of the dwaaram to go into the antarala. Beautiful murtis.
The temple complex also has Anjaneya Swamy, Kumaraswamy and Navagraha temples.
Nandi in front of the dwaaram.
View of the gopuram from inside the temple.
Dwajastambham & Aakasha deepam
On either side of the gopuram inside the temple prakaram there is a gudi for Subramanya Swamy and Surya Bhagvan.
The Chandra Pushkarini in front of the temple which is also called Soma Gundam.
In front of the Pushkarini is a tree, where many people left god's photos that are spoiled or not in use. There I saw this Murti of Durgamma. Felt sad. She has such a life like face, wondered who +
+ abandoned her. I did pranam to her and turned back.
The painting on the ceiling when you enter the gopuram. It is so beautiful.
With that, finished the darshanam of Somarama, the first in our list of Pancharamas.
Om Namah Shivaya 🙏
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.