Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

1126 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
Early medieval · Hindu · India

Pazhayarai Vadathali Temple

பழையாறை சோமேசர் கோயில்

Pazhayarai, Tamil Nadu · 10.9167°, 79.3667°

Shiva (Someswarar), consort SomeswariChola—Paadal Petra Sthalam
Sacred since
700 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
8th-9th c. (Chola); 12th-13th c. gopuram
Chola

History & significance

The northern shrine of Pazhayarai, a capital region of the Chola empire near Kumbakonam, with inscriptions from the 8th-9th centuries and a Later Chola gopuram. It is revered as a Paadal Petra Sthalam in the Tevaram.

Sthala katha — the legend

The moon god is said to have worshipped Shiva at this spot, prompting the lord's appearance.

Open in Google Maps ↗Wikipedia ↗View on the atlas map

Related sites

Brihadisvara Temple
Thanjavur · India
1003–1010 CE
Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Gangaikonda Cholapuram · India
c. 1035 CE
Airavatesvara Temple
Darasuram, Kumbakonam · India
mid-12th c. CE
Meenakshi Amman Temple
Madurai · India
current structure largely 16th–17th c.
Ranganathaswamy Temple
Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli · India
built up 10th–17th c.; Rajagopuram 1987
Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
Chidambaram · India
core 10th c.; expanded to 13th c.

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Chola