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	; Somanatha Temple
Moolavar:	Somanatha Swamy
Ambal:	Somakambalambigai
Padal:	Appar, Sundarar and Thirugnana Sambandar
Vimanam:
Location:	Patteeswaram, near Kumbakonam
State and Country:	TamilNadu, India

Pazhayarai or Pazhaiyarai (Tamil: பழையாறை paḻaiyāṟai) was an ancient capital of the medieval Chola dynasty in Tamil Nadu. Today, there are a number of villages within the area of historic Pazhaiyarai.

[edit] Pazhayarai in history

There are lot of small villages inside the historical town of Pazhayarai - Nandipura Vinnagaram, Thirusatti Mutram, Patteeswaram, Harishchandrapuram with all their temples. There were four legendary temples, Vadathali, Kelthali, Metrali and Thenthali across four sides of the city. The houses of the warriors namely Arya padai veedu, Pudhu padai veedu, Manapadai veedu and Pambai padai veedu. There was only one palace for Vijayalaya chola, but later individual palaces were built for all the princes.

[edit] The Pazhaiyarai Someswarar Temple

The Pazhaiyarai Someswarar Temple, or Pazhaiyarai Vadathali, is located 6km away from Kumbakonam on the Kumbakonam- Aavoor road and around 2 km away from the Patteeswaram temple. The temple is 3 km away from Darasuram. The village has thralling streets. The best mode is taking town buses from Kumbakonam or mini buses from Darasuram, the bus stop is Cholan Maligai. The Darasuram railway station is also close by to the temple.

[edit] The Legend behind the temple

The city of Pazhayarai was once an important town in the Chola empire. The temple has been revered by the verses of Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar. This temple is in the centre of the once famous Pazhayarai city, surrounded by Pazhayari Vadathali in the north, Araimetrali in the south and Thenthali in the south. This is the birth place of Mangayarkarasiyar, a saint amongst the 63 nayanmars. The scene of Ravaneswara holding Kailasanathar in his hands is beautifully carved in this temple. The Durga here is also very famous.