About the Temple
Somarama, also known as Sri Someswara Janardhana Swamy Temple, is popularly one of the five Pancharama Kshetras in India.
It is honored by one of the principal deities of Hinduism, Lord Shiva.
The temple is located in Bhimavaram of the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India.
It is one of the nationally significant historical monuments that is centrally conversed.
Somarama Temple Timings
| Days |
Timings |
| Monday to Sunday |
5 am to 11 am & 4 pm to 8 pm |
History
The temple was built in the 3rd century A.D., by King Chalukya Bheema.
There are two well-known legends involving the temple claim that Demon Tarakasura owned Amrutha Shivalinga.
He gains strength due to that Shivalinga, and no one can defeat him.
Lord Kumara Swamy, the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati, tried to kill Tarakasura with his abilities, but he was unsuccessful and kept reuniting.
As a result, Narayana counsels Kumaraswamy to cut the Shiva Linga that the demon Tarakasura wore into pieces.
He then tossed them into five different locations to create holy pilgrim centers, the current Shiva linga in this temple is consecrated by Lord Chandra
Another legend
says it after Lord Shiva devastated Tripura during the “Tripura Samharam”.
All that was left was a Shivalingam in the throat of the Lord of Tripura.
This Lingam was then cut into five pieces and placed for worship in five different locations known as Pancharama Kshetras.
According to the locals, the Somarama temple has a greater ability to grant the wishes of the devotees.
In this Pancharama temple, the Shiva Lingam’s face is known as Sadyojathamukha Swaroopam.
Temple Architecture
The temple has unique sculptures and paintings on the walls, because of which though the temple is very old it has a new and fresh look.
There is a chandrakundam, a lotus-covered pond, in front of the temple.
There is a sizable Gopuram located at the temple’s entrance.
A large hall is present on the left side of the temple’s entrance, which includes deities Lord Srirama and Hanuman.
On the right side of the temple, an open hall is located just above the temple office.
In this hall, several pooja and seva services take place, the temple has a collection of a huge number of statues.
One large murti of Nandi is present in the main temple entrance, carved from a huge stone.
Also, there is a room in front of the sanctuary after crossing the hallway, and a small temple is dedicated to Mata Annapurna in this space.
The statue of Lord Shiva is also present at the sanctuary in the form of a lovely Shivaling.
Unlike other Pancharamas, this temple has a Shivaling that is modest in size.
Also, the Shivaling will alter its color depending on the lunar aspect, it shall take the color of purity “white” during Pournami( full moon night).
And during Amavasya days ( dark nights), its color would turn “black”.
Another distinguishing characteristic that is unheard of in any other place in the country is the establishment of the Annapurna temple above the Shiva temple.
The local name for Lord Shiva is Someswara Swamy. Sri Rajarajeswari Ammavaru is Lord Someswara’s consort.
A wedding hall is present on the ground and the first floor towards the south of the Garbha Gruham ( main deity location).
The hall house another deity Goddess Adilakshmi, usually the halls are booked for weddings that are celebrated in the temple.
There is a “Pushkarini Pond”, situated towards the east of the temple, also known as “Soma Gundam”.
A 15-foot Stambha is erected in front of the main entrance, which is often for lamp lighting, a flag of a gesture of establishing divine authority.
The pond in front of this stambha is often naturally consecrated with big lotus flowers, which is a miraculous sight in itself.
Deities in the temple
Lord Shiva and Maata Parvati are the main temple deities of the Someshwara temple.
Annapurna, Nandi and other deities like Lord Anjaneya Swamy, God Kumara Swamy, Navagraha, the Sun God, and Lord Ganesha can all be seen inside the temple.
Festivals Celebrated in the Temple
Mahashivarathri and Sarannavarathri are the two main festivals celebrated in the temple with great grandeur.
Dress Code & Temple Rules
To be followed on temple premises
- Devotees are expected to dressed in traditional Indian clothing .
- Avoid using mobile phones and outside food.
How to reach Somarama Temple Bhimavaram?
There are numerous ways to reach the temple by:
- Air: The closest airport to Somarama temple is Rajamundry which is 89 km far or Vijayawada located at a distance of 139 km
Devotees can avail of flights from these places and reach their destination.
- Road: There are frequent buses commuting from Palakollu, Vijayawada, and Rajamundry to the Somarama temple .
- Train: The temple is located in Bhimavara town, whose railway station is located at a distance of 2 km from the temple
There are good number of train’s running to this town from various parts of the state
How to book pooja and other seva services
Devotees who are willing to book pooja and other seva services in advance you can avail it by online modes of payment i.e Netbanking/ Bhim UPI / Cheque by contacting the temple authorities.
However, the temple does not have an official website so they can get the contact info from the information mentioned below from Google’s GMB listing.
Accommodation (Lodging and Boarding facilities in and around the temple)
With many devotees flocking in to get the blessing of this famous pancharama temple, Town of Bhimavaram provides numerous facilities for the convenience of the devotees at fair prices.
- Hotel Shri Pranam’s International
FAQ
- What is the specialty of Bhimavaram?
The town of Bhimavaram is known for the Gunupudi Somswara ( Somarama ) temple, one of the five holy Pancharamas of India
- What does Pancharama Kshetra mean?
Pancharama is the name given to the five temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, here pancha means five.
- Who was the founder of Panchrama in Andra Pradesh?
Lord Shiva divided the Lingam into five pieces and installed them in five different locations, which came to be called Pancharama Kshetras in AP
