Construction begins on seven-tier gopuram at Pazhayarai temple

The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department has begun construction work on a seven-tier gopuram at the Somanathar Temple in Pazhayarai, near Kumbakonam. It is a donor-sponsored project, with the total cost of ₹7.95 crore contributed by a Coimbatore-based philanthropist.

“We have begun the grouting today [January 13, 2026] to strengthen the foundation, and the work will continue after Pongal,” said T. Umadevi, Deputy Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department.

Pazhayarai holds an important place in Chola history, as the Chola kings and their families lived there in a palace before moving to Thanjavur. The temple earlier had a gopuram that was neglected over time and came to be known as the Mottai gopuram.

The temple, photographed on June 23, 1968
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Archives

HR&CE Minister P.K. Sekar Babu said that ever since the DMK came to power, it had performed kumbabishekam at hundreds of temples, and the Pazhayarai temple was covered under a project to restore and repair 1,000-year-old temples in Tamil Nadu.

Strengthening foundation

After the decision was taken to construct the gopuram, the National Institute of Technology (NIT) studied the existing structure and the nature of the soil in Pazhayarai. “We are strengthening the existing foundation and building the gopuram. Though the earlier plan was to construct a five-tier structure, we have decided to increase it to seven tiers, taking into account the broad foundation. A five-tier gopuram on such a foundation would not look elegant,” Ms. Umadevi said.

The Somanathar Temple is one of the important Saivite temples, as it has been lauded in verse by Appar, Sambandar, and Sundarar.

The Pazhayarai temple. File
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

R. Kalaikovan, an expert on Chola history, said Pazhayarai holds immense importance, as the Chola kings and their families lived there before moving to Thanjavur. “The temple is known as Kara Koil because the mahamandapam has been designed like a chariot. The east-facing gopuram, which was neglected for a long period, came to be known as the Mottai gopuram,” he said.

Dr. Kalaikovan said the importance of Pazhayarai is explained by an inscription that refers to a royal order issued by Uttama Chola from the Pazhayarai palace. “His oral order was recorded by one Puliyur Kizhavan. When the order was issued, Rajendra Chola was eating in the southern hall,” he said, quoting the inscription in the book Thavathuraiyum Karkudiyum.

K.A. Nilakanta Sastri, author of the book The Cholas, says Palaiyaru (Pazhayarai) contained a temple called Arulmolideva-Isvara, named after Rajaraja, and appears to have had a palace which was the favourite residence of Rajaraja’s sister, Kundavai, and for some time, of Rajaraja himself.

“A small hamlet near Palaiyaru even now preserves the name Sola-Malaigai, within about four miles of Kumbakonam railway station, and a small ruined temple there is said still to mark the site of the ancient palace, of which it served as the guardian shrine,” writes Sastri.

He says the ancient Shiva temple in Pazhayarai is of remarkable construction in the late Chola style.