Thirunallur Sri Dharbaranyeswarar (Kani Navagrahastalam) Temple(Saturn) – Puducherry

Address

Sri Dharbaranyeswarar Temple, Thirunallur, Karaikal, Puduchery district-560010, India. PH:04368-236530

Diety

Dharbaranyeswarar(Shiva), Shani,Bogamartha Amman: Poonmulaiyaal(Parvati)

Introduction

Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple or Dharbaranyeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located in Thirukoodalaiyathoor, a village in Cuddalore district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.located in Tirunallar in Karaikal district of Pondicherry, India. Shiva is worshipped as Dharbaranyeswarar, and is represented by the lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Praneswari Amman. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the Nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. The temple is counted as one of the nine temples in the Navagraha, the nine planetary deities. It is famous for shani, the planet Saturn. The temple complex covers around two acre and entered through a five tiered gopuram, the main gateway. The temple has a number of shrines, with those of Dharbaranyeswarar, his consort Praneswari Amman, Saniswararan and Somaskandar being the most prominent. All the shrines of the temple are enclosed in large concentric rectangular granite walls.

Puranic Significance

Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple is of 12th century architecture. It is said that the Shivalingam appeared when the native Mudaliars ploughed the land. In a small structure at the middle of the pond are the figurines of King Nalan with wife and children. The Navagrahas are constructed here as nine separate wells. The temple of Thirunallar is at the centre where four wide streets converge. The temple tower has five tiers. The mandapam is very wide and vast. The history of King Nalan is painted in colour. The Vasantha Mandapam is reached on entering the temple. There are lamps all along the way, which are lighted on festivities. The shrine of Shaneeshwara is to the north of the tower at the entrance. Here emblems of Capricorn and Aquarius are inscribed. The mount of crow is of golden hue. Inside, the temple is statues of Sundarar and the sixty three saints of Savism. The Linga which King Nalan worshipped called Nalesar Lingam also is to be seen. Golden Ganapathy is unique to this temple. There are also shirnes for Lord Murugan, Adhiseshan, Nalanarayanar, Mahalakshmi and Bhariavar.

Beliefs

This is the only temple where Lord Shaneeshwara lost all his power to Lord Shiva (Dharbaranyeshwarar) which saved his devotee Nalan from Saturn’s curses. It is believed that by bathing in Nalan theertham here, one wash off all kinds of misfortunes and afflictions caused by one’s past karmas.

Special Features

Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple is also one of the seven temples, ‘Saptha Vidanga Sthalams’. Each Murti or the idol in these seven has the Lord representing a unique dance form. The processional deity or the Somaskandhar is ‘Naka Vidangar’ and the unique dance he performs here is ‘Unmatha Nadanam’. Hence the place is also called as ‘Nakavidangapuram’ The Sthala Viruksham or the holy plant is Kusa grass (Darbha). The temple’s holy water source is the ‘Nala Theertam’ along with thirteen other Theerthams.

Festivals

During the month of Kartikai (Scorpio), Kartikai Deepam is celebrated, marked by a procession of the five principal temple deities and by the symbolic bonfire. The month of Markali (Saggitarius) is when, a ten day festival dedicated to Natarajar is performed, where verses from Tiruvempavai are recited. There are several other festivals including one on Panguni Uthiram