The Thirunallar Saneeswara Temple Temple is exceptional because it is thought that praying there will lessen the negative effects of the planet Saturn, also known as the Shani Dosha, and increase its beneficial effects, which will help people overcome many obstacles, challenges, and limitations. Since Lord Shani lost all of his power to Lord Shiva at this temple, the misfortunes and bad luck of devotees to Thirunallar Saniswaran Temple have decreased for over a millennium. This temple’s sacred tank, called Nalan Theertham, has both real and figurative healing abilities. Furthermore, followers fervently contend that a dip in Nalan Theertham’s holy waters cleanses them of all ills and misfortunes stemming from their previous karmas.
At the Thirunallar Saneeswara Temple Temple, devotees light holy lamps with gingelly oil and pray to Lord Saneeswara Temple, believing that by doing so, they can break free from their curses and spells of bad luck. Following prayers, followers present cooked rice balls to the Crow, revered as Saniswaran’s mount. After bathing in the sacred theertham and applying ginkgle oil to their heads, devotees go to the nearby Kali Theertha Vinayakar shrine to break coconuts and offer prayers.
Some refer to the Thirunallar Saniswaran Temple as one of the “Saptha Vidanga Sthalams.” In these seven temples, the Lord is represented by a different dance form on each idol or Murti. At the Thirunallar Saneeswara Temple, “Naka Vidangar” is the processional deity or Somaskandhar, and he performs the unusual dance “Unmatha Nadanam” here. Thus, the location is also referred to as “Nakavidangapuram.”
The Thirunallar Saneeswaran Temple’s History and Story
The name “Eswaran” is only associated with one planet, Lord Shani. We call him Saneeswaran. This has an intriguing backstory that took place at Thirunallar Temple. Lord Saneeswaran, as you know, is a severe taskmaster who exacts revenge on people for their previous transgressions.
People suffer during ezharae shani (sade-sati) periods, ashtama shani periods, shani dasa, and other times of Saturn transit. They are unable to waive the karmic debts they must repay. Shani soon discovered that he was extremely unpopular as people started to fear him. This fact troubled him because, by paying his karmic debts to others, he was merely carrying out his duty. He is a very just planet, after all.
“Saniyaipol Koduppavanum illai, saniyaipol keduppavanum illai” is a Tamil proverb that means “No other planet can be as generous as Shani and no other planet can cause as much harm as Shani.” Our relationship with Shani is based on our past birth deeds. Distressed by her lack of popularity, Shani went to the Thirunallar Temple to pray to Lord Shiva. After hearing his prayers, Lord Shiva bestowed upon him the title of Eswaran. Afterwards, Lord Shani is referred to as Saneeswaran.
The only temple where Lord Saneeswaran was defeated by Lord Shiva is the Thirunallar Temple. Lord Shani had a malevolent influence over King Nala, who was a follower of Lord Shiva. When Lord Shiva performed pujas and prayers at Thirunallar Temple, he made the decision to protect King Nala from the effects of Saturn. Since then, millions of followers have flocked to this temple from all over the nation in hopes of finding solace from Saneeswaran’s harsh effects, particularly during times when Saturn is transiting the earth.
Thirunallar Temple History:
Originally a Shiva temple, the Lord Saneeswaran idol is the main draw at Thirunallar Temple. Here, the Devi is referred to as Bogamartha Poonmulayal, and the Shiva is known as Dharbaranyeswara. Since Darba grass was originally used to make the lingam here, Lord Shiva is known as Dharbaraneswaran. There is still grass like this in the temple. Numerous names for this location exist, such as Dharparanyam, Nagavitangapuram, and Naleswaram. But Thirunallar became the dominant name because this was the location where King Nala was saved from Saturn’s evil influence. The place’s holy suffix is “Thiru.” Aru means “Heal,” and Nala means “King Nala.” This was the location where Lord Shiva cured King Nala and protected him from the destructive force of Lord Saturn.
How the puja is offered at the temple:
First, take a bath at Nala Theertham. Bathing in the Nala Theertam temple tank is the first thing to do before entering the temple.
The steps involved in bathing at Nala Theertha:
There are opposing viewpoints on this, and we are presenting them both. We advise devotees to select the option that they feel most comfortable with, as we are unsure of the optimal approach.
Devotees are advised Never abandon clothing in the temple tank, or Nala Theertham. When visiting the temple, he advises wearing new clothes and carrying the old ones back in a cover.
Astrologer offers the following advice:
1. You have to submerge yourself entirely—that is, from head to toe—in the tank of water when taking a bath.
2. You should leave all clothing and decorations (jewellery, divine threads, etc.) on the pond’s edge.
After taking a bath, please change into fresh, clean clothes and ensure that your body and head are totally dry. After taking a bath, avoid turning around to face the “Nala Theerth.” and don’t go back there.
Caution: Before entering the tank for a bath, take off all jewelry and divine threads. Anything you choose to wear needs to be left at the Nala Theertham. Returning items used for bathing will intensify Shani’s malevolent effects, and other people’s doshas will cling to you as well.
3: Proceed to Offer Prayers at the Nearby Ganesha Temple.
Before you enter the Ganesha Temple, buy some coconuts and camphor. After leaving the Ganesha temple, break the coconut at the coconut stand while thinking of prayers.
4. Head in the direction of the Dharbaranyeswarar Temple, the main Shani temple.
It is recommended that one purchases the essential puja items, such as blue oleander flowers (known as Kanigle Hoovu in Kannada and Alari Poo in Tamil), before visiting the Shani temple. Bananas, flowers, gingerly oil, a tiny black cloth, and betel nuts are among the additional items.
When you get to the entrance, you can choose between a paid and a free darshan queue based on your preferences. Although the lines are typically long, they move rather quickly. The way the temple officials manage to keep the crowds under control and moving quickly is clear evidence that they have experience managing sizable crowds.
You might go through the Shivan Sannidhi first or the Saneeswara Sannidhi first, depending on how the line is run. It is recommended that, upon arriving at the temple, you receive the darshan of Lord Sanaischara and then the darshan of Lord Shiva.
Please go back to the Shiva Sannidhi before exiting the temple if the line reaches Lord Shiva before it reaches Lord Shaniswara. The Darsha of Lord Saneeswara comes first, then that of Lord Shiva, and finally that of Ambal.
5. Additional Pujas and Services the Temple May Provide
After exiting the Sannidhi, lamps can be lit using gingelly oil and black til (sesame) or sesame seed rice, which is served as nivedhana. The temple offers the opportunity to perform Navagraha Shanti Homas, a puja meant to appease and soothe the planets’ wrath. You can get in touch with the Temple administration to carry out Navagraha Shanti Homas.
Things that devotees can provide
Many devotees donate cows and money to the temple in the form of hundi. Many shave their heads and volunteer the hair as well. Additionally, Abishegam can be offered to Lords Dharbaranyeswara and Saneeswara. The Abishegam is served with milk, rosewater, soft coconuts, oil, curds, sandalwood paste, and vibuthi.
At Ambal Sannidhi, a lot of devotees present a saree. At the temple, you can also offer Annadanam. At the temple, there are facilities for devotees to shave and offer their hair.
The temple is home to numerous smaller Sanidh is in addition to the larger ones. Due to its lucky charm, a lot of people enjoy visiting the Kubera Ganapati Sanctuary. Sumangalis enjoy paying homage to Durga Sannidhi. This post’s list of all the smaller Sannidhis is found above.
6. Wrapping Up the Visit:
It is recommended that you head straight home after visiting Sanaischara Temple and skip any other temples along the way.
Important information: Only Vibhuti (Sacred Ash) should be brought back from this location.
Temple pooja timings
Early morning pooja starts from 6.00am to 7.00 pm
Morning pooja starts on 8.30 am to 9.30 am
Noon pooja starts 11.00 am to 12.30 p,m
Evening pooja from 5.00 pm to 6.30 pm
Night pooja from 7.00pm to 8.00 pm
Night final pooja from 8.30 pm to 9.00pm
Other Thirunallar Temple Sannidhis:
Vidangar Sannidhi:
Known as Vidnaga temples, there are seven Thiyagar temples devoted to Lord Thiyagarajar. Among these seven is the temple of Thirunallar. Thiruvavur, Thiru Nagaikaronam, Thirukavil, Thirukolil, Thiruvoimur, and Thirumaraikodu are the locations of the remaining six temples. Known as “Vidanga Thiyagar,” Thiyagarajar is located in Thirunallar on the southern side of Sri Daprparanyeswarar Sanidhi.
Vinayakar Sannidhi:
As per the popular legend, Adhi Vinayakar provided financial support to Nishada King Nala during his modifications and enhancements to the temple. The Thirunallar temple’s southern corridor is home to the Vinayakar Sannidhi.
Sixty-three Nayanmar people The sixty-three Shivite Saints, or Sannidhi:
We can locate the idol of the four saints who supported Tamil literature on the divine corridor, which leads to the start of the southern corridor. The idols of the sixty-three Nayanmars are situated next to them. Behind the idols are details about each Saint, such as his name, birth star, etc.
Nala’s idol:
In addition to the sixty-three Nayanmars, there is the King Nala idol. Thirunallar turned out to be a pivotal moment in the life of King Nala. He was only saved from the “harsh gaze of Shani” when he arrived at this location. Nala was very happy about this and worked hard to make many improvements to the temple. Along with the sixty-three Nayanmars, his statue was installed in the temple as a result of his efforts. Adjacent to the statue of Nala is a lingam. This suggests that Nala is experiencing Divine Bliss indefinitely.
Lord Muruga Sannidhi:
Muruga is seen in the western corridor with his two consorts, Valli and Devyani, along with his “Vel.”
Goddess Lakshmi Sannidhi:
At Thirunallar, Goddess Lakshmi takes on the entrancing incarnations of “Sial” and “Sudha.” She is located in the western corridor next to the Murugan Sannidhi.
Elangothpavar Sannidhi:
Typically, the northern side of a Shiva temple is occupied by Goddess Durga, the western side by Elangothpavar, and the southern side by Dakshinamurthy. In a similar vein, Elangotpavar is located in the western corridor of Thirunallar. On each side of Elangothpavar are small idols of Thirumal and Ayan. According to legend, Thirumal and Ayan looked for the Almighty’s head and foot.
Goddess Durga:
Worshipped in all Shiva temples, Sri Durgai is an essential component of Goddess Ambigai. Her idol is most visible in Thirunallar when it is situated next to Pitchatanamurthy on the northern side of the temple. Many “sumangalis,” or wives of living husbands, swarm her Sannidhi to give her their heartfelt prayers. One of the important Sannidhis in the temple is this one.
Pitchatanamurthy:
This idol, which can be seen next to Durga Sannidhi on the northern side of the temple next to the “dharbai” (kusa grass) bushes, denotes the age of the structure.
Bairavar:
Bairavar and his dog, known as his “vahanam,” can be seen in the northeastern section of this temple. The midnight pooja in Thirunallar also ends with the pooja of Bairavar, as is customary in all Shiva temples. Large and striking is the idol of Bairavar here, along with his vahanam, the dog.
Kalathi Appar Sannidhi:
Situated in a distinct mandapam in the northeast corner of the temple, Kalathi Appar Sannidhi is visible. We can protect ourselves from the negative effects of Ketu and Raghu if we pray to this deity. In this Sannidhi, there are also statues of serpents.
Holy Chariots:
There are two exquisite holy chariots in Thirunallar. They are renowned for their exquisite carvings and are fairly large in size. During special festivals, these sacred chariots are brought out, and the Gods and Goddesses are paraded around the temple. For the devotees, seeing the “darsanam” of Gods and Goddesses in the procession brings them immense joy.
On one of the chariots, you can see the exquisitely decorated idol of Lord Saneeswara in procession. Holy plant at the temple: “Dharbai” grass, also known as Kusa grass, is considered sacred at the temple. Darbaraneseshwara is the name given to the Almighty when He appeared in the Dharbai grass in ancient times. On the northern side of the temple are the Dharbai bushes. Even now, Hinduism regards the Darba grass as sacred and uses it for pujas.
Lighting Sesame Lamps: Steps to Follow
In this temple, devotees light lamps made of sesame. The marble stone steps where these lamps are lit are maintained immaculately by the employees of the temple. Even though devotees light thousands of lamps every day, these steps are routinely cleaned to make sure they are free of dust and oil.
Sacred Tanks: Theerthams
Thirteen temple tanks supposedly surrounded the temple, according to an old legend. Six of them are still present today. Nala Theertham, Bramha Theertham, Saraswati Theertham, Agasthiar Theertham, Vann Theertham and Hansa Theertham are the names of them.
Nala Theertham:
The most important of these is the Nala Theertham, which is located in the northwest of the temple. According to legend, King Nala banished the negative effects of Lord Shani by taking a bath in this holy tank.
The belief that people who bathe in this Theertham can wash away their sins and inflictions persists to this day.
There is a Nala Koopam (well) close to the Nala Theertham. Lord Shiva used his trident to bring water from the Ganga river to Thirunallar for the benefit of Nala. This is not used for bathing, but rather for worship.
The Nala Theertham temple is kept as clean as possible by the temple authorities, but thousands of worshippers frequent it, and the temple tank is typically not very clean. Despite the dirt, devoted followers swim in the tank.
Leaving a piece of cloth behind is customary. On the other hand, temple astrologer advises followers to NEVER abandon clothing in the temple tank at Nala Theertham. When visiting the temple, he advises wearing new clothes and carrying the old ones back in a cover.
Temple astrologer suggests changing into new clothes and bringing the old ones back under a cover when visiting the temple.
Saniswara Temple’s location in Thirunallar
Situated in the union territory of Pondicherry, the port city of Karaikal is only 7 km away from the temple, which is situated in the town of Thirunallar.
The official website of the Batu cave has pictures of the caves. Additionally, you may learn more about this location by visiting the official website of theliturgical temples.