Pondicherry Tourism: Navagraha Temples

Friday, May 4, 2018

Saneeswarar Temple (Navagraha Temple), Moratandi, Villupuram

Saneeswarar Temple (Navagraha Temple), Moratandi, Villupuram

Navagraha Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Navagrahas located in Moratandi Village near Union Territory of Pondicherry in Villupuram District of Tamilnadu. The Temple covers an area of 2 acres. The main deity Saniswaran Bhagwan is about 27 feet tall and each Navagraha idol is 15 feet tall. All Navagrahas are huge idols with their vahanas. Among them, Surya the sun god is present at the centre who resembles his importance compared with Navagrahas.

There is also a huge Vinayagar Statue in this Temple. He is 34 feet tall and made of gold paintings. The idol is present at the entrance and gives darshan to the devotees as soon as you enter the temple. The steps that lead you to the immense Vinayaga are also high. There was also a Vasthu Bhagwan, Lord Shiva as Kalyana Sundareswarar in this Temple.

As each Navagrahas have each distinct tree, there also certain trees that denote the zodiac signs. People with various zodiac signs worship the tree that belongs to their star. Worshipping the god with oil lamps and trees related to star is all a kind of worship in Hinduism. Poojas are also done with various kinds of flowers according to the star of an individual. The temple is fully maintained with calm atmosphere as it is slightly away from the busy city.

The Temple is situated on NH 32 (Chennai to Nagapattinam Highway) between Tindivanam and Pondicherry. The Temple is located very close to Pondicherry. The Temple is located at about 2 Kms from Moratandi Prathiyangara Devi Temple, 4 Kms from Thiruchitrambalam Junction Koot Road, 1.5 Kms from Pondicherry – Tindivanam Toll Gate, 5 Kms from Panchavati Anjaneyar Temple, 5 Kms from Irumbai Maha Kaleswarar Temple, 7 Kms from Sedarapet, 10 Kms from Vanur, 10 Kms from Pondicherry Main Bus Stand, 11 Kms from Puducherry Railway Station, 6 Kms from Pondicherry Airport, 35 Kms from Tindivanam, 155 Kms from Chennai and 141 Kms from Chennai Airport. Buses from Pondicherry to Tindivanam and vice versa will stop at Toll gate.

Location | Photos

Sunday, October 1, 2017

Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple (Dharbaranyeswarar Temple), Karaikal, Puducherry

Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple (Dharbaranyeswarar Temple), Karaikal, Puducherry

Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple or Dharbaranyeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Thirunallar Village near Karaikal in Karaikal District of Pondicherry. Presiding Deity is called as Dharbaranyeswarar / Nallarar / Thirunallatreswarar. Mother is called as Piranambigai / Praneswari / Bogamarntha Poonmulaiyal. Though the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, importance is given to Lord Saneeswarar. The worship is also centered around the icon of planet Saturn, called Saniswaran, originally treated as the door keeper of the shrine. The tradition is to worship Saneeswarar before entering the inner sanctum of Lord Siva.

Like Shani Shinkapur in Maharashtra, the temple here in Thirunallaru is a major temple in India dedicated to Shani God. It is very crowded in Saturdays and during 'Sani peyarchi' (when the Saturn moves from one star to other). The place Tirunallar was historically called Darbharanyam. The legendary King Nala is said to have been relieved of his afflictions caused by the malefic influence of Saturn, after worship in this temple.

Sambandar, the 7th century Nayanmar and Tamil Saivite poet has revered the deity with four hymns, in one of which he refers to a contest with Jains, and his victory. Appar and Sundarar, the other Nayanmars have glorified the temple with their hymns. Arunagirinathar, a 15th-century poet and staunch devotee of Lord Muruga has composed hymns on the deity and this temple is attributed to Murugan worship as well. This is the 169^th Devaram Padal Petra Shiva Sthalam on the south side of river Cauvery and 52^nd Sthalam in Chozha Nadu. Tirugnanasambandar sung the hymns ‘Bogamarntha poonmulayal’ in the analvatham and the same was called as Pachai Thirupathigam.

This temple is one of the Saptha Vidanga Sthalams. (The other 6 are Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Tirumaraikadu, Thirukkaaraayil, Thiruvaimur and Tirukolili- Thirukkuvalai). Thyagarajar is called as Nagavidanga Thiyagar- Sri Shenbaga Thyagarajar. And the dance is called as Unmatha Natanam. Thirunallar Dharbaranyeswarar Temple is considered as one of the Navagraha temples, dedicated to Lord Sani, Saturn. Navagraha temples are the nine temples dedicated to Navagrahas (nine planets or nine celestial bodies).