The Goddess Parvati is represented via Pranamambika or Poonmulalammal at the Thirunallar Saniswaran Temple, which is devoted to Lord Shiva in the form of Darbharanyeswaran. It is one of the South’s most potent and is called thirunallar navagraha temple. The Nishadha ruler named Nala gave the region of Thirunallar its name. He worshipped here to remove all of Shani’s negative consequences (Saturn). Aru means “to heal,” and the combination of the two words is Thirunallar.
In the main sanctuary, Saneeswaran is shown in a beautiful stance adjacent to Lord Dhabranyeswaran. There are grass imprints on the temple’s Lingam. This demonstrates that the town was formerly a Dharba Grass-filled forest. Dharba and Aranyam are two terms that were combined to form the names of Lord Shiva in this context, Dharbaranyeswarar (forest). Other gods including Swarna Vinayaka, Lord Somaskanda, Lord Subramaneswara Swamy, and Thyagaraja have other temples. On the sanctum are pictures of Lingodbhava, Durga, and Dakshinamoorthy.
There are numerous holy theertam or tanks, however, Nala theertam is considered the most significant one there to take a dip in since it is said to wash away disease and misery brought on by previous karmas. It is well known that Lord Shani distributes both good and terrible karmas. Lord Shani assists one in enduring the repercussions of one’s karmas when prayers are offered at this temple. According to the Tamil Saiva canonical text Tevaram, published by Nyanmars, the temple is known as the Paadal Petra Sthalam and is worshipped there.
Thirunallar, a tiny town in Tamil Nadu’s Puducherry, is located 5 kilometers from Karaikal. This temple is located near the rivers Noolaru, Vanchiaru, and Arasalaru towards the north and south, respectively.
Due to the numerous references to the Dharbharanyeswarar or saneeswara temple thirunallar in Tamil Saivite or Nanymar poetry, they are revered in Hinduism. The most often cited individuals are Sambandar, Appar, and Sundarar. Arunagirinathar, a follower of Lord Muruga, sang songs at this shrine in the 15th century, which contributed to the fame of this temple as a place of Murugan devotion. The temple at Tevaram was adored by Tirugana Sambandar, who classified this as the Paadal petra place and included it in the list of the 125 temples recorded in Saiva canonical literature.
Since Shani is regarded as the god of misfortune, those who have terrible luck in their relationships, careers, accomplishments, and possessions place a high value on this temple. They ask Lord Shani to reverse the consequences of misfortune and bring good news into their lives. The temple was constructed in a style typical of the 12th century. The Cholas constructed the first building, and the Vijayanagar emperors later added to it. The temple is made of granite and has a rectangular layout with a five-tiered Rajagopuram. Lord Shani is positioned to the north of the entryway, while Lord Shiva is positioned in the center on a raised platform. Before reaching the Shrine of Lord Shiva, it is customary to worship Lord Shani.
The representation of the Navagrahas as nine distinct wells is one of the temple’s distinctive features. The narrative of King Nala is depicted in murals on the temple walls. The Vasanta Mandapam, which has lighting positioned along the arena, is seen as soon as one enters the temple. The Saneeswara shrine’s walls are etched with symbols for the signs of Aquarius and Capricorn.
The shrine also has statues of all 62 Saivism saints. A distinctive Gold idol of Ganpati is another attraction of the temple. Granite circular rectangular walls surround each shrine in the temple. Currently, the Hindu Religious Organizations, the Government of Puducherry, is in charge of running the temple.