Thirunallar Saniswaran temple facts for kids

The Thirunallar Saniswaran Temple is a well-known Hindu temple in India. It is found in Thirunallar, a town in the Karaikal district of Puducherry. This temple is special because it honors both Lord Shiva and Lord Shani, also known as Lord Saturn. Another name for this temple is Dharbaranyeshwarar Temple.

Discovering Thirunallar Temple

The main god of this temple is Lord Shiva. Here, Lord Shiva is known as Lord Dharbaranyeshwarar. People believe that the statue of Lord Shiva in this temple was made from a special type of grass called "dharbha grass." This is how the temple got its name, Dharbaranyeshwarar Temple.

Lord Shani and His Importance

The Thirunallar temple is also very famous for Lord Saniswaran, or Lord Saturn. In Hinduism, Lord Saniswaran is a powerful god. Many people visit this temple to pray to him. It is believed that Lord Saniswaran moves through each zodiac sign, or "rasi," for about two and a half years.

A Temple Honored by Poets

This temple is also special because it is a "Paadal Petra Sthalam." This means it is one of the holy places that ancient poets sang about. Famous Shaiva poets like Appar, Sundarar, and Sambandar wrote hymns praising this temple. Their songs make this temple even more important in Hindu traditions.