About trip

About Temple: Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple or Dharbaranyeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shani located in Tirunallar in Karaikal district of Pondicherry, India. The presiding deity is Shiva, Dharbaranyeswar and the place Tirunallar was historically called Dharbaranyam.

• Moolavar:Sri Dharbaranyeswarar, Sri Thirunallatreeswarar
• Ambal:Sri Bohamaartha Poonmulaiyaal, Sri Branambigai
• Theertham (Holy water):Brahma Theertham, Saraswathi (Vaani) Theertham, Nala Theertham
• Sthala Vriksham (Sacred Tree):Dharbai grass
• Pathigam (Hymn) rendered by :Saint Thirugnanasambanthar-4, Saint Thirunavukarasar (Appar)-2 and Saint Sundaramurthy (Sundarar)-1.
• Location:Thirunallaru, Puducherry.

History:

• This is one of the 276 Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams and 52nd Shiva Sthalam on the Southern bank of the river Cauveri in Chozha Nadu (Thenkarai). 
• Lord Shiva in this temple is a Swayambumurthi (self-manifested).
• This is one of the “Saptha (seven) Vidanga Sthalams”.
• This is one of the Shakti Peetam – known as “Braneswari Peetam”.
• This is one of the Navagraha sthalams and it is the most popular temple for Lord Saneeswaran.
• This is one of the 44 Paadal petra sthalams where the “Moovar” (the three saints - Saint Thirugnanasambanthar, Saint Thirunavukarasar (Appar) and Saint Sundaramurthy (Sundarar) had rendered their Pathigams.
• This east facing temple has 3 corridors and its main tower (Rajagopuram) has 7-tiers.
• The last consecration ceremony (Kumbabishekam) took place on 24.03.2006.
• This ancient temple is believed to have been constructed by Chola kings.
• Other than the shrines of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathy, shrines and idols of lords Swarna Ganapathy, Murugan, Natarajar, Somaskandar, Kalahasthi Nathar, Pitchandavar, Nalvar, 63 Nayanmars, Adhisheshan, Nalanarayana Perumal, Mahalakshmi, Suryan and Bairavar can be seen in the corridors. Idols of King Nala and the lingam worshiped by him are placed next to 63 Nayanmars.
• In the “koshtam” (place surrounding the sanctum sanctorum), idols of Vinayakar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbhavar, Brahma, Durgai and Chandikeswarar can be seen.
• The lingam worshiped by King Nalan (Sri Naleswarar), Shivalingams in the names of rest of the Saptha Vidanga temples and the lingams worshiped by Ashtatik Balakas can also be seen in the corridors.
• There is a separate shrine for the Emerald lingam, Sri Thyagaraja Vidangar.
• The historical names of this place are Aadhipuri, Naleswaram and Nalavidangar.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Puducherry Sightseeing

Morning Pick up from Theni/Dindigul. Then proceed to visit Sri Dharbaranyeswarar Temple at Thirunallaru. Arikamedu. The Pondicherry Botanical Garden. Pondicherry Museum. Come back to Hotel. Overnight stay at Hotel.

Day 2 - Puducherry Sightseeing

Morning Breakfast at Hotel. Check Out from Hotel. Then proceed to visit Auroville Beach. The Old Lighthouse. Mahatma Gandhi Statue. Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple . Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Then starting our Journey towards Theni/Dindigul.