Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

3031 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
Early medieval · Hindu · India

Dharbaranyeswarar Temple (Thirunallar Saniswaran Temple)

Thirunallar, Karaikal, Puducherry · 10.9260°, 79.7930°

Shiva (Dharbaranyeswarar), consort Praneswari Amman; shrine of Shani (Saturn)Chola—Paadal Petra Sthalam
Sacred since
800 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
9th c. (Chola); Vijayanagar expansion
Chola

History & significance

The most famous Shani shrine among the nine Navagraha temples of the Kaveri delta, where Saturn's image stands within a Paadal Petra Sthalam of Shiva. The present masonry is 9th-century Chola work with Vijayanagar-era expansions.

Sthala katha — the traditional account

What follows is the temple’s own traditional account, transmitted through liturgy and local memory. It is recorded here as tradition, not as attested history.

When a corrupt headman threatened a shepherd who supplied milk for the lord's ablutions, Shiva is said to have intervened with his trident to stop the king's punishment.

Official site ↗Open in Google Maps ↗Wikipedia ↗View on the atlas map

☏ (04368) 236530 (from the official site, verified 2026-08-26)

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Chola