Tirunallar Dharbaranyeswarar Temple 3.76

Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple or Dharbaranyeswarar TempleThe TempleThe presiding deity is Dharbaranyeswarar and is believed to have been made of dharba grass. The worship is also centered around the icon of planet saturn, called Saniswarar, originally treated as the door keeper of the shrine. According to Hinduism, saturn resides in each rasi for two and half years. The tradition is to worship Saniswarar before entering the inner sanctum of Lord Siva.LegendSambandar, the 7th century nayanar 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 Nayanars have glorified the temple with their hymns. Arunagirinathar, a 15th-century poet and staunch devoteet of Lord Muruga has composed hymns on the deity and this temple is attributed to Murugan worship as well''.