Darbharanyeshwarar at Thirunallar

This Shiva temple is located at Thirunallar in Karikal district in Pondicherry. This temple is one of the seven temples from Sapta Vidanga Sthalam. The vidanga here is known as Nagara Vidanga and the dance performed by Lord Shiva here is known as Unmatha Pada Natanam (i.e. dancing like an intoxicated person). This is also one of the Padal Petra Sthalam revered by Nayanmars. Though this is a Shiva temple, it is more famous as Navagraha sthala for the planet Saturn. 

Moolavar (Main deity): Darbharanyeshwarar, Thirunallar-ishwarar

Devi (Consort): Pranambika, Bhogamarta - Poonmulaiyal, Praneshwari

Kshetra Vruksha (Sacred tree): Darbha grass

Sacred teertha: Nala teertha, Brahma teertha, Vani teertha. Anna teertha and Ganga teertha are in a well near Nalavinayaka temple. Besides these there are eight ashta dikpal teertha.

Speciality: On the shiva linga we observe markings of Darbha grass as it is stated in Purana that the Shiva linga was found among darbha grass. This is a swayambhu linga.

This kshetra is one of the sapta vidanga sthalas. This place is also considered as one of the Shakti Pithas and is known as Praneshwari peetha. The temple is facing the east. 

Legends:

There are a number of legends associated with this place which are mentioned in the puranas.

According to the scriptures, Brahma, after having created the world, went around to tour it. When he came to this forest (Aranya) full of Darbha, he was enchanted by its beauty and performed a penance and worshiped a SwayamBhu¹ Shiva Lingam².

The Lord appeared and explained to Brahma the inner meaning of Vedas and taught him other shastras. Brahma stayed in this place for a long time worshiping Shiva-Parvati and built temples for them. Brahma created Brahma Teerth and Saraswati created Vani Teerth. Indra, Ashta Dikpal (eight directions) and the sacred swan (Hansa) established their own Shiva Lingam and worshipped.

Nomenclature: Because Brahma worshipped at this place long ago, the place is known as AadiPuri (Aadi = Beginning, Puri = City). As the sacred grass Darbha (not Durva used in Ganesh Puja) was abundant, this place was called DarbhaAranyam. Because Nala had also worshipped here, the place used to be called Nallar and Shiva here called Nalleshwara.

According to Puran, Lord Vishnu worshiped Lord Shiva and Parvati at this place and got Manmatha (kamadeva) as his son. Hence as a token, Lord Vishnu created the Somaskanda form ie. with Lord Muruga seated in between Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Later on Vishnu gave this to Indra and by worshiping this form he obtained Jayant and Jayanti as children. Later on he created six more forms of the same somaskanda and gave all of them to Muchaganda.

The king placed them at seven places which are known as Sapta Vidanga sthala. One such form of Somaskanda is in this temple and people worship it for obtaining offspring. This vidanga is known as Thyagaraja vidanga. 

Other shrines in this temple:

To the south of the main temple there is a shrine which houses the idols of a shepherd, his wife and an accountant of the temple. The legend says that the shepherd was cheated by the accountant while paying for the milk supplied to the temple. Lord Shiva in order to save the shepherd from the wrath of the king and at the same time to punish the accountant threw his trishul at the accountant in the presence of the king. In order to make way for the trishul the nandi and bali peeth shifted slightly. This we can observe even today. The trishul severed the head of the accountant and Lord Shiva gave darshan to the shepherd. This explains why we find the nandi and bali peeth not in a straight line with the shiva linga. 

Legend says that Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, Indra, Goddess Saraswati, Ashta Dikpal, Sage Agasti, Sage Pulasti, Hansa and Arjun worshiped Lord Shiva at this place. 

Special features: 

After bowing to the rajagopuram, as we enter the temple we have to touch and pray the entrance step. It is presumed that the Lord Shani resided in the upper portion of this entrance. According to legend Lord Shani hid himself at the top in order to escape from the wrath of Lord Shiva for having punished King Nala. 

Other shrines at this place: Lord Swarna Ganapati, Muruga, Nataraja, Somaskanda, The idols of Adi Shesha, Nayanmars, Mahalakshmi, Surya and Bhairava are also found. We come across the idol of King Nala and the Linga worshiped by him. Besides this just like any other Shiva temple we come across the koshta murtis. A separate shrine is there for emerald vidang ie. Thyagaraja vidang. 

Festivals:

1) Saturn transit - Saturday special worship of Shani

2) On full moon day, in the tamil month of Purattasi (Sept-Oct) a special worship for emerald lingam

3) In May-JUne (Vaikashi) brahmotsavam is held for 10 days

1 SwayamBhu: Not created by human hand or touched by chisel; Swayam = Self and Bhu = Be, SwayamBhu = Be by self.

2 Shiva Lingam Worship: 

Shiva = Cosmic Reality (Form) created by AadiParaShakti (Aadi = Beginning, Para = Beyond and Shakti = Energy) ie Parvati. AadiParaShakti = Energy beyond beginning (of matter), The Essence/ Truth (state of no matter, only energy). Energy, in and of itself cannot be perceived without a Form. Therefore AadiParaShakti created Cosmic Reality to manifest itself. 

Lingam = Leen (Become One With) + Gamya (navigable), Lingam = To navigate and become one with. Thus Shiva/ Shiva Lingam worship is a way of becoming one with the Cosmic Reality/ AadiParaShakti (Truth). Shiva, by Himself cannot do anything without AadiParaShakti. Same is true for AadiParaShakti. Therefore, The ArdhaNarishwara manifestation (Advaita in the Dwaita) is THE (fundamental/ eternal) TRUTH.

Courtesy:

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/ 
https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/