Thread by @KindsoulRitzS

#longreads
Thirunallar is a small town in Karaikal, in the Union Territory of Pondicherry. Thirunallar contains the shrine of Lord Sani (Saturn), Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple within the temple dedicated to Lord Darbharanyeswaran, a form of Lord Shiva.

Legends says that the legendary King Nala was relieved of his afflictions caused by the malefic influence of Planet Saturn or due to Shani Dosha, after worshipping at Thirunallar Saniswaran Temple and taking a holy dip in the temple tank. The sacred temple tank is named Nalan

Theertham and it is believed that by bathing here, one wash off all kinds of afflictions and misfortunes caused by one’s past karmas.

According to history, in the 7th century C.E. when Jainism was spreading in influence in South India, the Pandian King Ninra-seer-Nedumaran

who was ruling Madurai was converted to Jainism. Soon, everyone in the Pandian Kingdom embraced Jainism, forsaking the old religion except the Queen Mangaiyarkarasi and Minister Kulacchirai Nayanar who were staunch Saivites. Distressed with this, the Queen and the Minister

were yearning to reclaim both the King and the Kingdom back into the fold of their traditional religion, Saivism.

At that time, there came the news of the camping of a young Saivite saint Tirugnana Sambandar at Vedaranyam. The Queen and the Minister heard the miracles

performed by the young saint in the Tanjavur district that they sent an urgent invitation to him to visit Madurai and free the King and his subjects from the clutches of Jainism. The arrival of the Saivite saint provoked the Jains that they set fire to his holy dwelling. But by

his yogic powers, Saint Sambandar had the heat transferred to the King Ninra-seer-Nedumaran, who as a result suffered in agony.  

As per Queen’s request, Saint Sambandar sang the Padigam ‘Mandiramavadu Neeru’ and sprinkled a few grains of sacred ash on the right side of the

King’s body to relieve the pain. As per Queen’s request, Saint Sambandar sang the Padigam ‘Mandiramavadu Neeru’ and sprinkled a few grains of sacred ash on the right side of the King’s body to relieve the pain. The Jains who did not like the act of the saint, in turn,chanted the

Aruga Mantra (Jain Mantra) and stroked the left side of the King’s body with peacock feathers, but it only aggravated his pain. The saint applied a few more grains of the holy ash to the King’s left side, in response to entreaties by the King and his ministers. The King who

was suffering from severe pain soon was free from his burns after the saint applied the holy ash on his body.

This annoyed the Jains that they further challenged the Saint Sambandar, asking to consign to flames the Mantras of both religions, written on palm leaves to

see which one survived the trial and tribulation of fire, thereby showing superiority over the other. The Jains first placed their palm leaf onto the fire but very soon it was consumed by the flames. Next, Saint Sambandar place one leaf containing the forty-ninth Padigam of the

Tevaram hymn that was sung at the Thirunallar Temple of Lord Darbharanyeswaran (Lord Shiva) on the flames. To all of their surprise, the palm leaf remained untouched by the flames and retained its evergreen freshness.

Thus, Saivism was reestablished as the true religion in the Pandian capital. And this legend depicts the glory of the Thirunallar Temple.