- Architect’s Voice1Architect Jitendra Mistry

6- JyotishaBelief is Relief - Part 2

- Dr Ravi Rao’s Vaastu tips 5

We should always bear in mind that the city and its

people are an integral part of each other; that a city

is its public and without the public there is no city.

Public spaces are for people to connect with each

other and therefore are very important.

However, when people talk of public spaces they

speak about the gardens, parks, plazas, fountains

etc. My approach to public spaces is different.

Rather than the gardens, parks, plazas, fountains

etc. I believe that public spaces are really from

where you begin from your home and every

outdoor space you utilize; like the streets which you

walk on, the connectivity to the temples , schools,

colleges and the playgrounds and work places.

Thus, the neighborhood streets and the city spaces

which are to be made for pedestrians – can be

called real public spaces. To put it another way, a

very wide meaning of public space is what people

utilize for their various activities.

u Volume 56 u Pages 16u April 2013

continued on page 2

ARCHITECT’S VOICEEDITORIAL

www.vaastuyogam.com

stC o n n e c t i n g V a a s t u t o t h e 21 C e n t u r y

VaastuyogamNEWSLETTER

Welcome to the April 2013 issue of Vaastuyogam

and welcome to the new financial year.

I, along with my Vaastuyogam team, wish all our

readers good luck for the upcoming financial year.

However, the road ahead doesn’t seem to be

straight and easy at all and in fact looks somewhat

bumpy, especially from the industrial and banking

prospective. Expect the stock markets to see a

bearish phase on account of uncertainties in the

political scenario both in India and abroad.

I thank the many readers who have taken time off to

respond to the many new initiatives at

Vaastuyogam. Since there has been tremendous

support and interest to the Town Planning series,

we plan to expand on this subject in the following

months. The series will touch upon various aspects

of the urban built-environment and will include

articles related to hospitals, public places, schools,

hotels, places of recreation, etc. We shall be

engaging in dialogue with eminent architects,

engineers, town-planners.

I hope our efforts will be well-received by readers,

by the public at large as well as by our rulers in New

Delhi and the state capitals.

Also, in a new initiative, I shall be giving Vaastu tips

for day-to-day living in households, office and

factories.

Happy reading.

and

(This is the first of a two-part article. The secondand the final installment of the article shall bepublished next month.)

- Architect Jitendra Mistry -

“Public Spaces begin the

moment you come out

of your home into the street”

Renowned Ahmedabad based architect

Jitendra Mistry speaks about Public Spaces,

Urban Design and the automobile culture.

Architect Jitendra Mistry

Dr R v aoa i R ’s

Va st Tipa u s

w a cw w . r a v i r o . o m

Connectivity

Ahmedabad – and by that I refer to the old

Ahmedabad c i ty – had excel lent

connectivity. Our old city planning gives us

great example of such wonderful

connectivity of spaces where pedestrians

u April 2013

continued on page 3

1

Actually, we are confused planners. And we are confused, because there are so many factors around us and all of which are happening so fast. Our eagerness to accommodate, all “modernity” has resulted in our forgetting everything about our past; our heritage; our mottos and long-term goals. We have allowed differing streams of issues, actions and approach to encroach and engulf our thoughts. Worse still, we take quick decisions to solve public issues, without referring the issues to the affected citizenry.

ARCHITECT’S VOICE

moved freely to their destinations, such as

schools, temples, city centers and other

neighbourhoods.

Children could go to schools without fear of

traffic. In the old days, every afternoon, my

mother would go to the temple alone and

return by the evening, and none of us were

worried about her safety or whereabouts

because the city had a fabulous and intimate

connectivity; there were no issues of

t roublesome road crossings. The

connectivity of the streets also meant

c o n n e c t i v i t y o f n e i g h b o u r s a n d

neighbourhoods since the streets were

inter-connected and cut through the

neighbourhoods.

I wonder if this aspect of urban design from

our history can be considered in our new

“Public Spaces begin the moment

you come out of your home into the street”

- Architect Jitendra Mistry

Architect Jitendra Mistry

planning but, sadly, this is what is missing

today. Unfortunately the forces of

development demands have taken over

these spaces and in the new development,

the city planners have forgotten this aspect

of life style with the result that rather than

serve the inhabitants our cities have totally

taken over their lives.

The child gets his first breathing space when

he walks out of the house into the streets

with their rhythm and flow. That is his first

exposure to “public space”; then of course

he/she moves on. We are ignoring this and

concentrating on the gardens, (which – by

the way - are barricaded by locked gates) In

fact these places can hardly be called

gardens; these places are small patches of

So Called Gardens

Mr. Jitendra Mistry, is an architect having taken his degree from USA. He worked under the guidance and direction of world famous architect Dr. Walter Groupis at the Architects Collaborative Inc., Cambridge, USA.

Founded in year 1968, by Mr Jitendra Mistry, Mistry Associates provides complete professional services in the fields of Architecture, Master Planning & Interior Designing. Mr. Mistry has designed several projects for Educational Institutes, Hotels, Commercial Buildings, Industrial Estates and Private residential houses.

ARCHITECT’S VOICE

2

open space that have been beautified and

which we are allowed only to look at and not

use.

Actually, we are confused planners. And we

are confused, because there are so many

factors around us and all of which are

happening so fast. Our eagerness to

accommodate, all “modernity” has resulted

in our forgetting everything about our past;

our heritage; our mottos and long-term

goals. We have allowed differing streams of

issues, actions and approach to encroach

and engulf our thoughts. Worse still, we take

quick decisions to solve public issues,

without referring the issues to the affected

citizenry.

The forces of development and the

accompanying demands of vehicular traffic

cannot be ignored. But to achieve mobility of

all forms we need a proper approach to city

planning and design that will support

pedestrian path ways as well as motor ways

within a framework that allows free and safe

movement to both. However, we only plan

roads for fast-moving vehicular traffic and

totally forget pedestrians and thereby

snatch away the public spaces from the

Confusion Reigns Planning

people. Our streets today have no

pedestrian walkways, and in the rare cases

where they can still be found, they have a

precarious existence as they have been

totally taken over by bus-stands and

hawkers.

I wish the BRTS in Ahmedabad well and

welcome this initiative of the Ahmedabad

Municipal Corporation, but the fact is that

the BRTS has not been a success anywhere

in the world excepting South America. I have

BRTS – A Critique

3Vaastuyogamu April 2013

not seen it in USA. It has not worked in

Europe and closer home, it is a disaster in

Delhi. Just think about it. You are dedicating

over 40% of the road to traffic that is less

than 10% of the whole. How often have you

seen the BRTS roads vacant?

We must agree, of course, that it allows for

quick, uninterrupted and safe movement of

the buses plying within the barricaded

corridor. Not only that, since there are fewer

crossroads, cars on both sides move fast as

"Just think about it. You are dedicating over 40% of the road to traffic that is less than 10% of the whole. How often have you seen the BRTS roads vacant?”

- Jitendra Mistry

I believe that public spaces are really from where you begin from your home and every outdoor space you utilize; like the streets which you walk on, the connectivity to the temples, schools, colleges and the playgrounds and work places.

continued on page 4

well, sometimes leading to horrible

accidents.

Another issue with the BRTS is that it divided

the road into two spate entities, causing total

disconnection between the two sides of a

road that were earlier an organic single

entity. How does one solve this? Are over-

bridges being planned that will connect the

two sides at intervals?

We are now sold to the idea of BRTS, so

wherever there is a broad road we just splice

it into two narrow ones with a barricaded

corridor in-between. However, the

acceptability of the BRTS is a long way off. In

my office we have several staff that live

along the BRTS route but still use two-

wheelers to come to office. Why? I, don’t

know; maybe because they need vehicles

for other chores as well or maybe he values

the independence of movement that a two-

wheeler assures.

I suggest that to make BRTS work,

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation should

u April 2013

3

Another issue with the BRTS is that it divided the road into two spate entities , causing total disconnection between the two sides of a road that were earlier an organic single entity. How does one solve this? Are over-bridges being planned that will connect the two sides at intervals?

ARCHITECT’S VOICE

m a k e i t v e r y

expensive to park

vehicles, as it is done

in Europe. The public

should realize, that

taking the car is OK,

b u t w h a t a b o u t

parking costs? The

high cost of parking

cars will encourage

people to take public

transport systems

like the BRTS.

Today, w i t h t he

Automobile culture

u p o n u s , t o w n

p l a n n e r s h a v e

s a c r i f i c e d

cohesiveness and

n e i g h b u o r h o o d

security of the old city of Pols and Darwazas.

A safe, intimate, residential cluster which is

the lifeline of relations among human beings

has become a talk of the past. This is so

because, we are far too pressurized by the

needs of the moment to spare a thought for

“public space” and I am afraid that unless

town planners involve the public in the

Automobile Culture

Khadia, the heart of Old Ahmedabd, celebrating Uttaran, the kite festival of Gujarat.

planning process, the divide between the

planners’ and public expectations and

needs will only widen. Be that as it may, we

need to reclaim all these public spaces all

over the city and make our city alive again.

To be continued in next issue...

4

Landmarks Of Old Ahmedabad

Very often, I see people taking a lot of pain to

implement Vaastu and then make Vaastu

blunders that can easily be avoided. Also, I

have noticed that many people feel that they

cannot implement Vaastu seriously,

abandoning the implementation altogether.

This is very sad and this practice should not

be followed. Whatever Vaastu can be

implemented, must be implemented. Even a

small Vaastu implementation can go a long

way.

In this series, “Dr Ravi Rao’s Vaastu Tips”, I

shall give simple tips that can be of great

help in the house, office and even in

factories. I hope readers will start

implementing what they read.

Nowadays multiple burners for the gas

stove are in vogue and so I add a word of

Kitchen

caution. The house’ kitchen stove should

NOT have three burners. It is considered

inauspicious. You can have two or four or

multiples of two for the better health of the

family.

While cooking the person should face east

or north or west but never south.

When you open the main door of the house –

you should NOT see any Toilet or its door

from the main entry of the house. Also you

Main Door

should NOT see brooms or any cleaning

agents like Dettol , brooms etc from the Main

gate while going out of the house from the

main door. One should not see these things

while going out of the house as seeing them

may delay the work or procrastinate the

proceedings in day-to-day life.

Similarly while entering in to office premises

or work places, if cleaning is going on it is

considered inauspicious. The cleaning is

important but it should be done well in

advance before the key people come to the

work place.

The main door of the house should be

bigger- thicker-stronger-taller-wider than

the rest of the doors. The main door is called

the Simhadwaar. This will ensure respect

and status of the house lord. If this principle

is not followed, it will take away the name

and fame that the family enjoys.

The main door can either be the biggest

single door or it can have two doors that

together add up to the largest-sized door of

the house. The door can be made of metal or

wood or any other material as per the

location of the house. The point is that the

bigger the main door is, the better it is for the

family.

Unfortunately, to save cost, modern

construction practices avoid installing a big

main door.

u April 2013 5

v aDr Ra i R o’s

V s Taa tu ips

w w w . r a v i r a o . c o m

Cleaning Equipment

What should not beseen from the main door

ToiletMain Door

Brihaspati – Planet Jupiter

I salute Brihaspati, Guru, dazzling like

gold, teacher of the gods and rishis.

-Navagraha Stotram

Brihaspati also known as Brahmanaspati is

the guru of Devas and is praised in many

hymns of Rig Veda. He is the fifth of the

Navagrahas. Brihaspati is described to be

yellow or golden in color, holding a stick, a

lotus and his beads. Jupiter symbolizes

knowledge, love and spirituality. The planet

rules the thighs, flesh, kidney, liver, fat and

the arterial system. The day of Jupiter is

Thursday and the gemstone is Sapphire.

Dhanu Rashi and Meena Rashi are ruled by

Brihaspati.

In Hinduism, Brihaspati has been revered

for ages not only as the officiating priest, the

Purohita, of the Devas but also as their

teacher and guide; hence the appellation,

“Guru”. He bestows upon his devotees

excellence in education and the fine arts,

oratory skills and success in the workplace.

His very name Vachaspati alludes to Vach,

the primordial world that emerged from

Brahma’s head. In the Rig Veda, Guru, is

described as being pure and beautiful in

form, having a clear voice, seven mouths, a

lovely tongue, sharp horns, a hundred wings

and holding an iron axe. He is considered

the most compassionate of all the grahas.

When Brihaspati is not well placed in one’s

natal chart, the person shows a tendency for

the following afflictions:- obesity, problems

with the ribs, blood, muscles or nerves,

diabetes, liver problems, kidney problems,

hearing impairment and breathing problems

like asthma. Praying at Guru shrines is

believed to keep these afflictions at bay.

continued on page 7

Abathsahayeswarar Temple, Alangudi

Temple Architecture - Features

Abathsahayeswarar Temple at Alangudi,

one of the Navagraha Temples in Tamil

Nadu, is about 17 km from Kumbakonam on

the way to Needamangalam, in Tiruvarur

District of Tamilnadu. The main deities are

Lord Abathsahayeswarar or Aranyeswara,

a c c o m p a n i e d b y h i s c o n s o r t ,

Ezhavarkuzhali or Umai Ammai. The temple

is regarded as a Guru Sthalam (the temple

o f P l a n e t J u p i t e r ) w h e r e L o r d

Dakshinamurthy (The Guru or teacher form

of Lord Shiva) is held in great reverence. A

special feature is that Lord Guru or

Brihaspati (or Brahmanaspati) is engraved

on the wall and is not in the form of a

separate idol, reunited with Shiva. It is

believed that Adi Shankaracharya and Sage

Agastya had worshipped Lord Guru here.

Located on the south of the river Cauvery,

the Alangudi Temple occupies a large area

surrounded by lofty walls. There are around

15 theerthams in this temple and the one

which is located inside the temple is referred

t o a s A m r i t a P u s h k a r i n i .

Abathsahayeswarar Temple is the abode to

shrines of Lord Surya, Gurumoksheswarar,

S o m a n a t h a r, S a p t a r i s h i n a t h a r,

S o m e s w a r a r , V i s h n u n a t h a r a n d

Bhrameesar, Kaasi Viswanathar and

Visalakshi. The inscriptions that date back to

the period of Vikrama Chola (1131 AD) refer

t o A l a n k u d i a s J a n a n a t h a

saruppedimangalam. The details of the

Chidambaram Natarajar temple are also

seen here. The Poolaivala River, runs east

of the temple.

Legend says that once, the Devas and the

Asuras tried to churn the celestial ocean,

'Parkadal' (sea of milk). They used the

celestial snake 'Vasuki' as the rope and the

mount 'Mandara' as the rod to obtain the

nectar. The snake emitted deadly poison

(Ala Visham) which the Lord swallowed to

safeguard the universe. Hence Lord Shiva

came to be called as 'Abathsahayeswarar',

meaning 'savior' for having consumed the

poison and the place came to be known as

'Alangudi'. Goddess Parvati is said to have

been reborn on the banks of Amrita

History of Abathsahayeswarar Temple

u April 20136

jyotisha

This is the second and final part of the article "Belief is Relief". Part one of this was published last month. In the first part we

have dealt with the grahas Surya, Chandra, Budha. Readers are requested to kindly read both the part as a single whole.

The Navagraha

Belief Is Relief - Part TwoPushkarini and later on reunited with Shiva

and hence this place is known as Thirumana

Mangalam. Sage Viswamitrar is believed to

have worshipped Shiva here. Lord Ganesha

is worshipped as 'Kalangaamal Kaatha

Vinayagar' (the Lord who was firm in saving

the devotees) for having killed the ferocious

'Gajamuhasura' who was a great threat to

t h e D e v a s . K a s i A r a n y a m a n d

Thiruvirumpoolai are the other names of

Alangudi.

Legend has it that Lord Dakshinamurthy is

said to have preached to the Devas who

swooned under the impact of the poison that

came out of the churning of the milky ocean.

He is called as Brahaspathi or Brihaspati for

his excellence in education and fine arts.

Thursday is auspicious to him. Yellow-

colored garment and chick peas (konda

kadalai) are offered to bring happiness to the

Guru devotees. It is believed that students,

in order to excel in education, can offer

kondakadalai garland (chick pea is soaked

in water and made as a garland) to Lord

Guru. Large numbers of devotees throng

here during Guru Peyarchi, that is, when

Jupiter transits between the zodiac signs.

New Moon Day (Ammavasai), Full Moon

Day (pournami), Guruhorai, days falling on

stars like punarpoosam, Visagam and

Pooratathi are very auspicious for Sri Guru

Bhagavan. Offering prayers on these days is

more special.

Four worship services are offered daily. The

temple opens daily from 5:30 am to 12 noon

and from 4 pm to 8 pm.

Not much is known about who built this

temple and when. The great saint and poet

Tirunayana Sambandar, has composed and

sung about this place. It is therefore a matter

of conjecture that this temple was built

before 600 AD, most likely by the early

Chola kings.

Annual Bhrammotsavam is celebrated in

the Tamil month of Chittirai. Also Hindu

festivals, including Navaratri, Skanda

Sashti, Aadi Puram, Arudra Darisanam,

Poojas and Worship

History

Temple Festivals

Kartikai Deepam, Thai Poosam and Pankuni

Uththiram are celebrated here with much

religious fervor. Guru Peyarchi, the transit of

Guru (Planet Jupiter) from one zodiac sign to

another, is another major festival celebrated in

the temple.

Alangudi is about 35 km from Tiruvarur which

serves as the nearest railway station.

Nidamangalam Railway Station, on the

Thanjavur-Tiruvarur rail route, is the nearest

railhead.

Lord Shukra or Planet Venus is the teacher of

the demons and the author of Sukraniti.

Shukra is of white complexion, is middle-aged

and is generally shown with four hands, riding

upon a golden or silver chariot drawn by eight

horses. He holds a stick, beads and a lotus

and sometimes a bow and arrow. Shukra

Dasha actually remains for twenty years in a

person’s horoscope and this planet is believed

to give more wealth, fortune and luxury living, if

positioned well in one’s horoscope. Venus

symbolizes love and passion. The day of

Venus is Friday and the gemstone is diamond.

Vrishaba Rashi (Taurus, Edavam) and Tula

Rashi (Libra, Thulam) are ruled by Lord

Shukra or planet Venus.

In Hindu mythology, Shukra is male, the son of

Bhrigu and the grandson of Brahma. Shukra’s

Prati devata is Indra. As he is ever-happy, he

is called Usana. Being the son of Bhrigu, he is

also named Bhargava. He is blind in one eye.

He is highly intelligent and well-versed in legal

matters.

Agneeswarar Temple at Kanjanoor or

Agniswara Swami Temple at Kanjanur is one

of the nine Navagraha Temples in Tamil Nadu

and is associated with Lord Sukran (Planet

Venus), the sixth of the Navagraha planets.

Also known as Sukran Navagraha Sthalam,

How to reach Abathsahayeswarar Temple at

Alangudi

Shukra - Planet Venus

Agneeswarar Temple, Kanjanoor

I bow to lotus eyed Bhargava, Shukra,

who is well versed in all shastras and the

guru of the Asuras.

-Navagraha Stotram

continued on page 8

u April 2013 7

Agniswarar temple is located around 18 km

from Kumbakonam and 2 km to the east

from Sooriyanayanar Kovil, on the Kallanai -

Poompuhar road, in Tamilnadu.

Similar to most of the other Navagraha

Temples in Tamilnadu, the presiding deities

of Agniswara Swami Temple is Lord Shiva

and Goddess Parvati. Lord Shiva is

worshipped here as Agneeswarar, as it is

said that Lord Agni (Fire God) had

worshipped Lord Shiva here. Goddess

P a r v a t i i s w o r s h i p p e d h e r e a s

Karpagambal.

It is said that Lord Brahma was blessed with

a vision of Shiva's marriage with Parvati

here. The Brahma Linga enshrined in the

Agniswarar Temple is said to have been

worshipped by Lord Brahma. Another

important feature is that the Oil Abhishekam

performed to the main Shiva linga is fully

absorbed by the idol. There is no separate

sannidhi for Lord Shukra as Lord Shiva

himself is believed to have incarnated as

Venus here.

Located on the northern banks of river

The Temple and its History

Worship of the Navagrahas benefits the devout and the dedicated persons. One needs to be sincere in effort when performing the things listed above. Devotion to the lord is of the greatest importance. Without this virtuous element, it is not possible to obtain relief from suffering.

- Dr Ravi Rao

Brihaspati – Planet Jupiter

I salute Brihaspati, Guru, dazzling like

gold, teacher of the gods and rishis.

-Navagraha Stotram

Brihaspati also known as Brahmanaspati is

the guru of Devas and is praised in many

hymns of Rig Veda. He is the fifth of the

Navagrahas. Brihaspati is described to be

yellow or golden in color, holding a stick, a

lotus and his beads. Jupiter symbolizes

knowledge, love and spirituality. The planet

rules the thighs, flesh, kidney, liver, fat and

the arterial system. The day of Jupiter is

Thursday and the gemstone is Sapphire.

Dhanu Rashi and Meena Rashi are ruled by

Brihaspati.

In Hinduism, Brihaspati has been revered

for ages not only as the officiating priest, the

Purohita, of the Devas but also as their

teacher and guide; hence the appellation,

“Guru”. He bestows upon his devotees

excellence in education and the fine arts,

oratory skills and success in the workplace.

His very name Vachaspati alludes to Vach,

the primordial world that emerged from

Brahma’s head. In the Rig Veda, Guru, is

described as being pure and beautiful in

form, having a clear voice, seven mouths, a

lovely tongue, sharp horns, a hundred wings

and holding an iron axe. He is considered

the most compassionate of all the grahas.

When Brihaspati is not well placed in one’s

natal chart, the person shows a tendency for

the following afflictions:- obesity, problems

with the ribs, blood, muscles or nerves,

diabetes, liver problems, kidney problems,

hearing impairment and breathing problems

like asthma. Praying at Guru shrines is

believed to keep these afflictions at bay.

continued on page 7

Abathsahayeswarar Temple, Alangudi

Temple Architecture - Features

Abathsahayeswarar Temple at Alangudi,

one of the Navagraha Temples in Tamil

Nadu, is about 17 km from Kumbakonam on

the way to Needamangalam, in Tiruvarur

District of Tamilnadu. The main deities are

Lord Abathsahayeswarar or Aranyeswara,

a c c o m p a n i e d b y h i s c o n s o r t ,

Ezhavarkuzhali or Umai Ammai. The temple

is regarded as a Guru Sthalam (the temple

o f P l a n e t J u p i t e r ) w h e r e L o r d

Dakshinamurthy (The Guru or teacher form

of Lord Shiva) is held in great reverence. A

special feature is that Lord Guru or

Brihaspati (or Brahmanaspati) is engraved

on the wall and is not in the form of a

separate idol, reunited with Shiva. It is

believed that Adi Shankaracharya and Sage

Agastya had worshipped Lord Guru here.

Located on the south of the river Cauvery,

the Alangudi Temple occupies a large area

surrounded by lofty walls. There are around

15 theerthams in this temple and the one

which is located inside the temple is referred

t o a s A m r i t a P u s h k a r i n i .

Abathsahayeswarar Temple is the abode to

shrines of Lord Surya, Gurumoksheswarar,

S o m a n a t h a r, S a p t a r i s h i n a t h a r,

S o m e s w a r a r , V i s h n u n a t h a r a n d

Bhrameesar, Kaasi Viswanathar and

Visalakshi. The inscriptions that date back to

the period of Vikrama Chola (1131 AD) refer

t o A l a n k u d i a s J a n a n a t h a

saruppedimangalam. The details of the

Chidambaram Natarajar temple are also

seen here. The Poolaivala River, runs east

of the temple.

Legend says that once, the Devas and the

Asuras tried to churn the celestial ocean,

'Parkadal' (sea of milk). They used the

celestial snake 'Vasuki' as the rope and the

mount 'Mandara' as the rod to obtain the

nectar. The snake emitted deadly poison

(Ala Visham) which the Lord swallowed to

safeguard the universe. Hence Lord Shiva

came to be called as 'Abathsahayeswarar',

meaning 'savior' for having consumed the

poison and the place came to be known as

'Alangudi'. Goddess Parvati is said to have

been reborn on the banks of Amrita

History of Abathsahayeswarar Temple

u April 20136

jyotisha

This is the second and final part of the article "Belief is Relief". Part one of this was published last month. In the first part we

have dealt with the grahas Surya, Chandra, Budha. Readers are requested to kindly read both the part as a single whole.

The Navagraha

Pushkarini and later on reunited with Shiva

and hence this place is known as Thirumana

Mangalam. Sage Viswamitrar is believed to

have worshipped Shiva here. Lord Ganesha

is worshipped as 'Kalangaamal Kaatha

Vinayagar' (the Lord who was firm in saving

the devotees) for having killed the ferocious

'Gajamuhasura' who was a great threat to

t h e D e v a s . K a s i A r a n y a m a n d

Thiruvirumpoolai are the other names of

Alangudi.

Legend has it that Lord Dakshinamurthy is

said to have preached to the Devas who

swooned under the impact of the poison that

came out of the churning of the milky ocean.

He is called as Brahaspathi or Brihaspati for

his excellence in education and fine arts.

Thursday is auspicious to him. Yellow-

colored garment and chick peas (konda

kadalai) are offered to bring happiness to the

Guru devotees. It is believed that students,

in order to excel in education, can offer

kondakadalai garland (chick pea is soaked

in water and made as a garland) to Lord

Guru. Large numbers of devotees throng

here during Guru Peyarchi, that is, when

Jupiter transits between the zodiac signs.

New Moon Day (Ammavasai), Full Moon

Day (pournami), Guruhorai, days falling on

stars like punarpoosam, Visagam and

Pooratathi are very auspicious for Sri Guru

Bhagavan. Offering prayers on these days is

more special.

Four worship services are offered daily. The

temple opens daily from 5:30 am to 12 noon

and from 4 pm to 8 pm.

Not much is known about who built this

temple and when. The great saint and poet

Tirunayana Sambandar, has composed and

sung about this place. It is therefore a matter

of conjecture that this temple was built

before 600 AD, most likely by the early

Chola kings.

Annual Bhrammotsavam is celebrated in

the Tamil month of Chittirai. Also Hindu

festivals, including Navaratri, Skanda

Sashti, Aadi Puram, Arudra Darisanam,

Poojas and Worship

History

Temple Festivals

Kartikai Deepam, Thai Poosam and Pankuni

Uththiram are celebrated here with much

religious fervor. Guru Peyarchi, the transit of

Guru (Planet Jupiter) from one zodiac sign to

another, is another major festival celebrated in

the temple.

Alangudi is about 35 km from Tiruvarur which

serves as the nearest railway station.

Nidamangalam Railway Station, on the

Thanjavur-Tiruvarur rail route, is the nearest

railhead.

Lord Shukra or Planet Venus is the teacher of

the demons and the author of Sukraniti.

Shukra is of white complexion, is middle-aged

and is generally shown with four hands, riding

upon a golden or silver chariot drawn by eight

horses. He holds a stick, beads and a lotus

and sometimes a bow and arrow. Shukra

Dasha actually remains for twenty years in a

person’s horoscope and this planet is believed

to give more wealth, fortune and luxury living, if

positioned well in one’s horoscope. Venus

symbolizes love and passion. The day of

Venus is Friday and the gemstone is diamond.

Vrishaba Rashi (Taurus, Edavam) and Tula

Rashi (Libra, Thulam) are ruled by Lord

Shukra or planet Venus.

In Hindu mythology, Shukra is male, the son of

Bhrigu and the grandson of Brahma. Shukra’s

Prati devata is Indra. As he is ever-happy, he

is called Usana. Being the son of Bhrigu, he is

also named Bhargava. He is blind in one eye.

He is highly intelligent and well-versed in legal

matters.

Agneeswarar Temple at Kanjanoor or

Agniswara Swami Temple at Kanjanur is one

of the nine Navagraha Temples in Tamil Nadu

and is associated with Lord Sukran (Planet

Venus), the sixth of the Navagraha planets.

Also known as Sukran Navagraha Sthalam,

How to reach Abathsahayeswarar Temple at

Alangudi

Shukra - Planet Venus

Agneeswarar Temple, Kanjanoor

I bow to lotus eyed Bhargava, Shukra,

who is well versed in all shastras and the

guru of the Asuras.

-Navagraha Stotram

continued on page 8

u April 2013 7

Agniswarar temple is located around 18 km

from Kumbakonam and 2 km to the east

from Sooriyanayanar Kovil, on the Kallanai -

Poompuhar road, in Tamilnadu.

Similar to most of the other Navagraha

Temples in Tamilnadu, the presiding deities

of Agniswara Swami Temple is Lord Shiva

and Goddess Parvati. Lord Shiva is

worshipped here as Agneeswarar, as it is

said that Lord Agni (Fire God) had

worshipped Lord Shiva here. Goddess

P a r v a t i i s w o r s h i p p e d h e r e a s

Karpagambal.

It is said that Lord Brahma was blessed with

a vision of Shiva's marriage with Parvati

here. The Brahma Linga enshrined in the

Agniswarar Temple is said to have been

worshipped by Lord Brahma. Another

important feature is that the Oil Abhishekam

performed to the main Shiva linga is fully

absorbed by the idol. There is no separate

sannidhi for Lord Shukra as Lord Shiva

himself is believed to have incarnated as

Venus here.

Located on the northern banks of river

The Temple and its History

Worship of the Navagrahas benefits the devout and the dedicated persons. One needs to be sincere in effort when performing the things listed above. Devotion to the lord is of the greatest importance. Without this virtuous element, it is not possible to obtain relief from suffering.

Belief Is Relief - Part Two

- Dr Ravi Rao

causing discomfort and tension in the

relationship, leading to severe disharmony

among the spouses and eventually to other

bigger problems. This is attributed to the

"fiery" nature of Mars, the planet of war. Also,

if two mangliks marry, the negative effects

are believed to cancel each other out.

However, Mars is not the only planet in Vedic

astrology that is supposed to affect the

relationship and these effects should be

seen in a broader perspective of the overall

astrological compatibility.

There is also a belief that the negative

consequences for a single-manglik

marriage can be resolved if the manglik first

performs a ceremony called a kumbh vivah,

in which the manglik "marries" a banana

tree, a peepal tree, or a silver or gold idol of

the Hindu God Vishnu. However, this belief

is gradually being eroded.

The bad effects of Manglik dosh can be

reduced with the help of astrological

remedies which would generally include the

application of puja, mantras, gemstones

and charity. These remedies are different for

each individual depending upon the

horoscope. You are advised to consult an

expert Vedic astrologer in order to evaluate

the level of dosha.

Saturn, known as Shani in Indian astrology

is the sixth planet from the Sun and the

second largest. In Roman mythology,

Saturn is the god of agriculture. In Greek

myth, he is the father of Jupiter and is the

root of the English word “Saturday.”

Shani Dev is the Lord of Saturday and is

embodied in the planet Saturn. As one of his

Shani - Planet Saturn

My salutations to Shani, son of the Sun

and his consort Chaya , Brother of

Yama and of the complexion of a blue

eyed collyrium.

-Navagraha Stotram

legs is shorter than the other, Shani walks

slowly and is hence named Shanaischara or

Saneeshwara. Due to his slow pace Shani

takes about 30 years to revolve around the

sun.

Shani Bhagavan, one of the 9 Navagraha

Planets, is reputed both as a giver and as a

destroyer. Lord Shani is regarded as a

troublesome god and is capable of breaking

fortunes by his influence and position in the

planetary system. He is considered to have

a malefic influence on events, though this is

not always true.

Lord Shani is generally shown with four

hands, riding upon a chariot or a buffalo or a

vulture. Shani is seen holding a sword,

arrows and two daggers. Saturn is often

referred to as a ‘dark planet’ and symbolizes

longevity, misery and grief. The day of

Saturn is Saturday and gemstone is blue

sapphire. Kumbha rashi and Makara rashi in

the zodiac signs are ruled by Lord Shani.

The Agamas describe Shani as dark in color,

short statured, lame in a leg, wearing black

clothes, holding a sword, arrows and two

daggers and seated in a lotus seat or

mounted on a vulture. Vulture is Shani’s

vahana and as the protector of property,

Shani is able to suppress the thieving

tendencies of these birds. However, in Tamil

Nadu, Shani’s vehicle is said to be a crow.

The grain associated with him is sesame

which can be offered with the flowers - vanni

and blue kuvalai; or rice mixed with sesame

powder. Special pujas and abhishekams are

performed on Saturdays as this day is

cons idered spec ia l fo r the Lord

Saneeswara.

Being lean and lank, he is called Nirmamsa

Gatra, Sushka and is the lord of the west.

Shani is also known as Chayaputra as he is

the son of Lord Surya, the Sun God and his

wife Chhaya. Yama, the God of death is his

elder brother. A person’s life is rewarded or

punished appropriately during his lifetime

according to his present and past deeds.

Shani is known as a great teacher and the

impact of Shani is so much that when Shani

opened his eyes for the first time while he

was a baby, the Sun went into an eclipse.

Shani punishes those who follow the path of

evil hence he is considered as trouble-giver

as well as the well-wisher.

When Lord Shani (Saturn) passes through

the ‘Janma Rasi’ in one's birth chart, he is

said to cause difficulties to a person and

when he passes through the eighth house

from one's Janma Rasi (Ashtamathu Sani)

he casts more challenges. However, the

adverse effects of Shani can be relieved

Saneeswaran – Effects in the Horoscope

continued on page 11

continued from page 9

u April 201310

jyotisha The bad effects of Manglik Dosh can be reduced with the help of astrological remedies which would generally include the application of Pooja, Mantras, Gemstones and Charities and these remedies are different for different individuals depending upon their horoscopes. You are advised to consult an expert Vedic astrologer in order to evaluate the level of dosha and malefic. It is important to know the level of Mangal dosha in order to come up with the right remedies with the help of your guide and or an expert Vedic astrologer.

u April 2013 11

through prayer and by performing puja to

appease Lord Shani. Shani transits from

one house to another every two-and-a-half

years and this is known as ‘Sani Peyarchi’.

Shani Peyarchi is one of the best known

f e s t i v a l s c e l e b r a t e d a t L o r d

Darbaranyeswarar Temple and is visited by

a large number of people. Saneeswarar’s

deity is taken in a procession around the

town on this auspicious occasion.

Lord Saneeshwara is known more for his

blessings than for his ill effects. A favourably

placed Shani in the horoscope of a person

stands for a strong career, healthy life and

prosperity. Shani can also award one with

leadership qualities along with fame and

recognition among the masses. Lord

Saneeshwara is known as Needhiman or

judge as he always blesses those who are

on the right path and are devoted.

Shani, if unfavorably placed in a person’s

horoscope gives Shani Dosha. It denotes

trouble in all ways. Shani is feared by those

Hindus who believe in astrology because

the effects of unfavorable Shani can be very

severe. Shani brings about the bad effects of

one’s deed or karma. The diseases which

Shani curses at the physical level are poor

blood supply, asthma, impotency, and

tuberculosis. At the mental level, those

afflicted with the Shani Dosha become

narrow-minded, suffer from low esteem and

so on. Lord Shani tests a person’s patience

with frustrations and delays.

Positive impact of Shani in Astrology

Negative Impact of Shani in Horoscope

What is Sade Saathi?

Sade Saathi is a period of seven and a half

years. Shani takes 30 years to traverse all

the 12 planets. He stays 2 and a half years in

one ‘rasi’ or sun sign. When the planet

aspects the lord of the house, then good

benefits are derived. In the garland of

planets, God Shani is called ‘Chaya

Martand’. When ‘Chaya Grah’ or the planet

passes through a house, that star sign’s

previous star sign and the next star sign is

troubled. That is ‘Chaya Grah’. This belief is

accepted in Sade Saathi. When Shani

passes through the 12th house of the birth

chart for the second time, it is called Sade

Saathi. Shani stays in a house for 2 and ½

years. This way, God Shani’s transit

through 3 houses is called Sade Saathi. (2

and ½ x 3= 7and ½). Therefore, this patch of

7 and a half years is known to bring

suffering, sorrows and misfortune. This is

known by people as Sade Saathi.

The effects of Sade Saathi are common to

all creatures. Whether they are saints,

commoners, great people, spiritualists,

Gods or godly people, all face the Shani

effect. The famous examples are of King

Veer Vikramaditya and Nala Damayanti who

suffered under the effect of Shani.

Any big solution sought for Shani in Sade

Saathi, takes a small shape. And when the

time comes for the benefit, it comes in a big

way like a miracle. As per astrology, Shani’s

Sade Saathi is understood in three parts.

One is from the lagna, the other is from

Moon and the third is from Sun. Over a

period of thirty years, every chart is affected

by Sade Saathi once, whether he is a lion or

a king. Sade Saathi touches every birth

chart. It is estimated that at any point in time,

one-twelfth of the population suffers from

Saturn’s malignant effects.

In Sade Saathi, a great deal of misery,

trouble, fearsome disease, excess sorrow,

loss of money, blame, insult, illness,

imprisonment etc., are undergone. By

taking the help of ‘Vedic Vidhi’ and the

mantras, penance etc., the fearsome effects

of Sade Saathi can be reduced. In brief,

Sade Saathi or seven and a half years of

God Shani put the normal life of man into

great distress. This is the direct result of

Sade Saathi. Normal, ongoing work comes

to a standstill. The desire of students to

study goes away. People looking for a job do

not attain their objective even if they

continue their quest.

In the birth chart, if Shani is exalted,

(powerfully placed), Sade Saathi will be

pronounced, which means, there will be

great loss of wealth and fame. Shani’s Sade

Saathi has troubled many brave and strong

kings, but they never let go of the truth. Raja

First and foremost the Graha (a planet as in astrology) has NO agenda to punish you. What so ever wrongs / sins you have committed in your earlier lives, they come back to you as bad planet positions in your Birth Chart in this life.

continued on page12

causing discomfort and tension in the

relationship, leading to severe disharmony

among the spouses and eventually to other

bigger problems. This is attributed to the

"fiery" nature of Mars, the planet of war. Also,

if two mangliks marry, the negative effects

are believed to cancel each other out.

However, Mars is not the only planet in Vedic

astrology that is supposed to affect the

relationship and these effects should be

seen in a broader perspective of the overall

astrological compatibility.

There is also a belief that the negative

consequences for a single-manglik

marriage can be resolved if the manglik first

performs a ceremony called a kumbh vivah,

in which the manglik "marries" a banana

tree, a peepal tree, or a silver or gold idol of

the Hindu God Vishnu. However, this belief

is gradually being eroded.

The bad effects of Manglik dosh can be

reduced with the help of astrological

remedies which would generally include the

application of puja, mantras, gemstones

and charity. These remedies are different for

each individual depending upon the

horoscope. You are advised to consult an

expert Vedic astrologer in order to evaluate

the level of dosha.

Saturn, known as Shani in Indian astrology

is the sixth planet from the Sun and the

second largest. In Roman mythology,

Saturn is the god of agriculture. In Greek

myth, he is the father of Jupiter and is the

root of the English word “Saturday.”

Shani Dev is the Lord of Saturday and is

embodied in the planet Saturn. As one of his

Shani - Planet Saturn

My salutations to Shani, son of the Sun

and his consort Chaya , Brother of

Yama and of the complexion of a blue

eyed collyrium.

-Navagraha Stotram

legs is shorter than the other, Shani walks

slowly and is hence named Shanaischara or

Saneeshwara. Due to his slow pace Shani

takes about 30 years to revolve around the

sun.

Shani Bhagavan, one of the 9 Navagraha

Planets, is reputed both as a giver and as a

destroyer. Lord Shani is regarded as a

troublesome god and is capable of breaking

fortunes by his influence and position in the

planetary system. He is considered to have

a malefic influence on events, though this is

not always true.

Lord Shani is generally shown with four

hands, riding upon a chariot or a buffalo or a

vulture. Shani is seen holding a sword,

arrows and two daggers. Saturn is often

referred to as a ‘dark planet’ and symbolizes

longevity, misery and grief. The day of

Saturn is Saturday and gemstone is blue

sapphire. Kumbha rashi and Makara rashi in

the zodiac signs are ruled by Lord Shani.

The Agamas describe Shani as dark in color,

short statured, lame in a leg, wearing black

clothes, holding a sword, arrows and two

daggers and seated in a lotus seat or

mounted on a vulture. Vulture is Shani’s

vahana and as the protector of property,

Shani is able to suppress the thieving

tendencies of these birds. However, in Tamil

Nadu, Shani’s vehicle is said to be a crow.

The grain associated with him is sesame

which can be offered with the flowers - vanni

and blue kuvalai; or rice mixed with sesame

powder. Special pujas and abhishekams are

performed on Saturdays as this day is

cons idered spec ia l fo r the Lord

Saneeswara.

Being lean and lank, he is called Nirmamsa

Gatra, Sushka and is the lord of the west.

Shani is also known as Chayaputra as he is

the son of Lord Surya, the Sun God and his

wife Chhaya. Yama, the God of death is his

elder brother. A person’s life is rewarded or

punished appropriately during his lifetime

according to his present and past deeds.

Shani is known as a great teacher and the

impact of Shani is so much that when Shani

opened his eyes for the first time while he

was a baby, the Sun went into an eclipse.

Shani punishes those who follow the path of

evil hence he is considered as trouble-giver

as well as the well-wisher.

When Lord Shani (Saturn) passes through

the ‘Janma Rasi’ in one's birth chart, he is

said to cause difficulties to a person and

when he passes through the eighth house

from one's Janma Rasi (Ashtamathu Sani)

he casts more challenges. However, the

adverse effects of Shani can be relieved

Saneeswaran – Effects in the Horoscope

continued on page 11

continued from page 9

u April 201310

jyotisha The bad effects of Manglik Dosh can be reduced with the help of astrological remedies which would generally include the application of Pooja, Mantras, Gemstones and Charities and these remedies are different for different individuals depending upon their horoscopes. You are advised to consult an expert Vedic astrologer in order to evaluate the level of dosha and malefic. It is important to know the level of Mangal dosha in order to come up with the right remedies with the help of your guide and or an expert Vedic astrologer.

u April 2013 11

through prayer and by performing puja to

appease Lord Shani. Shani transits from

one house to another every two-and-a-half

years and this is known as ‘Sani Peyarchi’.

Shani Peyarchi is one of the best known

f e s t i v a l s c e l e b r a t e d a t L o r d

Darbaranyeswarar Temple and is visited by

a large number of people. Saneeswarar’s

deity is taken in a procession around the

town on this auspicious occasion.

Lord Saneeshwara is known more for his

blessings than for his ill effects. A favourably

placed Shani in the horoscope of a person

stands for a strong career, healthy life and

prosperity. Shani can also award one with

leadership qualities along with fame and

recognition among the masses. Lord

Saneeshwara is known as Needhiman or

judge as he always blesses those who are

on the right path and are devoted.

Shani, if unfavorably placed in a person’s

horoscope gives Shani Dosha. It denotes

trouble in all ways. Shani is feared by those

Hindus who believe in astrology because

the effects of unfavorable Shani can be very

severe. Shani brings about the bad effects of

one’s deed or karma. The diseases which

Shani curses at the physical level are poor

blood supply, asthma, impotency, and

tuberculosis. At the mental level, those

afflicted with the Shani Dosha become

narrow-minded, suffer from low esteem and

so on. Lord Shani tests a person’s patience

with frustrations and delays.

Positive impact of Shani in Astrology

Negative Impact of Shani in Horoscope

What is Sade Saathi?

Sade Saathi is a period of seven and a half

years. Shani takes 30 years to traverse all

the 12 planets. He stays 2 and a half years in

one ‘rasi’ or sun sign. When the planet

aspects the lord of the house, then good

benefits are derived. In the garland of

planets, God Shani is called ‘Chaya

Martand’. When ‘Chaya Grah’ or the planet

passes through a house, that star sign’s

previous star sign and the next star sign is

troubled. That is ‘Chaya Grah’. This belief is

accepted in Sade Saathi. When Shani

passes through the 12th house of the birth

chart for the second time, it is called Sade

Saathi. Shani stays in a house for 2 and ½

years. This way, God Shani’s transit

through 3 houses is called Sade Saathi. (2

and ½ x 3= 7and ½). Therefore, this patch of

7 and a half years is known to bring

suffering, sorrows and misfortune. This is

known by people as Sade Saathi.

The effects of Sade Saathi are common to

all creatures. Whether they are saints,

commoners, great people, spiritualists,

Gods or godly people, all face the Shani

effect. The famous examples are of King

Veer Vikramaditya and Nala Damayanti who

suffered under the effect of Shani.

Any big solution sought for Shani in Sade

Saathi, takes a small shape. And when the

time comes for the benefit, it comes in a big

way like a miracle. As per astrology, Shani’s

Sade Saathi is understood in three parts.

One is from the lagna, the other is from

Moon and the third is from Sun. Over a

period of thirty years, every chart is affected

by Sade Saathi once, whether he is a lion or

a king. Sade Saathi touches every birth

chart. It is estimated that at any point in time,

one-twelfth of the population suffers from

Saturn’s malignant effects.

In Sade Saathi, a great deal of misery,

trouble, fearsome disease, excess sorrow,

loss of money, blame, insult, illness,

imprisonment etc., are undergone. By

taking the help of ‘Vedic Vidhi’ and the

mantras, penance etc., the fearsome effects

of Sade Saathi can be reduced. In brief,

Sade Saathi or seven and a half years of

God Shani put the normal life of man into

great distress. This is the direct result of

Sade Saathi. Normal, ongoing work comes

to a standstill. The desire of students to

study goes away. People looking for a job do

not attain their objective even if they

continue their quest.

In the birth chart, if Shani is exalted,

(powerfully placed), Sade Saathi will be

pronounced, which means, there will be

great loss of wealth and fame. Shani’s Sade

Saathi has troubled many brave and strong

kings, but they never let go of the truth. Raja

First and foremost the Graha (a planet as in astrology) has NO agenda to punish you. What so ever wrongs / sins you have committed in your earlier lives, they come back to you as bad planet positions in your Birth Chart in this life.

continued on page12

continued on page13

Harishchandra , who was afflicted by Sade

Saathi - did not abandon the truth. Only then

was God Shani pleased and restored him to

the throne, giving him progeny and wealth

and made him pure again. He gave him the

strength to do penance.

When one is affected by Sade Saathi, one

should make use of prayer as a boatman

and cross the river of bad times. One should

not resort to falsehood, theft, robbery, vices,

bad habits etc. One should remember that

there is no role of God Shani in Sade Saathi .

He cleanses us of the sins of our previous

births and brings us closer to the divinity of

God. During the period of Sade Saathi, if we

take the help of our prayers, penance and

‘mantras’ and hold on to the truth, we will

emerge stronger.

Sri Darbaranyeswarar Temple is one of the

most famous Lord Shani (Lord Saturn)

temples in India. It is located at Tirunallar

(Thirunallar) which is about 5 km west of

Kaaraikal, on the Karaikal-Mayiladuthurai-

Kumbakonam bus route, in Karaikal District,

Tamilnadu. Similar to the other Navagraha

S t h a l a m s i n T a m i l n a d u ,

Sri Darbaranyeswarar Temple also

enshrines Lord Shiva as the main deity. Lord

Shiva is known as Darbaranyeswarar here

a n d G o d d e s s P a r v a t i D e v i a s

P r a n a m a m b i k a o r B o g a m a r t h a

Poonmulaiammai.

The magnificent shrine dedicated to

Saneeswarar (Lord Shani or Saneeswaran)

is near the inner tower known as `Kattai

Gopuram'. He faces east with `abhaya

varada hastham' and is considered the

'Anugraha Murthi' (one who bestows good

things). His idol is placed in between the

presiding deities.

According to a legend, King Nala was badly

affected with numerous problems due to the

adverse effects of Saneeswaran. He took a

holy dip at the temple tank Nala Theertham

and was relieved of the evil effects.

It is customary to first perform pradakshina

(circumambulate) of the temple and worship

Lord Shiva, then Ambal and lastly worship

Shani.

Nayanmar Tirunayana Sambandar had

sung the praises of the Lord of this temple.

So too did Tirnnavukkarasu and later

Sundarar (9th century AD) The temple was

expanded and renovated by the Chola king

RajaRaja II in 1173 AD and Kolatunga Chola

III in 1195 AD.

Apart from daily worship services which are

p e r f o r m e d f i v e t i m e s d a i l y ,

Darbaranyeswarar Shani Temple hosts a

number of festivals throughout the year. On

Tamil New Year's day (Tamil Puthandu),

(marked by the transition of the Sun from

Darbaranyeswarar Temple at Tirunallar

History of the temple

Temple Festivals

Pisces to Aries according to the Indian

astrological system) Tyagaraja is taken in a

procession. An eighteen-day festival is

performed in the Tamil month of Vaikashi

(when the sun resides in the sign of Taurus).

Festivals related to Nataraja (the Lord of

Dance) are held during the month of Aani

(Gemini). Several special services are

performed to the emerald Lingam on the full

moon night in the month of Purattasi (Leo).

Besides, Navaratri, Kartikai Deepam and

Panguni Uthiram are also celebrated here

with much devotion.

Tirunallar is located near Karaikkal (5 km)

and Nagapattinam, and is well-connected

by road to many other towns. Direct bus

services are also available from Karaikal

and even Chennai. Thirunallar to Bangalore

(Karnataka) is around 298 km. Tirunallar is

59 km from Kumbakonam, 35 km from

Mayavaram (Mayiladuthurai), 140 km from

Pondicherry, 100 km from Thanjavur, 150

km from Trichy. Tirunallar can easily be

accessed from Mayiladuthurai or from

Nagapattinam.

The Shani Shingnapur shrine is in

Maharashtra which is also very famous. It is

situated in the village of Shingnapur or

Sonai in Ahmednagar d is t r ic t o f

Maharashtra. The idol of Lord Shani here is

a Swayambu, which is a five-and-a-half foot

high black rock, installed on an open-air

platform. At the side of the image is a trishula

(trident). A nandi (bull) image is to the south.

There are small images of Lord Shiva and

Lord Hanuman in the front. The uniqueness

of Shingnapur is that no house in the village

has doors, but only door frames. No theft is

reported here and villagers never keep their

valuables under lock and key. It is believed

that Lord Shani punishes anyone attempting

theft. A curtain is the only barrier they use to

keep out stray animals.

Shingnapur is situated about 6 km from

Ghodegaon, on the Aurangabad-

Ahmednagar Road. Shani Shingnapur is

about 84 km from Aurangabad, 65 km from

Shirdi, and 35 km from Ahmednagar.

How to Reach Darbaranyeswarar

Navagraha Temple By Bus

Shani Shingnapur (Maharashtra)

u April 201312

continued from page 11

jyotisha

As per astrology, Shani’s Sade Saathi is understood in three parts. One is from Lagna, the other is from Moon and the third is from Sun. Over a period of thirty years, every chart is affected by Sade Saathi once, whether he is a lion or a king. Sade Saathi touches every birth chart. It is estimated that at any one time one-twelfth of the population is suffering from Saturn’s malignant effects.

continued on page14

Rahu

N a g a n a t h a s w a m y T e m p l e a t

Thirunageswaram - Rahu Sthalam

History of the Temple

I bow to Rahu, half human and son of

Simhika, All powerful and the tormentor of

Surya and Chandra

-Navagraha Stotram

In Hindu mythology, Lord Rahu is described

as the head of a demonic snake that

swallows the sun and moon, causing

eclipses. Rahu is a shadowy planet and

does not have a special day dedicated to

him. He is depicted in art as a dragon with no

body riding on a chariot drawn by eight black

horses. When Rahu is afflicted, one faces

several miseries and obstacles in the way of

success. The gemstone of Rahu is gomedh

or honey-coloured hessonite.

Rahu is tall in stature and slow by nature. He

is known as the remover of diseases, the

one who bestows freedom from fear of

snakes and poisonous reptiles; who is full of

mercy; who is a friend of Shani and Shukra

and who delights Murugan.

Rahu has a son, Amuda Katikan.

Sri Naganathaswamy Temple or Rahu

Sthalam is one of the 9 Navagraha temples

in Tamil Nadu and is associated to Lord

Rahu. Sri Naganathaswamy Temple is

located at Tirunageswaram, which is 7 km

east of Kumbakonam on the Kumbakonam-

Nannilam Road, in Thanjavur District,

Tamilnadu. The main presiding deity of

Thirunageswaram Rahu Temple is Lord

Naganathaswamy (Lord Shiva) and his

consort Giri Gujambika (Goddess Parvati)

who is enshrined with Goddess Lakshmi

and Goddess Saraswati by her side. Rahu is

seen with his two consorts Nagavalli and

Nagakanni. Sri Naganathaswamy Temple is

the one where Lord Shiva was worshipped

by Rahu and was relived of a curse. A unique

feature of Naganatha Swamy temple is that

Lord Rahu is seen with human face. In other

places, he is worshipped with a serpent

face.

The basic temple structure must have been

built well before the seventh century, since

all the four Shiva saints who lived at that time

– Appar, Sambandar, Sundarar and

Manikkavachakar – have sung in praise of

the Lord of this temple. Inscriptions inform

that additions were made to the temple by

Vikrama Chola between 1118 AD and 1135

AD.

Lord Shani and Lord Yama are worshipped

here.

u April 2013 13

The planets Ketu and Rahu, known as ‘Chaaya Grahangal’, are associated with the

legend of the churning of the celestial ocean of milk by the devas (gods) and asuras

(demons) with the Manthira Mountain as the churning stick and the green seven-headed

snake Vasuki as the rope to get amrut (elixir). Vishnu had already decided to give the

amrut only to the devas, so he transformed himself into a beautiful maiden, Mohini.

Once the amrut was collected, Mohini asked the devas and the asuras to make two

separate lines to receive the amrut personally from her. The asuras were spellbound by

Mohini’s beauty and did not realize that Mohini was giving the amrut only to the devas.

Svarbanu who was the grandson of Rishi Kashyap and the great grandson of Lord

Brahma saw through Vishnu’s trick. He disguised himself as a deva and quietly went over

to stand between Chandra and Surya and received drops of the amrut from Mohini. Soon

enough, Chandra and Surya realized what had happened and quickly informed Lord

Vishnu. Lord Vishnu hit Svarbanu, the asura, on the head with the spoon in his hand. The

head was cut off and fell on the ground. As the asura had consumed the amrut, his head

and body continued to live. The head portion of the asura attached itself to a snake body

and became Rahu. The body portion that was thrown away fell in Pothigai mountain

region which was found and preserved by a brahmin. The head of a snake got attached to

the asura body to become Ketu.

Even though Svarbanu had become immortal like the devas, they refused to accept him

as one of their own. Since he was the only asura to have drunk the amrut, the asuras too,

refused to accept him. Lord Vishnu then granted the entities Rahu and Ketu a status

equal to that of the planets and named them grahas.

Legend has it that Rahu and Ketu have still not forgiven Surya and Chandra after all

these centuries. Periodically, these two grahas completely or partially “swallow” the Sun

and the Moon. This is when the eclipses occur.

Rahu and Ketu Background

Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world. The temple was built by the Tamil king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yasodharapura, present-day Angkor, the capital of the Khmer Empire, as his state temple and eventual mausoleum.

Churning of the Ocean of Milk Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

continued on page13

Harishchandra , who was afflicted by Sade

Saathi - did not abandon the truth. Only then

was God Shani pleased and restored him to

the throne, giving him progeny and wealth

and made him pure again. He gave him the

strength to do penance.

When one is affected by Sade Saathi, one

should make use of prayer as a boatman

and cross the river of bad times. One should

not resort to falsehood, theft, robbery, vices,

bad habits etc. One should remember that

there is no role of God Shani in Sade Saathi .

He cleanses us of the sins of our previous

births and brings us closer to the divinity of

God. During the period of Sade Saathi, if we

take the help of our prayers, penance and

‘mantras’ and hold on to the truth, we will

emerge stronger.

Sri Darbaranyeswarar Temple is one of the

most famous Lord Shani (Lord Saturn)

temples in India. It is located at Tirunallar

(Thirunallar) which is about 5 km west of

Kaaraikal, on the Karaikal-Mayiladuthurai-

Kumbakonam bus route, in Karaikal District,

Tamilnadu. Similar to the other Navagraha

S t h a l a m s i n T a m i l n a d u ,

Sri Darbaranyeswarar Temple also

enshrines Lord Shiva as the main deity. Lord

Shiva is known as Darbaranyeswarar here

a n d G o d d e s s P a r v a t i D e v i a s

P r a n a m a m b i k a o r B o g a m a r t h a

Poonmulaiammai.

The magnificent shrine dedicated to

Saneeswarar (Lord Shani or Saneeswaran)

is near the inner tower known as `Kattai

Gopuram'. He faces east with `abhaya

varada hastham' and is considered the

'Anugraha Murthi' (one who bestows good

things). His idol is placed in between the

presiding deities.

According to a legend, King Nala was badly

affected with numerous problems due to the

adverse effects of Saneeswaran. He took a

holy dip at the temple tank Nala Theertham

and was relieved of the evil effects.

It is customary to first perform pradakshina

(circumambulate) of the temple and worship

Lord Shiva, then Ambal and lastly worship

Shani.

Nayanmar Tirunayana Sambandar had

sung the praises of the Lord of this temple.

So too did Tirnnavukkarasu and later

Sundarar (9th century AD) The temple was

expanded and renovated by the Chola king

RajaRaja II in 1173 AD and Kolatunga Chola

III in 1195 AD.

Apart from daily worship services which are

p e r f o r m e d f i v e t i m e s d a i l y ,

Darbaranyeswarar Shani Temple hosts a

number of festivals throughout the year. On

Tamil New Year's day (Tamil Puthandu),

(marked by the transition of the Sun from

Darbaranyeswarar Temple at Tirunallar

History of the temple

Temple Festivals

Pisces to Aries according to the Indian

astrological system) Tyagaraja is taken in a

procession. An eighteen-day festival is

performed in the Tamil month of Vaikashi

(when the sun resides in the sign of Taurus).

Festivals related to Nataraja (the Lord of

Dance) are held during the month of Aani

(Gemini). Several special services are

performed to the emerald Lingam on the full

moon night in the month of Purattasi (Leo).

Besides, Navaratri, Kartikai Deepam and

Panguni Uthiram are also celebrated here

with much devotion.

Tirunallar is located near Karaikkal (5 km)

and Nagapattinam, and is well-connected

by road to many other towns. Direct bus

services are also available from Karaikal

and even Chennai. Thirunallar to Bangalore

(Karnataka) is around 298 km. Tirunallar is

59 km from Kumbakonam, 35 km from

Mayavaram (Mayiladuthurai), 140 km from

Pondicherry, 100 km from Thanjavur, 150

km from Trichy. Tirunallar can easily be

accessed from Mayiladuthurai or from

Nagapattinam.

The Shani Shingnapur shrine is in

Maharashtra which is also very famous. It is

situated in the village of Shingnapur or

Sonai in Ahmednagar d is t r ic t o f

Maharashtra. The idol of Lord Shani here is

a Swayambu, which is a five-and-a-half foot

high black rock, installed on an open-air

platform. At the side of the image is a trishula

(trident). A nandi (bull) image is to the south.

There are small images of Lord Shiva and

Lord Hanuman in the front. The uniqueness

of Shingnapur is that no house in the village

has doors, but only door frames. No theft is

reported here and villagers never keep their

valuables under lock and key. It is believed

that Lord Shani punishes anyone attempting

theft. A curtain is the only barrier they use to

keep out stray animals.

Shingnapur is situated about 6 km from

Ghodegaon, on the Aurangabad-

Ahmednagar Road. Shani Shingnapur is

about 84 km from Aurangabad, 65 km from

Shirdi, and 35 km from Ahmednagar.

How to Reach Darbaranyeswarar

Navagraha Temple By Bus

Shani Shingnapur (Maharashtra)

u April 201312

continued from page 11

jyotisha

As per astrology, Shani’s Sade Saathi is understood in three parts. One is from Lagna, the other is from Moon and the third is from Sun. Over a period of thirty years, every chart is affected by Sade Saathi once, whether he is a lion or a king. Sade Saathi touches every birth chart. It is estimated that at any one time one-twelfth of the population is suffering from Saturn’s malignant effects.

continued on page14

Rahu

N a g a n a t h a s w a m y T e m p l e a t

Thirunageswaram - Rahu Sthalam

History of the Temple

I bow to Rahu, half human and son of

Simhika, All powerful and the tormentor of

Surya and Chandra

-Navagraha Stotram

In Hindu mythology, Lord Rahu is described

as the head of a demonic snake that

swallows the sun and moon, causing

eclipses. Rahu is a shadowy planet and

does not have a special day dedicated to

him. He is depicted in art as a dragon with no

body riding on a chariot drawn by eight black

horses. When Rahu is afflicted, one faces

several miseries and obstacles in the way of

success. The gemstone of Rahu is gomedh

or honey-coloured hessonite.

Rahu is tall in stature and slow by nature. He

is known as the remover of diseases, the

one who bestows freedom from fear of

snakes and poisonous reptiles; who is full of

mercy; who is a friend of Shani and Shukra

and who delights Murugan.

Rahu has a son, Amuda Katikan.

Sri Naganathaswamy Temple or Rahu

Sthalam is one of the 9 Navagraha temples

in Tamil Nadu and is associated to Lord

Rahu. Sri Naganathaswamy Temple is

located at Tirunageswaram, which is 7 km

east of Kumbakonam on the Kumbakonam-

Nannilam Road, in Thanjavur District,

Tamilnadu. The main presiding deity of

Thirunageswaram Rahu Temple is Lord

Naganathaswamy (Lord Shiva) and his

consort Giri Gujambika (Goddess Parvati)

who is enshrined with Goddess Lakshmi

and Goddess Saraswati by her side. Rahu is

seen with his two consorts Nagavalli and

Nagakanni. Sri Naganathaswamy Temple is

the one where Lord Shiva was worshipped

by Rahu and was relived of a curse. A unique

feature of Naganatha Swamy temple is that

Lord Rahu is seen with human face. In other

places, he is worshipped with a serpent

face.

The basic temple structure must have been

built well before the seventh century, since

all the four Shiva saints who lived at that time

– Appar, Sambandar, Sundarar and

Manikkavachakar – have sung in praise of

the Lord of this temple. Inscriptions inform

that additions were made to the temple by

Vikrama Chola between 1118 AD and 1135

AD.

Lord Shani and Lord Yama are worshipped

here.

u April 2013 13

The planets Ketu and Rahu, known as ‘Chaaya Grahangal’, are associated with the

legend of the churning of the celestial ocean of milk by the devas (gods) and asuras

(demons) with the Manthira Mountain as the churning stick and the green seven-headed

snake Vasuki as the rope to get amrut (elixir). Vishnu had already decided to give the

amrut only to the devas, so he transformed himself into a beautiful maiden, Mohini.

Once the amrut was collected, Mohini asked the devas and the asuras to make two

separate lines to receive the amrut personally from her. The asuras were spellbound by

Mohini’s beauty and did not realize that Mohini was giving the amrut only to the devas.

Svarbanu who was the grandson of Rishi Kashyap and the great grandson of Lord

Brahma saw through Vishnu’s trick. He disguised himself as a deva and quietly went over

to stand between Chandra and Surya and received drops of the amrut from Mohini. Soon

enough, Chandra and Surya realized what had happened and quickly informed Lord

Vishnu. Lord Vishnu hit Svarbanu, the asura, on the head with the spoon in his hand. The

head was cut off and fell on the ground. As the asura had consumed the amrut, his head

and body continued to live. The head portion of the asura attached itself to a snake body

and became Rahu. The body portion that was thrown away fell in Pothigai mountain

region which was found and preserved by a brahmin. The head of a snake got attached to

the asura body to become Ketu.

Even though Svarbanu had become immortal like the devas, they refused to accept him

as one of their own. Since he was the only asura to have drunk the amrut, the asuras too,

refused to accept him. Lord Vishnu then granted the entities Rahu and Ketu a status

equal to that of the planets and named them grahas.

Legend has it that Rahu and Ketu have still not forgiven Surya and Chandra after all

these centuries. Periodically, these two grahas completely or partially “swallow” the Sun

and the Moon. This is when the eclipses occur.

Rahu and Ketu Background

Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world. The temple was built by the Tamil king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yasodharapura, present-day Angkor, the capital of the Khmer Empire, as his state temple and eventual mausoleum.

Churning of the Ocean of Milk Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Temple Features

Effects of Rahu

O c c u p y i n g a v a s t a r e a , t h e

Thirunageswaram Rahu Temple has vast

prakarams, towering gopurams, and

several mandapams. There are four entry

towers with fort-like walls which surround

the outermost prakaram.

There are twelve sacred water heads in this

place, namely, Suriya Pushkarani,

Gowthama Thee r tham, Pa rasa ra

Theertham, Indira Theertham, Prugu

Theertham, Kannuva Theertham and

Vasishta Theertham. Suriya Pushkarani is

inside the temple compound and is very

sacred. The theertham is built in Chola style

and is square in shape with 'double-bat'

roofing. Legend says that the mythological

serpents Aadi Seshan, Dakshan and

Karkotakan worshipped Shiva here.

Rahu is said to be the cause of one's good

position, status, business, faithfulness,

winning over opposition, overseas travel

and for mantra power. It is believed that by

doing milk abhishekam here for Rahu during

Rahu kalam (period of one and a half hours

occurring every day), delays in getting

married, childlessness, troublesome

married life, ill-effects of Kalasarpa Dosha

(affliction), Kalasthra Dosha and Sarpa

Dosha are all cured.

An important aspect of Rahu Temple at

Thirunageswaram is that during milk

abhishekam, the milk when poured over the

idol, turns blue which is clearly visible. Large

numbers of devotees throng here to perform

the abhishekam. On every occasion of Rahu

moving to the next Raasi (Rasi) which

happens once in one and a half years in anti-

clockwise direction, special abhishekam

with homam is performed at Sri Arulmigu

Naganathaswamy Temple. Lord Rahu is

taken in procession in sesha vahanam.

Other major festivals celebrated here are

Brahmotsavam (November or December),

Thiruvathirai (December – January), Kanda

Special Feature

Temple Festivals

Shashti (October or November), Sivaratri

(February - March), Navaratri and Sekkizhar

Vaikasi Pooja (June).

The temple opens daily from 6 AM to 9 AM,

from 1 PM to 5 PM and from 7 PM to 9 PM.

The temple conducts six pujas daily

ushakala puja (6 am), kalasandhi puja (9

am), uchikkala puja (1 pm), sayaratchai puja

(5 pm), irandam kala puja (7 pm) and

arthajama puja (9 pm).

Thirunageswaram Rahu Temple is on the

Kumbakonam-Karaikal bus route and is just

7 km from Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu.

In Sanskrit, Ketu (Dhuma Ketu) means

comet. It is a shadowy planet and is depicted

as the tail of a demon snake. He is usually

shown with a pock marked body, riding

upon a vulture and holding a mace. Lord

Ketu is the representation of the karmic

collections both good and bad, spirituality

and supernatural influences. The gemstone

of Ketu is cat’s eye.

Ketu is believed to have been brought up by

a Brahmin named Mini. According to

Vishwakarma’s classical text on sculpture,

Ketu is black in colour, he carries a mace in

one hand while offering grace to his

devotees with the other. His chariot is said to

be drawn by ten horses. He is considered

great among the asuras while being a gem

among sages and seers who have

conquered the senses and controlled the

mind. He is angry by temperament and tall in

stature. Ketu has eight children.

The Ketu Naganathaswamy Temple or Ketu

Temple Timings and Daily Pujas

How to reach Sri Naganathaswamy Temple,

Thirunageswaram

Ketu

Ketu Navagraha Temple

Red like the Phalasa flower with the head

of a comet and fierce in appearance, Oh

Ketu, I bow to you.

-Navagraha Stotram

u April 201314

continued from page13

jyotisha

continued on page15Rahu and Ketu

continued on page16

Navagraha Temple is one of the 9

Navagraha temples in Tamil Nadu, located

at Keezhperumpallam (Kizhaperumpallam),

near Tarangampadi in Nagapattinam

district. This renowned Ketu Sthalam is one

of the most important Ketu temples in Tamil

Nadu as well as in India. The temple’s

p r e s i d i n g d e i t i e s a r e L o r d

Naganathaswamy and his consort

Soundaryanayaki. It is said that Lord Ketu

prayed to Lord Shiva to get rid of his sins. It is

rare to find Ketu enshrined with the head of a

snake and the body of an asura, which you

can see here. In this temple, Lord Ketu faces

the west in the north praharam. Lord Ketu

appears with the body in divine form, his

head as a five-headed snake and the folded

hands worshipping Lord Shiva.

Worship to Ketu

Daily Puja Services

Temple Timings

Ketu is adorned in multi-colours and it is

believed that offering puja to Lord Ketu at

Keezhperumpallam with red lily, horse

gram, and cloth will result in relief from

illness, poverty and other doshams.

Besides the worship services that are

offered six times daily, abhishekam is

performed at 8.30 AM. Pradhoshams are

held in great reverence here. The speciality

of Ketu Temple at Keezhperumpallam is that

the temple remains open even during Rahu

Kalam and Emakanda Kalam.

Ketu Naganathaswamy Temple opens daily

from 6 AM to 12 PM and from 4 PM to 7 PM.

How to Reach Ketu Navagraha Shrine at

Keezhperumpallam

The Ketu Temple at Keezhperumpallam is

located around 63 km from Kumbakonam. It

can also be reached via the Sirkali

(Sirkazhi)-Poompuhar Road.

Shiyali railway station, Thanjavur is the

nearest station, about 15 km from the

temple.

This article as well as the one presciding it

last month is based upon consultation with

our panel of astrologers some information

has been researched using tools such as

world wide web, classical hindu texts and

actual visits to the Navagraha Temple in

Tamilnadu.

u April 2013 15

Srikalahasti Temple is is one of the most famous Shiva temples in South India, It is situated 36 km away from Tirupati. The inner temple was

constructed around 5th century and the outer temple was constructed in the 12th century by the Chola kings and the Vijayanagara kings.

Srikalahasteeswara Swamy Temple is reputed. as the Rahu - kethu Kshetra, If the People who have Rahu Kethu Doshas and sarpa Doshas

the unmarried and No Children and those who are facing various problems for a long period perform the most effective "Rahu - Kethu Sarpa

Dosha Nivarana Puja" in this Temple all the Doshas get removed and desired results occur. Thousands of devotees from the country and

abroad perform this puja and fulfil their vows again and again after receiving good results.

Rahu-kethu Sarpa Dosha Nivarana Puja

Temple Features

Effects of Rahu

O c c u p y i n g a v a s t a r e a , t h e

Thirunageswaram Rahu Temple has vast

prakarams, towering gopurams, and

several mandapams. There are four entry

towers with fort-like walls which surround

the outermost prakaram.

There are twelve sacred water heads in this

place, namely, Suriya Pushkarani,

Gowthama Thee r tham, Pa rasa ra

Theertham, Indira Theertham, Prugu

Theertham, Kannuva Theertham and

Vasishta Theertham. Suriya Pushkarani is

inside the temple compound and is very

sacred. The theertham is built in Chola style

and is square in shape with 'double-bat'

roofing. Legend says that the mythological

serpents Aadi Seshan, Dakshan and

Karkotakan worshipped Shiva here.

Rahu is said to be the cause of one's good

position, status, business, faithfulness,

winning over opposition, overseas travel

and for mantra power. It is believed that by

doing milk abhishekam here for Rahu during

Rahu kalam (period of one and a half hours

occurring every day), delays in getting

married, childlessness, troublesome

married life, ill-effects of Kalasarpa Dosha

(affliction), Kalasthra Dosha and Sarpa

Dosha are all cured.

An important aspect of Rahu Temple at

Thirunageswaram is that during milk

abhishekam, the milk when poured over the

idol, turns blue which is clearly visible. Large

numbers of devotees throng here to perform

the abhishekam. On every occasion of Rahu

moving to the next Raasi (Rasi) which

happens once in one and a half years in anti-

clockwise direction, special abhishekam

with homam is performed at Sri Arulmigu

Naganathaswamy Temple. Lord Rahu is

taken in procession in sesha vahanam.

Other major festivals celebrated here are

Brahmotsavam (November or December),

Thiruvathirai (December – January), Kanda

Special Feature

Temple Festivals

Shashti (October or November), Sivaratri

(February - March), Navaratri and Sekkizhar

Vaikasi Pooja (June).

The temple opens daily from 6 AM to 9 AM,

from 1 PM to 5 PM and from 7 PM to 9 PM.

The temple conducts six pujas daily

ushakala puja (6 am), kalasandhi puja (9

am), uchikkala puja (1 pm), sayaratchai puja

(5 pm), irandam kala puja (7 pm) and

arthajama puja (9 pm).

Thirunageswaram Rahu Temple is on the

Kumbakonam-Karaikal bus route and is just

7 km from Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu.

In Sanskrit, Ketu (Dhuma Ketu) means

comet. It is a shadowy planet and is depicted

as the tail of a demon snake. He is usually

shown with a pock marked body, riding

upon a vulture and holding a mace. Lord

Ketu is the representation of the karmic

collections both good and bad, spirituality

and supernatural influences. The gemstone

of Ketu is cat’s eye.

Ketu is believed to have been brought up by

a Brahmin named Mini. According to

Vishwakarma’s classical text on sculpture,

Ketu is black in colour, he carries a mace in

one hand while offering grace to his

devotees with the other. His chariot is said to

be drawn by ten horses. He is considered

great among the asuras while being a gem

among sages and seers who have

conquered the senses and controlled the

mind. He is angry by temperament and tall in

stature. Ketu has eight children.

The Ketu Naganathaswamy Temple or Ketu

Temple Timings and Daily Pujas

How to reach Sri Naganathaswamy Temple,

Thirunageswaram

Ketu

Ketu Navagraha Temple

Red like the Phalasa flower with the head

of a comet and fierce in appearance, Oh

Ketu, I bow to you.

-Navagraha Stotram

u April 201314

continued from page13

jyotisha

continued on page15Rahu and Ketu

continued on page16

Navagraha Temple is one of the 9

Navagraha temples in Tamil Nadu, located

at Keezhperumpallam (Kizhaperumpallam),

near Tarangampadi in Nagapattinam

district. This renowned Ketu Sthalam is one

of the most important Ketu temples in Tamil

Nadu as well as in India. The temple’s

p r e s i d i n g d e i t i e s a r e L o r d

Naganathaswamy and his consort

Soundaryanayaki. It is said that Lord Ketu

prayed to Lord Shiva to get rid of his sins. It is

rare to find Ketu enshrined with the head of a

snake and the body of an asura, which you

can see here. In this temple, Lord Ketu faces

the west in the north praharam. Lord Ketu

appears with the body in divine form, his

head as a five-headed snake and the folded

hands worshipping Lord Shiva.

Worship to Ketu

Daily Puja Services

Temple Timings

Ketu is adorned in multi-colours and it is

believed that offering puja to Lord Ketu at

Keezhperumpallam with red lily, horse

gram, and cloth will result in relief from

illness, poverty and other doshams.

Besides the worship services that are

offered six times daily, abhishekam is

performed at 8.30 AM. Pradhoshams are

held in great reverence here. The speciality

of Ketu Temple at Keezhperumpallam is that

the temple remains open even during Rahu

Kalam and Emakanda Kalam.

Ketu Naganathaswamy Temple opens daily

from 6 AM to 12 PM and from 4 PM to 7 PM.

How to Reach Ketu Navagraha Shrine at

Keezhperumpallam

The Ketu Temple at Keezhperumpallam is

located around 63 km from Kumbakonam. It

can also be reached via the Sirkali

(Sirkazhi)-Poompuhar Road.

Shiyali railway station, Thanjavur is the

nearest station, about 15 km from the

temple.

This article as well as the one presciding it

last month is based upon consultation with

our panel of astrologers some information

has been researched using tools such as

world wide web, classical hindu texts and

actual visits to the Navagraha Temple in

Tamilnadu.

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Srikalahasti Temple is is one of the most famous Shiva temples in South India, It is situated 36 km away from Tirupati. The inner temple was

constructed around 5th century and the outer temple was constructed in the 12th century by the Chola kings and the Vijayanagara kings.

Srikalahasteeswara Swamy Temple is reputed. as the Rahu - kethu Kshetra, If the People who have Rahu Kethu Doshas and sarpa Doshas

the unmarried and No Children and those who are facing various problems for a long period perform the most effective "Rahu - Kethu Sarpa

Dosha Nivarana Puja" in this Temple all the Doshas get removed and desired results occur. Thousands of devotees from the country and

abroad perform this puja and fulfil their vows again and again after receiving good results.

Rahu-kethu Sarpa Dosha Nivarana Puja

Don’t Blame the Grahas

Astrology, Karma and Destiny

First and foremost, a Graha (planet in

astrology) has no agenda to punish you. The

wrongs and sins you had committed in your

earlier lives come back to you as adverse

planetary positions in your birth chart in this

life. An astrologer merely holds up a light

that shows the things in store for you in the

years ahead and how you might reduce their

ill effects.

Astrology (Jyotisha) is nothing but the

language of karma (action and reaction to

the earlier action). A horoscope (kundali,

chart, jataka) that is plotted at the time of the

birth of the native indicates his nature,

character and the events that will take place

in his life. It is like a blue print. To say that the

horoscope causes everything that takes

place in one’s life by using the English word

“destiny” is only partially correct, just as it is

partially wrong. This word fails to convey the

meaning of the word “karma” as the word

karma means reaction to an action. It also

says action, as result is not there without

action. It is different thing that from your

viewpoint the result is favorable or adverse.

The real meaning is that your karma as

indicated by your horoscope is only one-

third of your life’s baggage. You are still left

with the majority portion, two-thirds to play

with and to seek relief. This two-third portion

of your life is also indirectly controlled from

your birth chart. It is divided into two sets of

one-third each.

The second one-third is in your hands in

terms of acquiring qualifications, education,

training, apprenticeship and so on. You can

choose this one-third as you wish. For

instance, a qualified doctor can opt to

become a trader or a banker. He can choose

what he wishes to be. The horoscope will not

be in any position to help him until he puts in

his effort to reach his goal.

The last one-third is in the hands of the place

where he lives and where he works. The

latter two control his actions in the form of

temperament, decision-making and thinking

process.

The complete picture emerges as a result of

a reaction to an action. You need to

understand the above clearly.

Remedies in astrology are of two types –

that which is possible and that which is not

possible. Possible remedies come from the

smallest to the largest. Visiting temples,

japa, daan, worship, wearing rings,

gemstones, reciting slokas and so on.

Some problems may not have any remedy,

or the graha may not allow the native to see

the remedy. Instead, it makes the native

undergo pain or suffering. Again, remember

that the graha has made its decision based

on its position in your birth chart. In this

manner, the graha itself causes the native’s

disbelief towards a particular remedy,

turning him away by his own wish.

The assimilation of all the one-third parts

along with the native’s dedication and will to

seek remedy brings solace in his life.

Astrology cannot go wrong, but the

astrologer, depending on his ability,

knowledge and interpretation along with the

native’s participative interest (shraddha)

may limit the remedy.

As I have mentioned above, it is of course

impossible to escape from one’s karma, but

Remedies in Astrology

The Navagraha Remedies

it is definitely possible to heighten its good

effect or reduce the impact of its ill-effect.

One can do this by propitiating the

Navagrahas. Our ancients have shown us

the way - visiting holy temples dedicated to

the Navagrahas, making offerings of cloth

(vastram), grain, oil, and flowers specific to

the Navagraha. Also, our ancients have

guided us on the number of lamps that must

be lit, the number of circumambulations to

be made around the shrines; regarding

bathing in the holy waters in the tanks and

wells at the temples, reciting the appropriate

holy verses and wearing the appropriate

gem stones.

Worship of the Navagrahas benefits the

devout and the dedicated persons. One

needs to be sincere in effort when

performing the things listed above. Devotion

to the lord is of the greatest importance.

Without this virtuous element, it is not

possible to obtain relief from suffering.

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Conclusion to "Belief is Relief”

The Navagraha Remedies

First and foremost, a Graha (planet in astrology) has no agenda to punish you. The wrongs and sins you had committed in your earlier lives come back to you as adverse planetary positions in your birth chart in this life.