Navagrahas
Navagraha means the nine celestial deities, also called the nine planets, bodies which are central to astrological calculations and beliefs. The sun, the moon, mars, mercury, jupiter, venus, saturn and the two shadowy planets Rahu and Ketu constitute the Navagrahas.
A shrine housing the Navagrahas is seen in many temples in India. However, the ancient and most famous Navagraha temple described in the scriptures are a cluster – a set of nine temples – in the Chola kingdom region of Tamilnadu, that are associated through legends and beliefs with the Navagrahas.
Apart from these nine famous Navagraha temples, the ancient 7th century Surya temple established in the ancient days by Sage Kashyapa at Arasavalli Arasavalli Sun temple Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh and Shani Shingnapur temple Maharashtra, 35 kilometres from the city of Ahmednagar in Maharastra, and Mangalnath temple Ujjain birth place of planet Mangal or Mars are very famous.
According to legend sage Kalava was suffering from serious ailments along with leprosy. He prayed to the Navagrahas, the nine planet deities. The planets were pleased by his devotion and offered cure to the sage. Brahma, the Hindu god of creation, was angered as he felt that the planets have no powers to provide boons to humans. He cursed the nine planets to suffer from leprosy and were sent down to earth in Vellurukku Vanam, the white wild flower jungle – the modern time Suryanarayan Kovil. The planets prayed to Shiva to relieve them off the curse. Shiva appeared to them and said that the place belonged to them and they would have to grace the devotees worshiping them from the place.
Suryanaar Koyil – the Sun temple – is located in the hamlet of Tirumangalakkudi near Kumbhakonam and Mayiladuturai near Thanjavur in Tamilnadu. It is located to the West of Mayiladuthurai and East of Kumbakonam, 2 km (1.2 mi) from Aduthurai along the Kumbakonam – Mayiladuthurai road.
Tingaloor Kailasanathar temple represents Chandrastalam – moon temple. It is located 16 km (9.9 mi) to the North of Thanjavur and 35 km (22 mi) from Kumbakonam in the Kumbakonam – Tiruvvayyaru Road.
Pullirukku Velur or Vaideeswaran Koyil near Mayiladuturai is an Angaarakan / Mars temple and is referred to as the Angaarakastalam. It is located 14 km (8.7 mi) away from Mayiladuthurai on the Mayiladuthurai – Sirkazhi Road.
Swetharanyeswarar Temple is at Tiruvenkaadu near Mayiladuturai is referred to as Aadi Chidambaram and it bears shrines to Nataraja, Aghoramurthy and is referred to as the Budhastalam or Mercury temple. It is 24 km (15 mi) from Mayiladuthurai and 13 km (8.1 mi) to the East of Vaitheeswaran Kovil.
The Aabatsahayeswarar temple at Aalangudi bears a shrine to Dakshinamurthy and is referred to as the Gurustalam or Jupiter temple. Alangudi is located 18 km (11 mi) to the South of Kumbakonam on the Kumbakonam – Mannargudi road.
The Agneeswarar temple at Kanjanoor near Kumbhakonam is referred to as the Sukrastalam or Venus temple in the scheme of the Navagraha temples. It, is located 3 km (1.9 mi) from Suryanar Kovil in the Aduthurai – Mayiladuthurai road.
The ancient pilgrimage center of Tirunallaar bears shrines to Tyagaraja and Saneeswara. It is 33 km (21 mi) south of Mayiladuthurai and 34 km (21 mi) from Kethu Stalam.
The Naganathar temple at Tirunageswaram near Kumbhakonam has a shrine dedicated to Raahu. It is located 6 km (3.7 mi) to the West of Kumbakonam on the Kumbakonam – Karaikal road.
