FESTIVALS

Apart from the daily worship services which are performed five times daily, Darbharanyeswarar Saneeshwaran 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 Pisces to Aries according to the Indian astrological system) Thiyagaraja 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.

The great event in the temple is the Saturn Transit day festival. Saturn transit means his travel from one Rasi to the next in the Zodiac circle. The transit will be favorable to some and unfavorable to others depending on the position of Saturn in their respective horoscopes and the effects would be in accordance with this fact. The crowd naturally would be unmanageable on such an occasion. People throng in thousands to worship Sani Baghavan on this day.

The 18 day Brammotsavam beginning on the Uthiratadhi star day in the Tamil month Vaikasi (May-June) is an important festival. On the last day, there will be a programme known as the Lord gracing a darshan to a shephered. The Poornima festival in the Purattasi (September-October), each friday, Pradosha days (13th day either from new moon or full moon day) are very devotionally observed. The Tamil and English New Year days, Karthika Deepa, Deepavali and Pongal are the days when special poojas are performed in the temple.