Navagraha Temples — the Nine Planetary Shrines

The Navagraha Sthalams are nine temples of the Kaveri delta, each sacred to one of the nine celestial influences of Indian tradition — the Sun (Surya), the Moon (Chandra), Mars (Angaraka), Mercury (Budha), Jupiter (Guru), Venus (Shukra), Saturn (Shani), and the shadow-nodes Rahu and Ketu. Eight are Shiva temples of great antiquity, sung by the Tevaram saints and raised in stone by the Cholas; at Suryanar Koil alone the Sun himself presides, ringed by shrines to all nine planets. Pilgrims traditionally journey from one to the next — Suryanar Koil, Thingalur, Vaitheeswaran Koil, Thiruvenkadu, Alangudi, Kanjanur, Thirunallar, Thirunageswaram, and Keezhaperumpallam — to seek the grace of the planets and relief from their afflictions. Thirunallar, the great shrine of Shani, lies just across the state line in Karaikal.

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