The Sani Peyarchi festival was held today at the famous Thirunallar Saneeswaran Temple, drawing lakhs of devotees from across Tamil Nadu and other parts of the country.
The festival marks the transit of Lord Shani (Saturn) from Kumbha Rasi to Meena Rasi, which occurred around 8.24 am, according to the temple’s Vakya Panchangam.
Special abhishekams, homams and poojas were performed at the temple. Devotees took holy dips in the Nala Theertham and offered prayers to seek relief from the adverse effects associated with Saturn’s planetary movement.
Heavy crowds were witnessed in and around Thirunallar as pilgrims queued for several hours for darshan. Authorities had made elaborate arrangements, including crowd control measures and special darshan facilities, to manage the large influx of devotees.
The Sani Peyarchi festival occurs once in about two-and-a-half years and is considered one of the most significant spiritual events associated with the worship of Lord Shani.