Nine planets’ shrines (Navagraha)

Some geography concepts you will explore in this post

1. Absolute location.
2. Relative location.
3. Sacred place.
4. Sacred trace. (Sacred paths, routes)
5. Belief systems.
6. Mapping.
7. Pilgrimage.
8. Tourism.
9. Geographic data collection and organization.
10. Geographic vocabulary.

About navagrahas and Muttusvāmi Dīkshitar

In Hindu astrology, there are nine ‘planets’. Not all are actually planets in the strictest astrophysics definition. Each of these is represented by a deity with many different attributes.

In many Hindu temples, particularly in southern India, you may find a separate shrine dedicated to the navagrahas (“nine planets”).  The shrine usually has a raised platform on which the nine grahas are placed with sūrya (sun) at the center. Usually, each idol depicts the graha, his consort, and his vehicle (also called ‘mount’). Yes, “he” and “his” … because all the grahas male.

Here is an example of a navagraha shrine.  (Click on the image to view a larger size)

The idols are placed in a set pattern with reference to the directions. Each idol has its own iconography (the depiction of the deity).  Notice that no two grahas face each other.

In this image, notice the various weapons, the mounts, etc. in this image (click on the image to view a larger size):

There are also beliefs that the planets have powerful influences on the lives of people, and even of nations.

Many people go on pilgrimage to these places. Hotels in the region offer taxi and other travel facilities to pilgrims. Among them, such maps are also offered:

Legend has it that a disciple of Muttusvāmi Dīkshitar was suffering from some ailments and Dīkshitar composed a set of nine songs to help him pray to the planetary deities. Each song is dedicated to one deity. They are in different rāgas.

In Tamil Nadu and in Kerala (and possibly elsewhere), there are individual shrines for each of the navagrahas in different places. While there is no evidence to show that Dīkshitar composed these songs specifically in reference to any of these specific places, it is interesting to note that there are place associations with each of the grahas.  Geography deals with places.  So, these place associations make it relevant to geography.

Here is an interactive Google map for you to explore the nine places:

 

 

Here is the database for you to explore for this exercise, if you need it.

 

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Exercises

Share your findings, answers, comments, etc. in the comments box below. 
If you are a student, share the full name and location of your institution, and
the grade/class/standard in which you are studying. 

Equally importantly, ask your own geography questions in the comments box.

Resources

1. One of the illustrations above (figure out which one).
2. The map above.
3. This Wiki link with the relevant place names and other information. (You can read this Wiki page in greater detail if you are interested in learning more.)

To do

Make a list of the navagrahas and their temples in Tamil Nadu in a table (you can also copy the relevant part of the table from the above Wiki link, but creating your own version will be a good exercise to learn data organization).

Some text is in blue, bold, italics in this section —
this is to help you identify some of the geography concepts here.
(Even if you have problems with seeing color, you can still identify these points)
Explore and find others.

• Column 1:  Give the title “Graha”. Under this column, give the samskrtam name of each of the nine deities (navagrahas).
• Column 2:  Give the title “Deity”. Under this column, give the English language equivalent name of each of the nine deities (navagrahas). For example, for the samskrtam name sūrya, the English name will be Sun.
• Column 3:  Give the title “Place”. Under this column, give the name of the place (in Tamil Nadu) where the shrine is located.  This step gives you a look at the toponymy — place names.
• Column 4:  Give the title “Lat/Long”. These data give you the absolute location of these places. These locations are unique to these places. No other place on Earth has the same ‘address’.  Under this column, give the latitude values for the place. Here’s how you can find that out:
  • Go to the same Wiki page.
  • Click on the place name given for each graha. For example, click on the place name “Aduthurai”
  • On the page that opens, at the top right hand corner, you will see the latitude and longitude values for that place. For Aduthurai it is: 11º00’55” N, 79º28’55” E. Find the others.
• Using the map above, answer these questions:
  • What kinds of places does the map show?
  • Among them, which specific places are specially shown?
  • How many are there?
  • How are these places highlighted?
  • What do these highlighted places all have in common? This shows us a theme that connects places.
  • In what order are these places shown on the map?
  • Which is the starting place on the map?
  • What do the lines show?
  • What do the lines not show? This refers to relative locations of the highlighted places.
  • What do the numbers on the lines show? This gives us some information about the relative locations of the highlighted places.
  • If you use that map to plot your route to visit all nine shrines, would it be an efficient way of travel in terms of time, physical comfort, and money? Why or why not? This is an application of geography to travel planning.
  • If you think the map here is an inefficient way to explore all the nine shrines, which route would you recommend? Why? In what ways would this route be efficient or inefficient? (It may well be efficient in some ways but not in others.)  This is an application of geography to travel planning.

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Featured image: A typical navagraha shrine at a southern Indian temple. Source  [Accessed: 23 May 2022]