Shani Dham Temple Delhi Guide – Timings, Poojas, and History

Shani Dham Temple is a famous temple dedicated to Lord Shani. The word Shani also denotes the seventh day or Saturday. It is situated at Chhatarpur Road, near Asola, Delhi which is 16 kilometres from the famous Qutub Minar. The temple is one of those rare temples in India that houses a natural rock Idol of Lord Shani.

Shani Dham Temple – Facts

Deity	Lord Shani
Location	Mehrauli, New Delhi, India
Best Time to Visit	Saturday before 07:00 AM
Darshan Timings	5 AM to 10 PM (except Saturday) 4 AM to 12 AM (Saturday)
Entry Fees	Free
Dress Code	Traditional Wear
Festivals	Special pooja on Shani Amavasya Deepavali Navratri

The idol of Lord Shani present here is the tallest statue of Lord Shani in the world.

Lord Shani holds a powerful influence on the astrology and religion of Hindus. Devotees visit this temple and pay homage to the deity. They offer prayers at the feet of the Lord to get rid of the problems. The Lord here has been lovingly named as ‘Datti.’

Shani Dham Temple Timings

The timings of Shani Dham Temple are:

Morning Darshan	5 AM to 2 PM
Evening Darshan	3 PM to 10 PM
Darshan Timings on Saturday	4 AM to 12 AM

Poojas and rituals at Shani Dham Temple

The poojas and rituals that are performed at Shani Dham Temple are-

• Offering mustard oil (Telabhishek) to God Shani while chanting the following mantras:
  • Om Sham Shanishcharaya Namah
  • Om Pram Preem Prom Se Shanishcharaya Namah
  • Om Sham Shanishcharaya Namah
• Devotees enchant Shani Mantra while moving around the idol (Shila Murty) in the temple.
• Offering one’s footwear, embracing and kissing the idol is a traditional ritual.

What is the significance of Shani Dham Temple?

The significance of Shani Dham Temple is –

• On the top of the temple, the eight metalled largest radiant Shani idol has been established. As soon as one enters the main door, he explores the huge radiate idol of Lord Shani and the Shani rock too.
• Before unveiling the idol of Shani, Sant Shiromani Shani Charanuragi ‘Datti’ Madan Maharaj Rajasthani Ji performed the enchanting of One Hundred Crores, and Thirty-Two Lakhs Shani Mantras on the sacred grove.
• Since then, people believe that most of the problems are automatically solved when they pray at the temple.
• People offer oil at the shrine of Shani. Some people offer 101 oil boxes or 1 quintal oil and few people even offer an entire tanker of oil to God Shani.
• Devotees enchant “Om Sham Shanishcharaya Nameh” all the time. No devotee talks to one another. They indulge themselves in prayers and offerings.
• Each devotee worships Lord Shani directly. Devotees perform circumambulation around his idol himself. There is no Priest, Pandit or a middle-man, between the devotee and Lord Shani. Each devotee is his own priest and the true feelings of him are the true mantras and their results are visible very shortly. 

What is the history of Shani Dham Temple?

The history of Shani Dham Temple states that:-

• The world’s largest Shani Idol was unveiled by Anant Shree Vibhushit Jagat Guru Shankracharya Swami Madhavasharam Ji Maharaj on 31^st May 2003 at Asola, Fatehpur Behri, Delhi.
• A Shani idol was also established at Pali, Rajasthan.
• The temple since has been a great pious place of worship for devotees of God Shani.

What are the major festivals?

The major festivals are :

• Navratri Pooja – Navratri, also known as Durga Pooja, is a festival celebrated in the honor of nine different forms of the Goddess Durga, for nine consecutive days. People worship the Goddess of Power during these days in order to seek her blessings and protection.
• Deepawali Pooja – Deepawali, the festival of lights, is the festival of Goddess Laxmi, the Goddess of prosperity and wealth. People perform a traditional ‘Lakshmi Pooja‘ on the eve of Deepawali after sunset.
• Special Pooja on Shani Amavasya – On each Shani Amavasya, rituals such as ‘Pitra Dosh‘ & ‘Kaal Sarpa Dosh‘ are performed at Shani Dham to the God. Devotees perform special worship and ‘Telabhishek’ on such occasions.

Legends of Shani Dham Temple

The legends of Shani Dham Temple are-

• It is believed that whoever performs pooja to the God of this temple, their misdeed would be washed away forever.
• Once the devotees enter the temple, no one talks to one another but stays in a silent pious chanting God’s name. No matter what the troubles are, they are left at the back. They are solved by their worshiping here and by offering oil to Lord Shani. 
• No material from the exterior in the temple is allowed due to safety issues. The money collected is used for different generous works.

Architecture and design of Shani Dham Temple

• Apart from the natural rock Idol of Shani Dev as the prime deity, the attractive statues of other Gods and Goddesses are also shafted.
• On the top of the eastern part of Shani Dham, the largest beaming Shani idol has been established. The major door of this eastern part falls on the west side.
• On North and south sides, there are Shani statues erected, in which Shani Maharaj is riding over a variety of rides.
• There is a statute of Bhairav Dev on the left and the right sides of Shani Shila.
• On the east side of ‘Shani Shila’, there is a large hall, in which the symbolic idols of the 12 Jyotirlingas are endowed. On top of this hall, there are huge metal statues of Lord Shani.
• In another room, extraordinary astrological books and materials for Shani pooja are made accessible.
• In the western part of ‘Shani Dham’, there are western faced huge Shani statues erected riding buffalo and vulture.

• On the right side of the two Shani Statues, the statue of Lord Hanuman is placed. It faces South. Opposite to this, there is a preparation for the devotees to take a bath.
• On the west side of the hall, there is yet again a different big hall. In this hall, some extraordinary religious performances and the mediation meetings are held. In this big hall, there is an idol of Ardhanarishwar facing towards East. 
• There is a huge library and a research center, in the Ashram Premises itself.

Activities at Shani Dham Temple

The Shree Shani Dham Trust is a non-profit, non-governmental social welfare volunteer organization. The Trust is committed in social welfare activities in different parts of India but is mainly focused on Rajasthan, and has worked in areas of Rajasthan affected by drought. Some of their social works are as follows:

• Helping people affected by drought.
• Providing free fodder for cattle.
• Arranging food, clothes, and blankets to the needy.
• Organizing free medical camps in remote parts of Rajasthan.
• Pensions for the elderly and needy.
• Scholarships for meritorious students.
• Providing tricycles to the disabled.
• Arranging potable water in the interior rural areas of Rajasthan.

How to reach Shani Dham Temple?

Here’s how to reach Shani Dham Temple :

• Air: Indira Gandhi International Airport is the official airport of Delhi (17.4km).
• Metro: Nearest metro stations to the temple are Chattarpur station (6.2 km) and Qutub metro station(9.1 km).
• Rail: The three important railway stations of Delhi are New Delhi Railway Station (23.2 km), Old Delhi Railway Station (26.5 km) and Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station(22.0 km). 
• Road: Several state government-run buses and taxis operate round the city which transports to the Chattarpur area. The three major bus stands in Delhi are Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) at Kashmiri Gate (30 km), Sarai Kale-Khan Bus Terminus (21.4 km)and Anand Vihar Bus Terminus(31.6 km).

Where to stay near Shani Dham Temple?

There are several 3-star to 5-star hotels and lodges located around the mandir area which provide good accommodation options.

Where to eat near Shani Dham Temple Delhi?

There are many AC/Non-AC restaurants and dhabas around the Chattarpur area which serve healthy multi-cuisines.

What are some temples near Shani Dham Temple?

• Lotus Temple –The Lotus Temple, located in Delhi, India, is a Baha’i House of Worship. The temple is built in the shape of a floating half-open lotus set amidst pools and gardens. It serves as the Mother Temple of the Indian subcontinent and has become a prominent attraction in the city.
• Qutub Minar – Qutub Minar is a 73-meter tall tapering tower of five storeys, with a 14.3 meters base diameter, reducing to 2.7 meters at the top of the peak. The first three storeys are made of red sandstone and the last two are made of marble and sandstone.  
• India Gate – The India Gate (originally called the All India War Memorial) is a war memorial located astride the Rajpath, on the eastern edge of the ceremonial axis of New Delhi, India, formerly called Kingsway.

Frequently Asked Questions about Shani DhamTemple-