Saneeswaram is supposed to be the son of Chaaya devi and Lord Surya. The very sight of Saneeswaram is said to be fearful and destructive. After praying and intense penance on Lord Shiva he attained the status of a celestial body revered, feared and worshipped. Sade sati is the long seven years of challenges in ones astrological calendar which comes every 30 years in a man's life and therefore can come 2-3 times in a man's life. Even Lord Shiva himself was not exempted from Saturn's sade sati effect.

Devotees generally come to offer prayers to relieve their effects of Saturn in their astrological cycles of Sade sati. It is believed and proved by believers that those who going through the adverse effect of the Saturn have got relieved by offering prayers to this temple. They offer rice as prasadam and perform Navagraha Shanti Homas to calm down adverse effects of planets. Tonsuring of head and offering of hair is a common practise in this temple. The temple remains crowded throughout the year. Legend says that a king Nala was tested by Shani of his truthfulness by making him enter the sade sati. In the seven and a half years he lost his king title to his brother his riches, luxury and even his wife. He entered the lord Darbarnarayeswara temple after taking a bath in the nearby pond and wearing new clothes. He was cured of the ill effects of Shani by Lord Shiva himself. The lord then asked the king what is his desire? The king replied that the Lord Shani should not remain malefic and should remain benefice always. The king also got back all his lost grandeur. Thus anybody who takes a bath wears new clothes and prays in the temple gets exempted from the ill effects of sade sati.