There is a Shani temple in Deonar, in Mumbai. The temple is situated east of the Shivaji statue at the junction of Chembur, Deonar, Govandi on (Mumbai-Pune-Bangalore) Eastern Express Highway. The presiding deity of this temple is Lord Shaneeswara: a beautiful, mighty, and imposing seven-foot-tall black statue. sri saneeswralayam, veeranna palem, prakasam (dist), Andhra Pradesh. Many devotees who have Shani Dosham, or people who are passing through Shani Mahar Dasa throng the temple, for doing Tailabhishekam (Tailam means oil in Sanskrit, Telugu and Malayalam). Nuvvula Nune (in Telugu, Nuvvulu means Sesame; Nune means oil) and Ellenne (in Kannada, Ellu means sesame; enne means oil) is poured with utmost devotion on the head in a manner such that the oil covers the entire idol while flowing down. The pooja done with this oil is believed to please Shaneeswara.
Every Saturday approximately at 10:30 in the morning, as soon as the priest gives Aarti, Lord Shaneeswara is said to descend upon the main priest. All of a sudden, the whole atmosphere in the temple changes. One can see and feel the charged atmosphere in the temple. There after the priest sits on a chair which has a seat made of very sharp, long iron nails pointing upwards. The foot rest and hand rest are also fully fitted with upward facing, sharp long iron nails. When Lord Shaneeswara descends on Swami, he sits on this chair throughout the day, most of the time with his eyes closed. On some Saturdays he may sit upon the chair for a continuous stretch of between 12 and 13 hours without ever indicating any pain or discomfort.
Thereafter the devotees sit in silence in front of 'swami.' They are asked to bring and keep a pair of yellow lemons in their hands, waiting for their turn. Swami signals one by one by turn, to come near to him. People place the pair of yellow lemon in front of him. He listens patiently to their problems, agony, or distress or whatever they say. Then he explains the reason/cause of their agony/problem/distress. It could be 'Prarabdham', consequences of their past karmas (deeds) which are carried over to present janma, which means "life" in Sanskrit, Telugu, kannada and Malayalam. Or as Swami explains, their problems could be the result of actions/deeds of his or her present birth itself. In some cases it could be handy work of Vamachara Tantra (black magic) by their enemies and ill-wishers. There are other types of cases where it is believed that Aatmas (spirits) of the deceased have occupied the sufferer's body causing misery and trouble. 'Swami' listens to them all with apt attention with closed eyes and intent silence and offers them Prakshalana, or "cleansing" Praayaschitam Sanskrit and Telugu, or "repentance" through procedures such as yagna, pooja, dana, abstinence, etc. Thousands have claimed that their prayers have been answered by "Shaneeswara" through 'Swami'.
In the premises of this Shani temple, navagraha mandapam is also there apart from Hanuman, Jagadeeswara, Saibaba and Mata deities. The Sanctum Sanctorum has a very tall imposing murthy of Lord Shaneeswara along with Jestha Devi. To his left is Hanuman and to his right is Jagadeeswara Swami.
