Poorana' of Kasi Khanda which is as follows.God Soorya was married to Daksha Kanya Sadnya. Sadnya could not tolerate the radiance of God Surya. She used to feel that by doing penance she could increase her brilliance. Or, by the power of her penance, she could diminish the glare of God Surya. But for God Surya, she was a spouse worshipping wife. From God Surya, she had three children. One was Vaivastahva Manu. The second was Yama Raj. And the third was Yamuna. Sadnya loved her children very much. But, she was very upset with the radiance of God Surya. One day, she thought that she would separate from God Surya, go to her parents' home and undertake great penance. And if there was opposition, she would go far away to a lonely and undertake great penance.By strength of her penance, Sadnya created a 'Chaya' (shadow) of herself and named her Suvarna. And, and then the shadow of herself became Suvarna. After handing over the children to Chaya, Sadnya told her that Chaya would thereafter play the role of womanhood and nurse her three children. She told her if any problem arose, she should call her and she would come rushing to her. But she cautioned her that she must remember that she was Chaya, not Sadnya, and nobody should know this difference.

Sadnya hander over her responsibilities to Chaya and went away to her parents' place. She went home and told her father that she could not stand the radiance of God Surya. And therefore, without telling her husband she had come away. Listening to this, her father scolded her very much and told her that without being called, if the daughter returns home, both her and her father would be cursed. He told her to go back to her home immediately. Then, Saudnya began to worry that if she went back, what would happen to the responsibilities which she had given to Chaya. Where would Chaya go? And their secret would be exposed. So, Sadnya went to the dense jungles in Uttar Kurukshetra and took repose there.

She was fearful of her safety in the jungle because of her youthfulness and beauty. And she changed her form into that of a mare so that none could recognize her and started her penance. Elsewhere, the union of God Surya and Chaya begot three children. God Surya and Chaya were happy with each other. Surya never doubted anything. The children of Chaya were Manu, God Shani and Putri Bhadra (Tapti).

As per the second story, the creation of God Shani was the result of Maharishi Kashyap's great 'yagna'. When God Shani was in the womb of Chaya, Shiv Bhaktini Chaya was so engrossed in penance of God Shiva that she did not care for her food even. She prayed so intensely during her penance that the prayers had a profound influence on the child in her womb. As a result of such a great penance of Chaya, without food and shade in the blazing sun, the complexion of God Shani became black. When God Shani was born, Surya was surprised to see his dark complexion. He began to doubt Chaya. He insulted Chaya by saying that this was not his son.

From birth itself, God Shani had inherited the great powers of his mother's penance. He saw that his father was insulting his mother. He saw his father with a cruel gaze. As a result his father's body was charred black. The horses of God Surya's chariot stopped. The chariot would not move. Worried, God Surya called out to God Shiva. God Shiva advised God Surya and explained to him about what had happened. That is, because of him the respect of mother and child had been tarnished and insulted. God Surya accepted his fault and apologized. And regained his earlier glorious looks and the power of his chariot's horses. Since then, God Shani became a good son to his father and mother and an ardent disciple of God Shiva.

                                                 Shani-Shingnapur Temple Story
In Shani-Shingnapurvillage, the god is self-appeared idol. God appeared in form of black stone with a height of 5 feet and 9 inches & 1 feet and 6 inches in the width. He is standing on platform without any roof.

It is believed that, 250 years ago, in Shingnapur villageit rained so heavily and incessantly that all the houses and fields were submerged by flowing water. The Shani idol came flowing along with the flood waters and got stuck in the branches of the neighboring berry tree. After the reducing of flood water when cowherds went near Panas Nala, they saw the big stone boulder in the branches of tree. They were surprise to see it. With the lot of hesitation, they poked the idol with their sticks and stone started bleeding. The cowherds saw this injury. With the scared, they ran away. They came back to the village and told their elders about what they saw. Listening to all this, villagers went to that spot where the stone was found. They were also shocked to see it. They could not decide what to do of this stone. At last they all returned to their homes by deciding that they would think tomorrow on this.

In the same night, when all villagers fell asleep, God Shani dev appeared before one villager in dream and said, “I am Shanidev. Whatever you & your villagers saw yesterday is true. Let me from that place and install me in the village.” On the next day, devotee told the villagers what he heard in the dream. Listening to this entire, villagers went to that place where stone was found. They tried to lift idol but they could not succeed. They tried all day but they could not move a bit. At last people returned back to their homes. In the night when villagers were sleeping, again god Shanidev appeared in front of same devotee in dream & said, “I will move from that place only when the people who move me from there are of the real relation of maternal uncle and nephew.”

Next morning devotee told the villager about his dream. And villagers did according to the dream. At that time many people tried to their best to install the idol in their own field, but the idol would not budge from there at all. At last the statue placed where it stands today in open ground. At that time, there was no any foundation. Foundation was made after very long time. Shri Jawahar Mal was made this foundation.

Shri Jawahar Mal was the rich man in sonai village (Near by Shingnapur village). He had no any child. So, he prayed to Shani dev that if he got son, he would erect a beautiful foundation there. And by the grace of God shanidev he got a son and he erected a good foundation in Shingnapur & one platform for God Shani dev.


           Shani Shinganapur - A village with no doors or locks!

                                       Unique Features of Shinganapur

1. No shelter over Shani Maharaj - As per the instructions received from Shani Maharaj himself, there is no roof or temple built over his idol.

2. No doors or locks in houses - The most unique feature in Shingnapur that differentiated this village from any other place in the world is that there are no doors or locks to houses. The villagers firmly believe that Shani Maharaj protects them from thieves and wrong doers and they only have door frames and curtains in the place of doors and locks. There are several stories narrated by local villagers about how nobody in the village would dare to make an attempt to steal other's property and also about how when some outsiders have made an attempt to steal they have been punished by Shani Maharaj.

3. No branches grow over the Moolasthan - There was a neem tree that grew near the Moolasthan but everytime a branch grew near Shani Maharaj it would automatically break and fall down. Few years ago, this tree fell and another fig tree has grown there. This too does not extend its branches upto the idol.

4. Water poured over the idol is cure for snakebite - In case of any incident of snakebite in the village, all that the villagers do is to bring the person in white clothes to the temple. A male relative in wet clothes performes abhishekam to the idol and the water is given to the person to drink. In a couple of hours, the person regains consciousness and is not affected by the poison.

5. Shani Maharaj's palanquin- Devotees worship Shani Maharaj's palanquin placed closed to the Moolasthan which has a huge wooden slipper in it. Several shops sell miniatures of this wooden slipper that people buy and take home as talisman.

6. Lamp that burns 24*7 - There is a lamp that burns through day and night in front of the moolasthan.
Now a day, all the activity of Shani Shingnapur foundation is handled by Shri Shaneshwar Devasthan Trust.