Nagarcoil Nagaraja Temple

Nagarcoil Nagaraja Temple , Nagercoil Tamilnadu

History and Legends

The legend goes that one day when a girl was cutting grass, blood began to ooze from the bunch of grass she was cutting. Scared with fear,the girl fled from the place and informed her villagers of the happening. The assembled villagers found the Nagaraja idol at the spot and the place was cleared and preserved for the purpose of worship by building a hut around the idol. Hearing of this miracle people from other places started visiting the temple and offering poojas.The name of the place (town) as Nagercoil came from this.

It is also believed that the king of Kerala, Marthanda Varma who was suffering from skin problems came here and worshipped Lord Nagaraja and his disease was cured. It is also believed that it was King marthandavarma who built the temple here. 

Main and Sub deities 

The Presiding deity is Nagaraja and it has five heads. A male snake Darnendran and female snake named Padmavathi are the Dwarapalaka deities (securities) in this temple. The deity of Lords Ananthakrishna and Kasi Viswanatha shrines are to the right of the Nagaraja shrine. The temple also has a shrine for Mother Durga 

known as Theertha Durga. 

Salient Features 

This is the only big temple built exclusively for Nagaraja worship in Tamil Nadu.

To facilitate the living of Dwarapalakas Darnendran and Padmavathi , the sanctum sanctorum has a thatched roof. Every year during the Aadi month (July - August ) the thatched roof is renewed. 

People perform Milk Abhishekam to the Nagaraja on Aayilya day to get rid of their Naga Doshas . The Milk Abishekam takes place at 10.00 AM everyday.

Paal Payasam –Milk porridge is offered as nivedhyam.

The sanctum sanctorum has its surface in wet sand as it was a field earlier. This wet sand is offered as Prasad. The sand is black during the Dakshinayana Punya Kala (the southward journey period of Sun - the months July to December/February ) and white during the Utharayana Punyakala ( the northward journey period of Sun - the months February to December-/January).

Aavani Puja is held in the month of Aavani (August-September - first month in the malayalam calender) . The month of Aavani falls during the monsoon months when the movements of snakes is more. It is to avoid any hardship or accidents, farmers took up this Naga worship during the month of Aavani and comforted their fury with Milk abishekam. It also happens that Sunday is a suitable day for Rahu-serpent planet worship. 

Pujas are performed in the temple according Kerala tradition.

The last puja of the day, Arthajama puja is dedicated to Lord Ananthakrishna.

The Kodimaram (flag post ) is for Lord Ananthakrishna only. The tortoise is chosen for the place of Garuda in the flagpost to avoid an unfriendly atmosphere as Garuda and snakes are natural enemies.

The “Thai Brahmmotsavam” is also dedicated to Lord Ananthakrishna with a car festival on Thai Poosam day. Aarattu and Krishna Jayanthi too are celebrated for Lord Ananthakrishna.

People facing adverse aspects of Rahu or Rahu-Kethu planets worship Theertha Durga during the Rahukalam time on Tuesdays (between 3.00 PM. and 4.30 PM.). 

How to get there

The temple is located in heart of town Nagercoil, and is around 4 KMs from nearest railway station Nagercoil . There are frequent public transportations available to reach Nagaraja temple from other places.The nearest airport is at Thiruvanathapuram. 

Adress:

Nagaraja temple Nagercoil-629001

kanyakumari district

ph:04652-232420