Trinetram/my visit Nagaraja temple in Nagerkovil

Nagaraja Prabhuve! Saranam Aiyyappa! You would have heard this, but do you know about the famous Nagaraja (serpent god) temple in Nagercoil. Here is the history about the temple.


NAGARAJA TEMPLE, NAGERCOIL, TAMIL NADU
This temple is situated at a distance of 12 miles from Cape Comorin, in the midst of paddy fields. The following is the traditional story of its origin.
In the fields where the temple now stands, one day, a worker, while harvesting the crops, came across a granite stone and, as soon as the sickle came in contact with it, blood came out of the stone. This being an unusual happening, the news spread like wild fire and it became the talk of the town as this incident could not be attributed to any known phenomenon.

At this time Pambummekkattu Nambudiri from Cochin was passing through this place on his way to Suchindram. On hearing about the incident, he visited the spot and recognised the stone as Vasuki (Ananta) the Serpent King. He immediately conducted archanas and other offerings and informed Kalakkat Rajah, who was then ruling over the area, about this. In the meanwhile, a thatched shed was erected over the idol.
The Rajah then arranged to construct the present temple and wanted to shift the idol to it. But the Serpent King appeared in a dream both to the Rajah and to the Nambudiri and conveyed his desire to remain where he was.

Accordingly he was left where he was originally found by the worker, and Anantakrishna was installed in the new temple. Gradually it was realised that as the serpent in the form of Kaliya was inimical to Krishna, it was not desirable to allow the Serpent King and Lord Krishna to be installed close to each other. So Siva was installed in the middle to avoid any possible conflict. Thus the three Gods came to be where they are now.

Another version is that the temple belonged to the Jains, even though no previous history is known in this connection. This belief is supported by the fact that the carvings of Mahavira and Parswanatha are seen on the pillars of the temple. The beautiful main gateway reminds one of Chinese architecture. It is believed that this temple came under the Hindus only from the sixteenth century.

People throng here every Sunday and on Anuradha days with offerings of milk. It is said that many serpents live all round the
temple. But there has been no fatal case of snakebite within a radius of one mile from the place. The earthen prasadam taken from the place where Lord Nagaraja is installed (on bare earth where it was originally found) has never diminished in quantity even after its use for many many years. It is also remarkable that this prasadam will be white in colour for six months in the year and turn light black for the remaining six months.

Lot of us pass by various temples without exploring, Hope people who read will go to this places and get Nagaraja's blessings. comments welcome! this place is close to Kanyakumari. I repeat?

best wishes/chitra.g

 

Hello,

Glad that u visited Nagaraja temple and enjoyed ur darshan. the soil given is very sacred and preserve the same. only when we visit we will know the beauty of the place and the positive vibration we encounter. I have posted more about temples in photos and deities. see them also, and comment and reply! glad that people are seeing and enjoying the benefit! we have to make time and utilise when we happen to go near that place?

thanks and best wishes/chitra.g

reply when u find time?

 

good to know that u r planning to visit temples!

Plenty of places of interest, only we need time. go through and visit and get blessed!

The temple dedicated to Kanyakumari, or the youthful form of the primeval energy Shakti (Mother Goddess) is located on the seashore, in the town known by the same name. Kanyakumari was referred to by the British as Cape Commorin.

Kanyakumari represents the site where the spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda spent days in meditation upon a rock off of the coast. A memorial built in his honor is accessible via ferry. There is also a recently built memorial to Tiruvalluvar, the author of the philosophical work Tirukkural - a treatise on the Indian way of life.

The Kanyakumari temple is an ancient one and has been mentioned in the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and the Sangam works Manimekalai and Puranaanooru. It is believed that the image of Kanyakumari was installed and worshipped by Parasurama, who is credited with reclaiming Kerala from the ocean, and building several shrines.

Vivekananda Rock Memorial
Built in 1970, this memorial is dedicated to Swami Vivekananda, the greatest social reformer and saint that India has produced. Swami Vivekananda had meditated on the rock where the memorial stands today at the end of 1892 before his departure for Chicago to participate in the World Religious Conference in 1893. A meditation hall is also attached with the memorial.

Gandhi Memorial
On Gandhiji's birthday ( October-2nd ) the Sun rays fall on the spot where his ashes were placed before immersion.

Guganathaswamy Temple
This 1000 year old temple is said to have been built by Raja Raja Chola. It is near the railway station.

Nagercoil (19kms)
The Nagaraja temple is situated here. Though Nagaraja ( Serpent God ) is the presiding deity, the images of Lord Siva and Ananthakrishna are also enshrined here. The images of the Jain Theerthangaras and Mahavira are found on the pillars of the temple. The Nagaraja is installed on the ground where it was originally found and the sand scooped out is given as prasadam to the devotees. The entrance to the temple is reminiscent of the Chinese architecture of a Buddhist Vihar.

Suchindram (13 kms.)
The Thanumalayan Temple here is a repository of art treasures. Musical pillars and a huge 18 foot high Hanuman Statue are the proof of artistic skill of the time. Inscriptions said to be of the 9th century AD are found in this temple. This unique temple is dedicated to the Trimurthys : Vishnu, Siva and Brahma.

Udhayagiri Fort ( 34 kms.)
Built during the regime of King Marthanda Varma ( 1729-1758 ) this fort also had foundry for casting guns. De Lennoy's Tomb is in this fort. He was one of the 24 European prisoners taken by King Marthanda Varma in 1741 when when he defeated the Dutch at Colachel. He joined King Marthanda Varma and became a trusted General. He trained soldiers in the European method of fighting.

Padmanabhapuram (45 Kms )
The capital of Travancore until 1333, Padmanabhapuram is known for its fort which encloses, among other buildings, a palace and a temple. The palace has some important art relics while the Ramaswamy temple has exquisitely carved panels depicting scenes from the Ramayana.

see this link for more temples around kanyakumari!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kanyakumari Dt. Temples

best wishes/enjoy and reply!

 

Kanthimathi Nellaiyappar Temple

Kanthimathi Nellaiyappar Temple is the well known twin temple dedicated to Goddess Parvathi (Kanthimathi Ammai) and Lord Shiva ( Nellaiyappar - the Protector of Paddy). The temple is hailed as one of the 5 Pancha Sabhas (dance halls) of Nataraja (lord Shiva); the others being at Chidambaram, Madurai, Tiruvalankadu and Kutralam.

The temple complex consist of two huge temples, one for Lord Shiva (Nellaiappar temple) and the other for his consort Parvathi (Kanthimathi Ammai temple). The former temple is also called as 'Swamy Venunathar', 'Nelveli Nathar', 'Chaleevadeesar' and later by the names 'Vadivudaya Ammai' and 'Kamakottamudaya Naachiyaar'. These two temples are linked by a big terraced hall namely Sangili Mandapam that has life sized sculptures adoring the pillars. The main deity of Kanthimathi Nellaiyappar Temple is a 'Suyambu Lingam' or a Shiva Lingam which erupted from underneath the earth.

The Nandi mandapam has a fairly big statue of Nandi (the bull God), similar to those at Tanjore and Rameswaram . The unique feature of the temple is the 'Mani manadapam' located near the nandi mandapam with two giant pillars carved out of a single stone and each one is having 48 sub pillars which produce musical notes when struck. Tamil poet Nellai M.S. Shankar says that the pillars here are a combination of the Shruti Gana Laya types. Other mandapams in the temple include Oonjal Mandapam and the 1000 pillared hall. The 1000 pillared hall is famous for the celestial wedding of Kanthimathi Ammai with Nellaiyappar which is celebrated every year in the Tamil month of Aippasi corresponding to October-November.

A copper dance hall, known as Tamra sabha which is made of wonderful woodwork is located within the temple. Lord Nataraja and Sivakami are worshipped here during the Arudra Darisanam festival, celebrated in the Tamil month of Margazhi (Dec 15 - Jan 15). Behind the dance hall, there are shrines of Sandana Sabhapati (Natraja adorned with sandal paste) and Periya Sabhapati where religious services are done only on special occasions.

With in the temple premises near the sanctum sanctorium, there is a shrine dedicated to Lord Vishnu (Nellai Govindan) where his idol can be seem in a lying posture. It was built on a belief that Lord Vishnu had visited Tirunelveli to solemnize the divine marriage of Shiva and Parvathi. The temple is one of the five sacred places in Saiva religion, worth seeing for its beautiful sculptures, musical pillars, valuable jewels, a golden lily tank and a thousand pillared mandapa.

Krishnapuram Temple

Krishnapuram temple also known as Venkatachalapathy temple is situated 12 km from Tirunelveli at Krishnapuram village on Tirunelveli- Tiruchendur main road. This temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is renowned for its remarkable 17C-18C carvings. The lord is installed here as Venkatachalapathy along with this consorts Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi. Daily rituals and poojas are performed to the deity. The main festivals of the temple are Vaikasi Visakham held in the month of May-June and Skanda Shasthi festival celebrated for 7 days in October-November.

Krishnapuram temple is really a wealth house of stone monument. The temple sculptures are noted for their high workmanship and artistic skills throughout the world. The figures of the sculptures are of life size and are carved with intricate delicacy. On the northern side of the temple, there is a Veerappa Naick Mandapam with two beautifully carved elephants at its entrance. Six pillars can be seen at the center of the mandapam which bear images of exquisite beauty depicting scenes from the Puranas. One of the pillars depicts the story of the adventure of Bhimasena with Purushamrigam, a half-man and half-beast who an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. Another shows Arjuna with a flowing beard performing penance with bow and arrow in his hands. Yet another shows a princess and a prince being abducted by a Kuravan and a Kuratti (gypsies) and rescued by a king. The statue of Rati (Goddess of Love) is also carefully illustrated in a pillar with all its eternal beauty, humility, reverent and have a mixture appearance of self-satisfaction and serene contentment . The figures of the female body, dress and ornaments are carved in a magnificent style that shows the wonderful skillfulness of the artist.

Nanguneri Temple

Located 29 km from the head quarters of Thirunelveli and surrounded by lush green fertile land, Nanguneri is a panchayat town renowned for the famous Vaishnavite temple commonly known as Totadri Mutt dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Also known by the names such as Medini and Sri Nivasam, Nanguneri is considered as the birth place of Sri Devi, one of the consort of Vishnu. The temple is one among the eight Swayamvyaktha Kshtrams.

The presiding deity of Lord Vishnu in the form of Totadri Naadhan can be seen in the sitting posture on the couch and canopy of Adi Shesha, with his two consorts Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi on the two sides besides the celestial dancers Tilottama and Urvashi in attendance with fans in hand. Ennai Kinaru (oil well) in this temple is very famous and devotees consume this oil to get cured of diseases. The temple is known by different names like ‘Bhooloka Vaikuntham’, ‘Totadrikshetram’ and ‘Vanamamalai’. The main festivals of the temple are celebrated in the Tamil months of Panguni (March-April) and Chitra (April-May).

Sri Vaikundanatha Perumal Temple

Sri Vaikundanatha Perumal Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu in the form of Vaikuntapathi Swami, is located on Tiruchendur road in Srivaikuntam about 37 km from Tirunelveli. The idol of the main deity (Moolavar), also known by the names Kalla Piraan and Paal Pandiyan is kept alone in Nindra Thirukkolam facing east. This idol with the Gadha (a weapon) in one of hand along with the Sangu and Chakkaram in the other hand is in standing position and the Serpent God, Adisesh unfurls his hood over Vishnu.

The temple gopuram which is 110 feet in height and 500 feet in width can be viewed from the Tamaraibarani bridge. Several poojas are held in this temple and the most important among them is the pooja done by childless couples. It is believed that if the childless couple consume the ghee for 48 nights, that has been offered at the deity's feet, they will be blessed with children.

A unique feature of the temple is that every year on two days (in the period of April-May and October-November) Sun’s rays falls directly on Lord Vaikuntanathan. It is believed that this temple was used as a fort in the fight between the legendary freedom fighter Veerapandiya Kattabomman and the British in the 1800s.

Tiruchendur Temple
Tiruchendur, the sea side town situated 48km east of Tirunelveli is a popular place of pilgrimage. The ancient Lord Subramanya temple dedicated to Lord Muruga is located on a small rocky promontory on the shore of the Bay of Bengal. The principal sanctum has a stone image of Lord Subrahmanya in standing posture. This idol that faces east is placed next to a monolithic Sivalinga which is believed to be worshiped by Subrahmanyam.

The main entrance of the temple facing south is adorned by a vast mandapam called Shanmukha Vilasa from where one can see the sanctum of the Lord. The temple has three prakarams and the main entrance opens into the first temple prakaram, i.e Sivili Mandapam. The entrance on the west, is a nine storeyed massive structure measuring 45m high and it is a prominent landmark of the temple that can be visible from the ocean. The temple being one of the six abodes of Lord Muruga, draws millions of devotees especially during 'Kanda Shasti Festival' in the month of Aippasi (October-November). The annual 10 days long Vasanta festival is held in the month of Chittirai (April-May).

Sankaranainarkoil

Sankaranainarkoil alias Sankarankoil (Arulmigu Sankaranarayanaswamy Temple), situated 56 km from Tirunelveli on the Madurai-Kollam rail route is dedicated to Lord Sankaranarayana, a combination of Shiva and Vishnu. The idol in this temple is believed to be the embodiment of earth. Besides the main shrine, there are two other shrines dedicated to Lord Sankaralinga (Siva) and Goddess Gomathi Amman (Parvathi). The temple famous for curing illness was built in the 11th century by the then ruler Ugra Pandyan and was later expanded. The gopuram (tower) of the temple is a nine storeyed structure measuring a height of 38meters.

Devotees believes that the sacred tank in the temple named Nagasunai have been dug by serpent kings named Paduman and Sangam and has a miraculous power to heal all the diseases. Adi thapasu festival is the main temple festival held on Uthirada day in the month of Adi (June-July).

see these links for more temples around tirunelveli?

Temples In and Around Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu

Tirunelveli Dt. Temples

best wishes/chitra.g

 

good to know. only when several minds get together, we come to know or try to know. I believe in that, and hence try to share what I know thro. this forum. I had been to this wonderful temples and my husband explores all these places since he is going to Sabarimalai from last 23 years. Hence we come to know new places. He has taken me to most of these temples, and we explore more.

see more about temples and deities which I am posting in photos and deities.

best wishes/chitra.g