 |
| Nagercoil Nagaraja temple, TN.thegopinivasgrand.com |
 |
| Nagercoil Nagaraja temple, Tamil Nadu. temple.dinamalar.com |
 |
| Nagercoil Nagaraja temple, dinamalar.com |
Nagas is part of contemporary traditions in the Hindu regions of Asia (India, Nepal, and the island of Bali). Believed to be associated with streams, wells and rivers, etc., and are considered as guardians of treasures and also as objects of veneration in innumerable Hindu temples. In all Hindu temples there are numerous stone with carved images of snakes on the temple premises under Neem or Peepul trees which women folks worship on auspicious days for fertility, family welfare and protection. The tradition of snake worship prevails in many cultures across the world.
Nagaraja temple of Nagercoil, TN, an ancient snake temple ( 1000 to 2000 years old)in Kanyakumari district, TN is a popular one about 22 km from the city. It can be reached from the Trivandrum Int'l Airport about 58 km away.
Nagaraja temple of Nagercoil, TN, an ancient snake temple ( 1000 to 2000 years old)in Kanyakumari district, TN is a popular one about 22 km from the city. It can be reached from the Trivandrum Int'l Airport about 58 km away.
The traditional story about this temple is as follows: The exact age of the temple is a subject of debate and is believed, it was established by a senior member of the Nampudheri Brahmin family of Kerala -'Pambumekkatu Mana' of 'Mala, Trissur. The Nampudheri consecrated a Nagaraja image in his residence after he had a vision of Vasuki, the head of she-snakes. Whoever came to his place with skin related problems, presumably caused by sarpadosham - ill - effects of snakes as per horoscope were cured.
Once the Nampudhiri priest visited the palace of a Pandya king on his request and cured his skin problem which happened to be leprosy, using his mystical power. On his way back to Kerala, in the place where Nagaraja temple stands now, he saw a peasant woman quite upset over an incident in which her sickle had just hit the head of a Nagaraja stone idol hidden in the ground covered by bushes, etc. Surprisingly, blood was oozing out of the idol!! The place used to be a wooded area then. The learned Nampudhiri pundit realized it was a five headed Nagaraja idol with enormous power that had been there for a long time undetected and uncared for. With help from the local community, in the same place he consecrated the Nagaraja idol with consent from the local ruler, which later became the famous Nagaraja temple of Nagarcovil.
Initially the temple was a humble one - a hut with thatched roof. Responding to yet another vision he had during his sleep, he finally consecrated the Nagaraja idol in the same place where it was found The idols of Shiva and Vishnu were also consecrated in the new structure which became Sanctum Sanctorum or Sree kovil of this famous Hindu temple.
In the shadow of a Peepul tree on the temple premises, there are several 5 headed snake stone idols and Ganapathy idol. People are supposed to go round the snake idols and pray to get rid of sarpadosham.
Initially the temple was a humble one - a hut with thatched roof. Responding to yet another vision he had during his sleep, he finally consecrated the Nagaraja idol in the same place where it was found The idols of Shiva and Vishnu were also consecrated in the new structure which became Sanctum Sanctorum or Sree kovil of this famous Hindu temple.
In the shadow of a Peepul tree on the temple premises, there are several 5 headed snake stone idols and Ganapathy idol. People are supposed to go round the snake idols and pray to get rid of sarpadosham.
 |
| Naga worship,Nagaraja temple kanyakumarians.com |
 |
| Nagaraja temple, snake images epuja.co.in |
 |
| snake images to ward off Sarpadosham anushankarn.blogspot.com |
Above imageS: An array of five-headed snake stone images (Cobra). If people worship them and do prayer as prescribed, they are supposed to be free from the ill-effects of Sarbadosha. At all most all Hindu temples, in particular, Shiva temples have images of snakes for the people to worship. It may sound superstitious. Trust is the main driving force behind the cure. The main idol here is Suyambumurthy (self manifested).........
Every year in the Malayalam month of 'Karkadakam' old thatched roof of the sanctum sanctorum with coconut leaves and bamboo stick is replaced by new ones. The name of the place became Nagercoil and the mystical power of this temple also spread far and wide. Now it is a popular temple - a parikara sthalam for those affected by sarpadosham as per their horoscope.
 |
| Nagarraja temple, Nagarcoil kanyakumarians.com |
Every year in the Malayalam month of 'Thulam' (Sep-Oct) 12 days special pooja will be done including 'Ayilyam Star day' by the Thantri of Pambimekkattu Illam. Ayilyam star day in every month and all Sundays are auspicious. The annual 10 day festival is in the month of 'Makaram' and 'Arattu' will be on 'Ayilyam star day of Makaram' (Jan-Feb).
The temple rituals and pooja protocols being followed here are based on Kerala tradition. The main tantri is from Kerala from the Nampudhiri family of Pambumekkatu Mana' of 'Mala, Trissur
In this temple, the tantric rights are bestowed for alternative years only. One year for the tantri from Thiruvalla Illam and next year it will be tantri from Pambumekkattu Illam.The temple has been under the management of Tamil Nadu Devasthanam since 1956.
04. The Prasadam given to the devotees here is the soil from the ground in the sanctum of Nagaraja: red color of the soil is due to the blood shed from the idol when it got struck by the sickle. The red soil has medicinal properties capable of curing skin ailments of the devotees. A fascinating fact is there are several cobras moving here and around the temple prescient and so far there has been no report of any cobra bite what so ever. No report of bite in the adjacent areas as well. The temple is popular for the childless couples. If they here with trust, soon their request for a kid will be answered. Several childless couples have reported that they were blessed with children after their visit to this temple.
09. To get rid of 'sarpadosham', besides worshiping the snake stone images in the temple, devotees offer stone images of 5 headed snakes in silver to the temple and participate in a puja ritual called 'Noorum palum'. This will relieve them of the bad effects of Ragu and Ketu.
About Agama pujas, both Vaishnava and Saiva traditions are followed. The priests are only from Kerala and they have the hereditary rights to conduct puja rituals here.
