Nagaraja Temple

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The Nagaraja Temple situated at Nagarcoil is dedicated to the Lord Nagaraja. Nagercoil got its name from the five headed serpent shrine of the Nagaraja.

Besides the presiding deity, the idols of Lord Shiva and Anantha Krishna are also enshrined in the ardhamandapa of the temple. The figures of Jain Thirthankaras Parsavanth and Mahavira are carved on the pillars of the mandapa.

The entrance gateway of the temple, Mahamerumaligai, resembles the Chinese architecture of Budha Viharas. Thus the temple is an embodiment of the four religious creeds of India namely, Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Jainism and Buddhism.

The unique feature of the temple is that mud walls surround the sanctum and a simple thatched roof with coconut leaves and bamboo sticks over it.

The place where the image of the five-headed serpent is enshrined is constantly marshy. The sand scooped out of this place is distributed to the devotees as prasadam. There are a plenty of cobras found inside the temple.