Makara Nedunkuzhaikathar Temple

Makara Nedunkuzhai KAdan Temple
Makara Nedunkuzhai KAdan Temple Location in Tamil Nadu
Geography
Coordinates	8°36′38″N 78°00′05″E / 8.61056°N 78.00139°ECoordinates: 8°36′38″N 78°00′05″E / 8.61056°N 78.00139°E
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Tuticorin
Location	Thenthiruperai
Culture
Primary deity	Makara Nedunkuzhaikathan (Vishnu)
Consort	Kuzhaikaduvalli, Thiruperai Nachiyar (Lakshmi)
Temple tank	Sukra, sangu
Shrine	Bhadra
Poets	Nammazhwar
Architecture
Architectural styles	Dravidian architecture
Number of monuments	1

Image of the Thayar shrine

Makara Nedunkuzhaikathar Temple is one of the Nava Tirupathi, nine Hindu temples dedicated to Vishnu located in Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli route, Tamil Nadu, India in the southern bank of Thamiraparani river. It is located 5 km from Alwar Thirunagari^[1]All these 9 temples are classified as Divya Desams, the 108 temples of Vishnu revered by the 12 poet saints, or Alwars.^[2] The temple is referred to as Sukra sthalam, a location for the planet deity, Sukra.

Festival

A hall inside the temple

The Garuda Sevai utsavam(festival) in the month of Vaikasi(May-Jun) witnesses 9 Garudasevai, a spectacular event in which festival image idols from the Nava Tirupathis shrines in the area are brought on Garuda vahana(sacred vehicle). An idol of Nammalvar is also brought here on a Anna Vahanam(palaquin) and his paasurams(verses) dedicated to each of these 9 temples are recited. The utsavar(festival deity) of Nammalvar is taken in a palanquin to each of the 9 temples, through the paddy fields in the area. The paasurams(poems) dedicated to each of the 9 divya desams are chanted in the respective shrines. This is the most important of the festivals in this area, and it draws thousands of visitors.

References

1. Adinathar Alwar thirukkoil Sthala varalaru; Temple publication; Page 7
2. 108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams: Divya desams in Pandya Nadu. M. S. Ramesh, Tirumalai-Tirupati Devasthanam.

External links

Sri Kuzhaikathar Prabandha Thirattu