Nagercoil - A pilgirmage center in Tamil Nadu

The Nagaraja temple situated here is unique in many aspects. Nagaraja (Serpent God) is the presiding deity, the images of Lord Shiva and Anathakrishna (Lord Vishnu) are also enshrined. The Nagaraja is installed on the ground where it was originally found. The sanctum is a simple thatched shed, with mud walls.

Tradition states that a King of Kalakkad was cured of leprosy when he performed penance in the temple. He then rebuilt it in the Kerala style. He might have been Bhuthalavira Sri Vira Udaya Marthandavarma, who ruled Venad, with Kalakkad as his capital, from 1516 to 1535. It is believed that snakebite is not fatal within a kilometre of the temple. The garden of the temple is famous for its Naga flower ( Couripita gynensis ) a symbolic representation of Nagaraja.

People through her even Sunday and on Ayilyam days with offerings of milk. It is said that many serpents live all round the temple, but ther has been no fetal case of snadebites. The annual festival is conducted in the month of Thai but all the Sundays in the month of Avani attract multitudes of cevotees, especially women,from all parts of the kanyakumari district. It is also said that this is originally a Jain temple . This belief is supported by the fact that the images of Mahavira and Parswanatha are seen pillars of this temple.

Nagercoil is an important town located in the district of Kanyakumari. The nearest airport is at Trivandrum located at a distance of about 100-km from Nagercoil. Kanyakumari is the nearest railway station, which is well connected by train services with all the places in India. Nagercoil is well connected by road with the neighbouring towns and cities. For local transportation, taxis and auto rickshaws are available.