Nagabarineeswarar Melaiyur

God

Nagabarineeswarar, facing east

Goddess

Periyanayaki, facing south

Other Deities

Valamburi Vinayaka, Varadaraja Perumal with consorts, Garuda, Anjaneya, Krishna with Rukimini and Sathyabhama, Ayyappa, Muruga with consorts, Mahalakshmi, Agastya, Lalitha Tripura Sundari, Brahma with Saraswathi, Chitragupta, Sarabeswarar, Bhairava, Dattatreya, Navagraha with consorts, Ramanujar. Sanctum Niches – Narthana Vinayaka, Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Brahma, Durga, Chandikeswara

Nagabarineeswarar Melaiyur is a large and beautiful temple with a 3 tiered Rajagopuram at the east entrance. The campus is filled with trees, flowering plants and shrines. The priest said there were about 69 shrines and more are planned by devotees. The temple serves free food every day to a small group of destitute women and others. It is possible to spend a long time here just relaxing and listening to the priest tell stories, as we did, happily sitting in view of the main deity and the goddess. There is a Maha Mantapa and an Artha Mantapa leading into the Sanctum Sanctorum which is in the form of a Gajaprastham (Elephant’s back). There is an Amman temple and the Samathi (burial site) of Venkaramana Swamigal outside.

Holy Water (Theertham) – No information

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Tamarind (Tamarindus indica)

History

Nagabarineeswarar Melaiyur is said to have been by the Cholas, though the priest mentioned Raja Raja Chola.

Legend

Nagabarineeswarar Melaiyur is believed to be a Rahu, Kethu Pariharam (remedial) temple.

Directions

10 Kilometers from Thiruporur on the Chingleput Road is Karumbakkam Junction. From here take a right and drive on for 2.5 kilometers to reach Nagabarineeswarar Melaiyur.

Stay and Food

None locally. Closest is Thiruporur or Chingleput.