Nalladai Temple

Temple for Pregnancy

SundaraNayaki Sametha Sri Agneeswarar Temple in a place called Nalladi is the one that is considered auspicious for the Bharani Starers.Nalladi is a place in Tharangambadi Taluk in Nagapattinam district.This is the place that wove clothes to the Lord himself.Hence it was named as Neithaladai.(Neithal-Weaving,Adai-Clothes).In the following days,the name shrunk to 'Nalladi'.The main deity of this temple is Lord Shiva and he is called by the name Agneeswarar or Bharaninathar.The Lord is seen facing the west and it is believed that he would be in a furious nature in that direction.So worshipping the Lord here would give more benefits to the devotees.

There was famous saying in Tamil called "Bharani Dharani Aalum" meaning people who are born in Bharani star would rule the world.As per the Sthala Purana, a sage named Mruganda Maharshi organised a great yaga for the Lord of Nalladi.He also announce that the materials that are required for the yaga could be given by the public.So,they wove three silk clothes with gold and offered them to the sage.At the end of the yaga,the Maharishi put those clothes in the Yaga Gunda-the fire pit.(The process of Poornahuthi).People did not understand this act of the sage and so they questioned him for putting the clothes in fire.They also asked how the clothes that are placed in Homam would reach the Lord.The sage smiled and asked the people to go and see the main deity in the Garbagraha by themselves.When they went and saw the Lord,it was really a pleasant surprise for them.What a wonder! the silk clothes that were offered by them are draped around the Lord.Then the sage explained about the various types of Agni.He also said that the Bharani Rudhragni is one of the powerful Agni that took the things given by the devotees to the Lord.This the reason why this temple is attributed to the Star Bharani.