Sri Makara Nedunkullhaikkaathar Temple

Sri Makara Nedunkuzhaikathar Temple, located in Then Thirupperai (Punnainagar), Thoothukudi district, is one of the esteemed Nava Tirupathi and 108 Divya Desams, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, worshipped here as Makara Nedunkuḻaikathar, with his consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi. Legend recounts that Bhudevi, cursed by Sage Durvasa, performed penance on the banks of the Thamirabarani River, where she found a pair of fish-shaped earrings and offered them to Vishnu. After accepting them, Vishnu became known by this name. The temple also holds significance for the planet Shukra (Venus), making it a revered Sukra sthalam.Built in classic Dravidian architecture, the temple features a flat rajagopuram, intricate mandapams with yali-pillars, and is surrounded by a granite wall enclosing all shrines. A significant temple tank, the Sukra Pushkarani, lies within the complex.It follows the Thenkalai tradition with six daily pujas and major annual festivals such as Panguni Brahmotsavam, Vaikunta Ekadashi, and the spectacular Vaikasi Garuda Sevai, where deities from all nine Nava Tirupathi temples are carried on Garuda vahanas in a grand procession.The temple’s heritage dates back to the Pandya era, with significant renovations during the Vijayanagara period. Ancient inscriptions on the mandapam ceilings record donations over centuries, and the temple was ritually reconsecrated in 1995.