SRI NAGANATHASWAMY TEMPLE, KEEZHAPERUMPALLAM

Sri Naganathaswamy Temple is one of the Navagraha sthalam which is located in the town of Keezhperumpallam near Sirkazhi. It is around 28 kms from Mayavaram and this temple is dedicated to Kethu bhagawan, one of the Navagrahas. The main deity of the temple is Naganathar and Soundarya devi is his consort.
When devas and asuras got the ‘Amudham’ (elixir) after churning the ‘paar kadal’, the amudham was being distributed to devas and One of the asuras disguising himself as a deva stealthily joined the line and consumed the amudham. On seeing this, Maha Vishnu struck him with his chakra. The asura’s body was cut into two and the cut head joined with the body of a snake, becoming Raaghu and the cut body joined with the head of the snake becoming Kethu.
They repented for their mistakes. They prayed that they also may be granted the status of grahas so people can worship them and their wish was granted.
According to another legend, asuras who were denied of their share of amudham, got angry. They vented their fury over the serpent Vasuki and threw Vasuki towards the earth. The injured Vasuki recovered soon. It started repenting that Lord Shiva had to consume the poison it had spewed while churning the ocean. Vasuki asked Shiva for forgiveness her at this Keezhperumballam and Shiva as Naganatha swamy with his consort as Soundarya devi blessed Vasuki. They asked him to bless the devotees who visit this temple. Unlike other navagraga temples, the temple has no big rajagopurams and is small which was built by Chola kings during 9-10th century AD. The temple faces east. We can see the holy tank naga theertham in front of the temple and walk through clockwise, we can see in the west praharam, the sannithis of Ganesha, Lord Subramanya with Valli and Deivanai, Durga, Lakshmi
Narayana, Maheswari and also the Gajalakshmi. In the east praharam is the sannithi for Kethu Bhagawan facing towards west and he is seen
with a snake head with his hands in a praying posture. It is believed that if the Kethu is unfavorably placed in one’s horoscope, they may suffer from various ailments such skin disease, leprosy, bad habits, bad acquaintances, wrath of the government etc and on the positive side he blesses for good profession, proficiency in civil engineering, medicine and knowledge. Kethu blesses all the ganesha’s devotees and performing abishekam with cane juice, offering red
flowers, red garments, offering horse gram, tamarind rice said to please Kethu.