நாகப்பட்டினம் காயாரோகணேஸ்வரர் (நீலாயதாட்சி) திருக்கோயில்Kayarohanaswami Temple (Neelayadakshi Kovil), Nagapattinam

Sthala Mahātmyam

Kayarohanaswami Temple at Nagapattinam, better known as the Neelayadakshi Kovil, is an ancient Shiva shrine praised by Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar and revered as a Shakti Peetha. Shiva is worshipped as Kayarohana (Kayaroganeswarar) with his consort Neelayadakshi, the blue-eyed goddess whose mercy is said to be as vast and deep as the sea. She is counted among five great goddesses in successive stages of life — Visalakshi at Kashi, Kamakshi at Kanchi, Neelayadakshi at Nagai, Kamalambika at Thiruvarur and Meenakshi at Madurai. As one of the Sapta Vidanga Sthalams, its Vidanga image is fashioned of ruby, so the Lord is called Sundara (the beautiful) Vidangar. Here Thyagaraja performs the Tharanga Natanam — a dance rolling and swelling like the waves (tharanga) of the sea, fitting for this coastal town. The shrine belongs to the Muchukunda legend of the seven dancing idols. Chief festivals include the Vaikasi wedding festival, the ten-day Aadi Pooram, Maha Shivaratri, Aippasi Annabhishekam and the Aani Panchakrosa festival marking the divine marriage.