The Deities of Mannarasala

The supreme deity of Mannarasala, Lord Sree Nagaraja’s garbhagriha is situated in the southern side of the main temple. As the divine serpent king who heeded Parasurama’s plea and cooled the very earth of Kerala, he is the source of cosmic protection and benevolence. Devotees pray to him for inner fortitude, resilience, and the spiritual courage to surmount life’s trials.

His presence is nourished daily through sacred offerings, including Pal Abhishekam (ritual bath with milk), Palum Pazhavum Nivedyam, Kadalipazham Nivedyam, Pal Payasam, Payasam, Appam, and Thrimadhuram.

As the divine consort of Lord Sree Nagaraja, Goddess Sarpayakshi embodies maternal grace, mercy, and protective vigilance. Her sanctum is situated on the northern side of the temple, and tradition holds that devotees should first offer their prayers to her before approaching Nagaraja. She is revered as the nurturing force that intercedes on behalf of devotees, especially women and children.

Her daily worship mirrors that of Nagaraja, receiving the same sequence of offerings: Pal Abhishekam, Palum Pazhavum Nivedyam, Kadalipazham Nivedyam, Pal Payasam, Payasam, Appam, and Thrimadhuram.

Goddess Nagachamundi, recognized as the sister of Lord Sree Nagaraja, is a powerful and protective deity. She resides within a sacred Chitrakudam (a traditional stone shrine) in the temple’s northwest precinct.

Unlike the principal deities, daily physical poojas are not conducted directly at her shrine. Instead, her worship flows through Mannarasala Amma’s Thevaram (the chief priestess’s daily prayer cycle). Goddess Nagachamundi is integral to the Noorum Palum Pooja, Ashta Naga Pooja, and most significantly, the Sarpabali ritual. During Sarpabali, the Guruthi Pooja—a potent tantric offering—is presented specifically to her, invoking her fierce grace for karmic rectification and spiritual defense.

Goddess Nagayakshi, another revered consort of Lord Sree Nagaraja, embodies divine splendor and benevolent power. She too is enshrined within a Chitrakudam adjacent to Nagachamundi in the temple’s northwest section.

Similar to her counterpart, direct daily worship is not performed at her stone abode. Her veneration is channeled through the sacred rhythms of temple rituals: Amma’s Thevaram, the Noorum Palum Pooja, the Ashta Naga Pooja, and the grand Sarpabali. The Guruthi Pooja offered during Sarpabali stands as her most important ritual, a profound act of propitiation that honors her luminous and protective nature within the serpent pantheon.