Nanganallur has such an old world charm to it.The streets are full of vendors selling everything from terracotta lamps to fresh greens.And at every nook there is a temple waiting to be discovered.I love this place more because Pazhavanthangal used to be my summer home when I was a kid.I do not have vivid memories about temples back then.So,I visited another temple in Nanganallur close to the Ardhanareeshwarar temple called Panachi amman Kovil.She was found in a forest full of palm trees,hence the name.She is also a grama devathai,a protector of the village.Her icon here is facing the Northern direction.As you enter the temple,there are icons depicting Naga(serpent) deities.All temples have a space dedicated to the Nagas.I wonder what they represent,is it the Kundalini energy lying coiled up at the base of the spine.Is it nature conservation?.What ever it is,I simply love the visual appeal a temple holds for me.And I wish for a greater understanding of such subtleties and abstract concepts.Happy New Year to all my blog readers .
