The Temple with its five-tier Rajagopuram is facing east.  Festival deities Chandrasekarar, Kalyana Sundarar and Thiagaraja are on right of the sanctum sanctorum.  Mother Nagavalli Ambal, Darshan gracing Nayanar, Lord Nataraja, Lord Aiyappan are on the left.  Juradevar, Lord Dakshinamoorthy, Naga Kannikas, Valampuri Vinayaka are on the right side of the inner prakara. Kanni Ragu Bhagwan, Javeli Nathar, Lord Muruga, Thatha Purushalingam, Mother Mahalakshmi, Naalvar are on the western side.  Lord Brahmma, Mother Durga, Lord Kasi Viswanathar, Lord Nardana Vinayakar, Saneeswara Bhagwan are in their separate shrines.  On the right side of the outer prakara, is the Chandra theertha tank, and a garden on the left.  In the inner prakara is a shrine for Raghu Bhagwan with a vimana.  It is said that nobody in this land of Lord Shiva had met with a snake bite.

This is a temple, it is believed, is a place to protect people from so many ill-fates as snake dosha, Kalasarpa dosha, Mangalya dosha, Puthra dosha and such other attacks.  Devotees visit the temple for relief from such doshas.

Lord Brahamma, Indira, Moon, Sage Durvasa, Saptha Rishis, Rudrasanma, Andhana and other noted souls had worshipped Lord Shiva during all the Yugas in this holy land.  Serpent King Nagaraja was relieved of his sin in this holy place only.  The holy spring Chandra Theertham was created by planet Moon.  Any one performing Shrardha for the ancestors, do charities etc. here shall reap the benefits of doing such rituals in the Holy Gaya.

According to scriptures, planet Moon worshipped Lord Shiva here for 10 days from Aani Poornima day in June-July by hoisting the holy flag, performed theerthavirs, conducted Brahmmotsava and reached the Feet of Lord.  Indira did so for 10 days from Masi Poornima day in February-March.  Nagaraja worshipped Lord Shiva for 10 days from Masi new moon day.  That day happened to be Maha Shivrathri day.  King of the snakes was enjoying with his wives that night.  It so happened that Sambuthathan the five year old son of a Brahmin was bitten by the snake and he died.   The Brahmin who understood the incident through his wisdom eye cursed the Snake King that he would lose all his strength, wisdom and be left alone to stray in the jungles of earth.  Trembled by the curse, the snake king fell at the feet of the Brahmin and begged for his pardon. He sought a solution for relief from his curse. 

The Brahmin said that he would be relieved of the curse when he met his father Kashypa after 1000 years.  The serpent met his father. With due respect to the directions of the Brahmin the serpent king worshipped Lord Naganatha on the Masi Maha Shivrathri day at Kumbakonam Vilwa Vana in the morning, Tirunageswaram Naganatha at the second schedule, Tirupampura Naganatha on the third schedule, Naganathaswami in Punnagavanam  on the fourth schedule the same day and got relieved from the Brahmin’s curse.  As a Naga-serpent worshipped Lord Shiva here, He is named Naganathaswami and Mother Goddess Nagavalli.