Thenthiruperai is a panchayat town in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is famous for the Makara Nedunkuzhai Kannan temple and is one of the Nava Tirupathi, nine Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in the Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli route, Tamil Nadu, India in the banks of Thamiraparani river.
All these 9 temples are classified as Nava Tirupathi, the 108 temples of Vishnu revered by the 12 poet saints, or Alwars. The temple is referred to as Sukra sthalam, a location for the planet deity, Sukra. The Nava Tirupathi is considered as Navagraha (the nine planets) temples. Devotees worship in these temples to relieve from the adverse effects of the planets in their life. The Nava Tirupathi temples are headed by ‘Lord Perumal’ (‘Lord Vishnu’) hence there are no separate Navagraha shrines present in these temples.
The temple is big in size. Mother Earth – Bhoodevi chanted the Ashtakshara Mantra taught to her by Sage Durvasa, performed penance on Lord Perumal. When she came out from the sacred river Tambiraparani after a bath, she got two precious ear rings and came to be known as SriPerai – Thiruperai in Tamil.
She offered the two fish shaped ear rings to Perumal on a Panguni Poornima day in March-April, thus Perumal became Nedunguzhai Kadhan. Since Mother Bhoomadevi was named Sri Perai, the place also was named Thenthiruperai. Varuna, the God of Rains, performed penance on Perumal here to cleanse himself of his disrespectful behaviour against Jupiter-Guru and performed Tirumanjanam to the Lord and the place received rains, according to the Sthala Puranas.
The Garuda Sevai utsavam (festival) in the month of Vaikasi (May-Jun) witnesses 9 Garudasevai, a spectacular event in which festival image idols from the Nava Tirupathis shrines in the area are brought on Garuda vahana (sacred vehicle). An idol of Nammalvar is also brought here on a Anna Vahanam (palanquin) and his paasurams (verses) dedicated to each of these nine temples are recited.
The utsavar (festival deity) of Nammalvar is taken in a palanquin to each of the 9 temples, through the paddy fields in the area. The paasurams (poems) dedicated to each of the nine divya desams are chanted in the respective shrines. This is the most important of the festivals in this area, and it draws thousands of visitors.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thenthiruperai
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makara_Nedunkuzhaikathar_Temple
https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/New_en.php?id=574
http://www.templedetails.com/thenthirupperai-thiru-makara-nedunkulai-kaather-perumal-temple/