The boat sped through the narrow canal that had thick vegetation shielding them from prying eyes on both the sides of the bank. The place where Poonguzhali pointed out was an isolated corner with the statue of huge Nandi (the divine bull who guards Lord Shiva) that had obviously given the place its name ‘Nandi Mandapam’. The Mandapam was used by the Shiva Temple at Nagapattinam where once a year, Lord Shiva and his consort Devi Parvathi were brought there to give darshan to their devotees. Du...