Sengalipuram - Sri Ranganathar Temple

Sengalipuram ("Shivakalipuram" as it is known in shastras) is a village where great saints like Sengalipuram Muthanna and Sri Anantharama Deekshithar were lived before. This is the one among in 18 Vathima villages. The Ranganathar Swamy resides in this village is very special by six fingers in his leg. Sengalipuram contains more historic and ancient evidence like its been described in great myths(puranam) like bavisyothra puranam, saamba puranam and brimanda puranam. In those myths, they called this place with different names like paadali vanam, punnaga vanam, shivakalipuram, etc.

The Ranganathar Swamy temple is surrounded by various holi ponds such as Goudhama Theertham in west, Shivaganga Theertham in east, pragaladha Theertham in south and sakra Theertham in North. Goddess Sridevi, Goddess Bhoomidevi, Lord Sri vaigundha nathar temples are situated in north east corner of sakra Theertham which was incarnated due to the effect of poojas made by kavalar munivar and parasarar munivar. Long decades ago, a king named Pirudhu was doing strong penance towards Renganathar. To praise his deep penance and solidarity renganathar blessed him by his presence. So, even now we can see the renganathar idol face is looking towards Pirudhu with snake "Aadhisesan" as his mattress. Goddess Sridevi idol is situated near to Lord Renganathar's head and Goddess Boomidevi is situated near to Lord Renganathar's leg.

In kridha Uga, there lived a king called Hiranya kasibu. Lord Vishnu took a avatar called "Narasimmam" and killed him. His son named pragaladhan was Lord Vishu devotee. After Lord Vishu killed his father, he captured by "Pithruhathi sin"(A sin named for killing the father). As per rishi's suggestion, pragaladhan came to sengalipuram temple and worshipped Lord Varadharaja perumal and parimala renganathar after take holy dip in sakra pond(located nearby this temple). After some years of worship, he completely out of pithruhathi sin.

In thridha uga, king dhasarathar doesn't blessed with a baby even after wedding three wives. So as directed by rishi's guru vasishtar, he went to thirucherai, thirukannapuram and he came to this renganathar temple situated 20kms away from west of bay of bengal. Even after praying for more than a year, his wish does not came true. Atlast, he had decided to go back to ayodhiya. when he was getting ready he suddenly saw goddess, were they are asking him to come closer. Then Lord Vishnu too praised him and suggested him perform "Asvamedha Yagam". Lord Vishu promised him that after compeleting the yagam, he himself will take birth on this earth as his son. (Later he is so called "Sri Rama").

In dhuvabara uga, there lived a person called janamejeyan. His father was died due to snake bite. so he got angry with snake and made snake yagam(sarba yagam) to kill all the snakes. Due to that yagam, he fell onto "Sarpa dosham". Because of dosham, his hands & legs were changed. Even that thosham affects his family & his generation. Great Rishis including Vyasar hinted janamejeyan to worship the lord in sengalipuram sri renganathar temple. As per rishi's direction, he along with his family came to this temple and worshipped Lord Varatharaja perumal and lord parimala renganathar. After his deep worship his dhosham was relieved. While seeing the above three incidents, we came to know that renganatha perumal keeps his people blessed for more than past three ugams(centuries) so far. At the end of dhuvabara uga this temple went inside on land due to destruction of world(pralayam).

After several decades, a mental person requested every body not to spit,urinate in the place where lord Renganathar temple was there before. On a particular day, vilage people went for harvesting. The mental person stopped all persons and prevented them to move forward. He asked to dig the land in the particular place where Lord Renganathar temple was there. Nobody shown interest to his wish and admonished him that they will lay down him on that hole. But after his repeated says, they started to dig the land and they found Adhikesaven snakes's head. Once they found the snake's head, then they decided to hand over dig work to brahmins. Later, Brahmins started dig the land and came up to snake's third round tier of its body. Since it became late night, every body went asleep. Same night on everybody's dream Lord Vishnu came and ordered them not to dig the land anymore. On the immediate dawn all of them decided to build temple on the same place. This incident was told 20 years before in person by Sri Swamynatha dikshadhar F/o Sri Anatharama dikshadar to Sri Balakrsishna battachariyar F/o Sri Kalyanarama battachariyar. He also explanied that the incident happened before 400 years. It was later inscribed too, by battachar.

In this temple, Lord Renganathar has six fingers on his one feet. So by worshipping this lord, "Pidhur saabam", "Sarpa dosham" will be solved and "Puttira baagiyam" (New child) be definitely blessed. Even now, people are fulfilled with their wishes by worshipping lord "Jaya kaariya sittikara anjeneyar". Sri Rukmani satyabhama sametha sri Rajagopala swamy is a very powerful god and he will fulfill the wishes raised by his true and faithful devotees.

With the great effort of Sri Ramamoorthy Iyer, Sri Kalyanarama battachariyar and Sri rajagopala battachariyar "Brahamotshavam" is being celebrated every year in the month of February.