History Mayandi Swamigal was born in 1858 in Kattikuklam, a village about 40 km from Madurai on the route to Rameswaram. He was born due to the boon granted by Maha Siddha Purushar Soottukkol Ramalinga Swamigal to his parents Pitchai Velar and Kooththayi Ammal. Even as a child he revealed divine qualities; many times snakes used to roll over his body and spread their hoods over his head. As any other child he also went to school and helped his parents in making earthen pots. He read the writings of Siddha Purushas, available in the palm leaves in his house, and through constant japam and meditaton he attained Ashta Siddhis. He also visited Madurai Meenakshi Temple many times. Disturbed by the religious practices at his young age itself, his parents got him married to a relative, Meenakshi. Mayandi got one daughter, Meenakshi, and one son, Ganapathy. With this his family life came to an end. When Chellappa Swamigal, a disciple of Soottukkol Ramalinga Swamigal, came to his village, Mayandi became his disciple and took sanyasa. Though his family members did not permit, he left his home. He traveled to many holy places, and realized Nirvikalpa Samadhi at the Pothihai Hills in the south. Later he served his guru, Chellappa Swamigal, for some time. When his guru attained Mahasamadhi, Mayandi Swamigal finally settled in Thirukkoodal Malai in Thirupparankundram. Mayandi Swamigal has done yeoman service to spread bhakthi among the people of this region. During one of his visits to Madurai, Irulappa Konar prayed to him for a long life, in spite of the prediction of a shorter life of 26 years. Irulappa Konar is the only son of Karuppana Konar who was one of afew wealthy persons in Madurai. Mayandi Swamigal took Irulappa Konar to Karuppanendal at Kattikulam. There Swamigal laid himself down for 48 days and underwent the death sufferings of Irulappa Konar. Thus Swamigal saved him from early death. From that moment onwards Irualappa Konar became an ardent devotee of Swamigal. He spent all his wealth in the services of Swamigal. He built temples (one such temple is the Dhandapani Temple at the top of Thirukkoodal Malai) , Samadhis for other Siddha Purushas, Mandapams, etc. at Thirukkoodal Malai under the instructions of Swamigal. He also got the vision of Kasi Kshetram at Karuppanendal through the grace of Swamigal. Mayandi Swamigal celebrated all the important festivals in Thirupparankundram and other places by establishing mandapams at various places. He nominated local hereditary trustees for each mandapam. He himself conducted the one month long Navaneedha Perumal utsav every year during Tamil Adi Month, by taking the deity in different vahanas from Thirukkoodal Malai and upto Manamadurai though many villages. Because of His grace many families were benefited in terms of wealth, children, etc. He also helped many devotees attain Mukthi. Once He was traveling in a train to Manamadurai. Since he was not having ticket, the ticket examiner, an English man, got him down at some intermediate point by pulling the emergency chain. But the train could not be restarted, though nothing was wrong in the engine. After all the passengers prayed to Him, He got into the train. Then only the train could be started. This was reported by all dailies the next day, and the Railways made it free for all sanyasis to travel up to Rameswaram. Swamigal has also built many temples in different villages, and unearthed a Siva temple in a village called Marnadu. After establishing bhakthi cult among common people He attained Mahasamadhi in 1930. His Jeevasamadhi is at the foot-hill of Thirukkoodal Malai. This temple is maintained by the hereditary Trustees belonging to Irulappa Konar's family. At the temple daily annadanam to about 60 sanyasis, and many annual festivals as established by Mayandi Swamigal are going on. At present thiruppani is going on to replace the 100 years old delapidated brick structure of Dhandapani Temple by a granite structure as per the written instruction of Swamigal. The cost estimate is around Rs.50 lakhs. Liberal donations are expected from devotees to complete the above task. Arulmigu Soottukkol Ramalinga Swamigal It seems around 1800 Ramalinga Swamigal was in the three nearby villages: Puthukkulam, Kuvalai Veli, and Kattikulam.Chellappa Swamigal was the disciple of Ramalinga Swamigal, and Mayandi Swamigal was the disciple of Chellappa Swamigal. Hence Mayandi Swamigal used to call himself as the hereditary of Soottukkol Ramalinga Swamigal. Soottukkol is a metallic stick, and it was always with Ramalinga Swamigal. When it was placed on the head of any bad person, it would burn the skin. Hence bad people were afraid to go near Ramalinga Swamigal. In Kattikulam he created five branches of different trees sprouting from the same trunk. Hence he was called "Anju Marathan" by the people. Even today the trunk portion is there in the Ramalinga Swamigal Temple at Kattikulam. It is at this temple that the parents of Mayandi Swamigal prayed for a male child, and got Mayandi Swamigal as their child. Once he was playing with other youths of the village. At the end of the game every one felt thirsty. To quench the thirst Ramalinga Swamigal just pressed a wooden stick into the ground, and a perennial spring came up. To day it is called "Ramar Theertham" at the western bank of Kattikulam irrigation Tank. Ramalinga Swamigal was going from Puthukkulam to Kattikulam. Incidentally, he left the bag on the bank of the tank in Puthukkulam. When he realized, he asked the fishermen to fetch the bag for him. But the fishermen did not oblige, since they were busy in trying to catch fishes in the tank water. Then Swamigal uttered "You may not get any fish at all." Since then there is no fish in the tank even up to this day. His Jeeva Samadhi Temple is at Mannargudi in Thiruvaroor District. Every year his Aradhana is celebrated on Thai Poosam day, and annadhanam is arranged on every new moon day and full moon day. The contact address is: Kalaimagan G.Kamaraj, 30/4 Gopala Samuthiram North Street, Mannarkudi - 614 001. Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu. Phone: +91-4367-221060; Cell: +91-09443503926. Arulmigu Somappa Swamigal Somappa Swamigal, a great Siddha Purushar, came around 1920 to Thirukkoodal Malai, when Mayandi Swamigal has well settled in Thirukkoodal Malai under the affectionate care of Thiru Irulappa Konar. His arrival was sensed by Mayandi Swamigal, and Mayandi Swamigal asked Irulappa Konar to take full care of Somappa Swamigal. Since then and upto the Maha Samadhi of Somappa Swamigal in 1968 Irulappa Konar and his descendents Sethumadhava Konar and Ramalinga Konar fed Somappa Swamigal with the same care and respect as they did for Mayandi Swamigal. Many devotees including Muthuramalinga Thevar used to visit Somappa Swamigal in Thirukkoodal Malai. Somappa Swamigal used to call all the devotees by his own name “Somappa”. He has blessed many devotees with children, professional glory, and wealth. When Mayandi Swamigal attained Mahasamadhi, Somappa Swamigal stood near the body and looked at the body intensively. At that time people noticed a smile at the lips of Mayandi Swamigal. Then Somappa Swamigal fled away towards the hill shouting "Somappa never dies". His Samadhi Koil is on the Thirukkoodal Malai at a height of around 50 feet. It is on the path way to Thandapani Temple at the top of the hill. His aradhana day is celebrated every year in the Tamil month of Aani by a large of his devotees. Arulmigu Chellappa Swamigal Chellappa Swamigal is the guru of Mayandi Swamigal. Chellappa Swamigal is a disciple of Ramalinga Swamigal. He served his guru, when the latter was in ; Chellappa Swamigal was born in Thanjakoor, a village via Thiruppachetti in Sivaganga District. When he came to Kattikulam around 1890, Mayandi Swamigal prayed to Chellappa Swamigal and became his disciple. There is Chellappa Swami Madam in Kattikulam, where sadhus take rest when they go to Rameswaram by walk Chellappa Swamigal was a great yogi and siddha purusha. He has cured illness of many devotees, and granted boons for getting children. He attained Mahasamadhi at Ekkakudi near Utharakosamangai in Ramnad District. Mookkaiah Swamigal Mookkaiah Swamigal belongs to Madurai North Masi Street. Initially he was doing yogas along with Kattangudi Reddy Swamigal. He became a disciple of Mayandi Swamigal, when the latter visited Madurai. He brought K.Irulappa Konar to Mayandi Swamigal in order to save Irulappa Konar from an early death. Later Irulappa Konar became a staunch devotee, and spent all his wealth in building temples and mandapams as per the instruction of Mayandi Swamigal. Mookkaiah Swamigal attained Mukthi on 14.10.1916 in the presence of Mayandi Swamigal and Reddy Swamigal. His Samadhi Koil is behind Thiagarajar College of Engineering at Madurai. Sandhananda Swamigal Sandhananda Swamigal of Puthkkottai was born in a Brahmin family in a village near Madurai under the blessings of Mayandi Swamigal. When he was studying in a school, Mayandi Swamigal again visited his house and asked him to join a Veda Padasala. Accordingly he learnt Vedas in Karaikudi. He joined national movement for freedom under the leadership of Gandhiji, and he was imprisoned. After his release he went straight to Meenakshi Temple where he saw Mayandi Swamigal in meditation. Mayandi Swamigal initiated him to do japam. After visiting many places in India, he finally came to Senthamangalam near Salem and took sanyasa from Swayam Prakasha Brahmendra Saraswathy Swamigal with the name Sathguru Sandhananda Swamigal. Under the orders of his guru he settled in Puthukkottai, built Bhuvaneswari Temple, conducted many yagas, and developed Puthukkottai and Senthamangalam as great religious places. He conducted a big Sudharsana Homam for 112 days in 2003 for world peace and prosperity in Skandashraman at Thambaram in Chennai. He attained Jeevan mukthi on 27.05.2002 , and his Samadhi Koil is in Salem Skandasramam.