Sri Mayandi Swamigal
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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.
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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.
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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.