Rajarajeswari Temple, Nanganallur – Legends
Rajagopala Swamigal,
Builder of this Temple:
It is said that the main deity here came up from a Homa
Kundam. In a small house in George Town, Chennai, on Navaratri Friday, on
Visaka Nakshatra in 1957, in a mini yagasala atop a house, Rajagopala Swamigal,
the founder of Rajarajeswari temple, was immersed in performing Homam to Devi. Hundreds
of devotees thronged the house to seek the blessing of the goddess. Rajagopala
Swamigal completed Poornahoothi and distributed prasadam to everyone gathered.
Suddenly, one of his assistants emerged from the pooja
room and pointed to some stones glittering in the Agni of the Homa Kundam. He
found stones with blinding brilliance amidst the flames of the Agni. The
swamigal placed a tray to collect the stones from the Agni. The holy stones
became heavy once they touched the tray. As a result, the tray also became
heavy and tilted to one side, unable to bear the weight. The next day,
Swamy showed it to the sage of Kanchi, the Paramacharya.
He identified that the big stone as Ambal and other
small stones as Siddhi manigal. Within a year, the big stone took the shape of
goddess Rajarajeswari sporting a shanku, chakram sugarcane, bow and Pushpa
banam. Rajagopala Swamigal, by divine order, built the temple and ashram in
Thillai Ganga Nagar, Nanganallur. He then consecrated the icon of goddess
Rajarajeswari as the presiding deity and poojas are performed according to
Srividya sampradaya.
The Swamigal’s life is equally interesting. Perumal
Reddiar of Kumara Kuppam was a Narasimha upsaka and a soothsayer. Azhagiya
Singracharya and his wife Rajammal were childless and sought the blessings of
Perumal Reddiar for a progeny. He blessed the couple who had three sons. The
third son is Rajagopala Swamigal who has the divine grace of Rajarajeswari. The
swamigal has declared that he is an ordinary human being and not god incarnate.
It is believed that mention about the swamigal is found in Brighu nadi (palm
manuscripts) in Bangalore.
Astrologer Rama Sarma declared that Rajagopala Swamigal
was an ascetic and has done severe penance in his previous births. Even in this
birth he has done tapas while young in a cave near the hill temple of
Sholingur. There are two hill temples – Peria Malai and Chinna Malai. The
Swamigal’s disciples are searching for the cave where he has done tapas as he
is not able to recollect the place. The swamigal has predicted that Ambal will
have the sannidhyam for 2,000 years. He has also declared that Ambal as
Rajarajeswari posed as a 16-year-old divine damsel in the same place 1,000
years ago.
Sage Agastya stayed here:
Rajarajeswari Temple is said to have existed in the
times of Sage Agastya, it is believed that Sage Agastya had stayed here and
rendered 16 hymns which give the specialty of the 16 steps in the Temple and in
each step, one hymn is engraved.
Aedangai Nangai:
Thirumoolar has stayed here and has mentioned this
temple and the goddess as Aedangai Nangai. This subsequently was known as
Nangai Nallur and now as Nanganallur.
Nanganallur:
Nanganallur has got name from Sri Raja Rajeswari in
the form of 16 years old young girl – (Nangai).