File:Sri Sanjeevi Raya Hanuman Temple.jpg

English: It is quite common to find Hanuman in Vishnu/Ramar temples facing the Sanctum Sanctorum or in a seperate shrine. There are even Shiva temples where we can see separate shrines for Hanuman.

But here is a temple where the Siriya Thiruvadi is in the Sanctum Sanctorum and the Periya Thiruvadi (Garudalwar) is found outside. For a medium sized temple, there is no other shrine.

Situated on the Kanchipuram - Vandavasi route, on the banks of Palar, this temple has been built by Sri Koti Kannikadhanam Lakshmi Kumara Thathachariar in the 16th Century. The history behind this temple is extremely interesting.

Lakshmi Kumara Thathachariar was the Raja Guru of the Vijayanagara Kings - Venkata Raya I and II and the Chief Minister of the Vijayanagar empire during his time. He hailed from the glorious Acharya lineage of Vaishnavite philosophers and had heriditary relations with Nathamunigal, Sri Alavandhar, Sri Ramanuja etc. Considering his knowledge and acts of philanthropy which gave him the title of Koti Kannikadhanam, the Vijayanagar kings nominated him as the Sri-Karya Durandharar of all the Divya Desams in their empire.

One night, Sri Thathachariar was travelling to Kanchipuram with the royal gifts he received from the king, to offer them to Varadaraja Perumal. As it became dark, he decided to stay where the temple now stands and spend the night under a tree there. 

During Treta Yuga, when Hanuman was carrying the Sanjeevi Parvata to revive Lakshmana who was hurt and unconscious, it is believed that a piece of the parvata had fallen at this point.

After Thathachariar and his men settled down and fell asleep, having safeguarded the riches under the tree, a group of robbers came there and started looting. Immediately, a group of monkeys appeared out of nowhere, and started attacking the robbers.

The robbers in an effort to save themselves, started running. Some of them could not bear the attack and fell down unconscious. Thathachariar could see all the happenings as if in a dream. He saw the monkeys safeguarding the treasures after driving away the robbers. He could also see that Sri Hanuman himself was spearheading the attack. Overwhelmed with devotion, he sang a sloka in praise of Lord Hanuman called "Srimad Hanumath Vimsati". He vowed to build a temple there for Hanuman and that was how the Sanjeevi Raya Hanuman Temple came to be built. Sri Thathachariar also built a massive pond of almost 150 acres that has come to be known as "Thatha Samudram" after the Thathachariar. The place has also got its name of Ayyangarkulam from the pond and thathachariar