Siddhar Thaengai Swami
Arrival in Pondicherry
Siddhar Thaengai Swami (Coconut Swami) arrived in Pondicherry from Jaffna, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) around 1939–1940. He settled in Thattanchavady, living in a pump shed owned by Mutalib Sayabu of Sultanpet.
Appearance and Personality
According to those who encountered him, Thaengai Swami had a clean-shaven face, neatly groomed hair (or no hair at all based on different accounts), and a tall, well-built frame with long arms. Witnesses describe him wearing a saffron robe that extended to his feet and having a large saffron dot on his broad forehead.
Healing and Spiritual Work
He was known for his healing abilities, treating people who came to him with various ailments using herbal remedies. His reputation spread across the region, bringing visitors from many surrounding areas seeking both medical treatment and spiritual guidance.
Unique Method of Divination
Accounts suggest that Thaengai Swami practiced a distinctive method of divination. Instead of asking for horoscopes or birth details, he would request a coconut and incense sticks. After lighting the incense, he would break the coconut with a knife and examine the crack patterns and inner shell to reveal insights about a person's past, present, and future.
Worship and Daily Life
During his time in Thattanchavady, it is said he discovered a Kali idol in a ruined temple nearby and began worshipping it. This deity is now revered as Pitariyamman with a dedicated shrine. Those who knew him recalled that he was vegetarian and was often seen carrying a shiny copper pipe.
After his passing, Thaengai Swami was laid to rest between the Pondicherry–Villupuram highway and the railway track. A samadhi was built over his final resting place with a Shiva Lingam consecrated above it. His legacy continues through the devotees who visit his shrine, and in recent years they have constructed a more elaborate temple at the samadhi site. The name "Thaengai Swami" (Coconut Swami) originated from his practice of breaking coconuts during consultations, a name that has endured through generations of followers.
Location
After his passing, Thaengai Swami was laid to rest between the Pondicherry–Villupuram highway and the railway track. A samadhi was built over his final resting place with a Shiva Lingam consecrated above it. His legacy continues through the devotees who visit his shrine, and in recent years they have constructed a more elaborate temple at the samadhi site. The name "Thaengai Swami" (Coconut Swami) originated from his practice of breaking coconuts during consultations, a name that has endured through generations of followers.
Based on accounts recorded in Thyagi Muthu Sundaramurthy's work "Villianoor Om Sadguru Shree Ram Paradesi Swamigal".
