Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple located at Singavaram very close to Gingee Fort in Viluppuram district of Tamil Nadu.
Senji Singavaram Ranganatha Temple (aka Singavaram Perumal Temple) is a cave-temple dedicated to Lord Ranganatha and Goddess Ranganayaki Thayar. The temple is a Pallava period structure, and was reconstructed and patronized by Krishnappa Nayakkar of Senji Nayak dynasty.
The 24 feet long idol of Ranganatha, carved from living rock, is in a reclining pose on the coils of the serpent Ananta. A panel in the rear wall depicts the Gandharvas and Brahma, in which Brahma is born from the navel of Vishnu. Besides Garuda, the demons Madhu and Kaitabha who were killed by Vishnu are depicted. Goddess Bhoomidevi graces the feet of the lord while Prahlada sits near his knee.
The idol of Lord Ranganatha, in reclining posture here is said to be bigger than that of the idol in Srirangam. Like Thiruvananthapuram Ananthapadmanabha Swamy, the head, chest and leg portions of this Perumal have to be worshipped through 3 separate entrances. Mangalashasanam was done by Sri Ramanujar.
There is an interesting connection between the Ranganatha Swami temple in Singavaram and the Ranganatha Swami temple in Srirangam. When the temple-town of Srirangam was attacked by Ulugh Khan’s army in 1323 AD., the utsava-murti of Srirangam, Azhagiyamanavalan or Namperumal was taken out of this temple for safety to various places in South India.
Gopanna, a Vijayanagara official who had his residence in Ginjee went to Tirumala where the images of Azhagiyamanavalan and consorts were worshipped and took them to Singapuram (Singavaram) where they were worshipped. He subsequently brought the images to Srirangam where they were reinstated in 1371 AD.
During the reign of King Mahendravarman, the father of the Pallava king, Simhavishnu, there was a beautiful flower garden near his palace. However, for some time, no flowers from the garden reached the palace. When the king inquired, it was reported that a wild boar was eating all the flowers from the garden. Despite many attempts, no one could catch or kill the boar.
One day, Simhavishnu decided to catch the boar himself and hid in the garden. When the boar came to graze, the king jumped in front of it and tried to stab it with a spear, but the boar escaped. The king chased the boar relentlessly. After a while, the boar climbed a mountain, with the king still following.
At the top of the mountain, the boar stopped, looked back at the king, and disappeared. When the king reached the spot where the boar had vanished, he found a huge idol of Lord Ranganatha. Realizing this was no ordinary boar, the king began to worship the idol.
Later, Mahendravarman, the son of Simhavishnu, built a temple for Lord Ranganatha on that mountain, and the place came to be known as Singavaram.
The Utsava idol of Lord Ranganatha is taken to the Puducherry beach to grace the devotees on Masi Magam day (February-March). Special pujas are also performed on Vaikunta Ekadashi day.
People who are turning 60, 70, or 80 years old are encouraged to celebrate their birthdays at this temple. Devotees offer Thirumanjanam (a special ritual) and Vastras (clothes) to Perumal (the deity)