Sangili Bhootattar Temple: A Unique Shrine of Tirunelveli's Guardian Deity

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Lord Shiva boasts thousands of temples dedicated to him, and his consort also has numerous well-known temples. Even his sons, Ganesha and Subramanya, have their own revered temples. It's not surprising that his vahana, Nandi, has a few temples as well. However, it might be hard to fathom the idea of a temple dedicated to a Bhuta Gana. Yet, in Tirunelveli, such a temple exists.

Sangili Bhootattar, revered as the Leader of Bhuta Ganas, is the presiding deity of a modest temple that is technically a part of the Kantimati Sameta Nellaiyappar temple. He serves as the guardian deity of the Nellaiyappar temple.



Beyond that, Sangili Bhootattar is also revered as the guardian deity in many other temples devoted to Shiva and other deities in the Tirunelveli region. Numerous village temples honor this deity.

Per the legend, numerous auspicious entities manifested from the ocean during the churning of the milky ocean by the Asuras and Devas in search of nectar. Among them were the Bhuta Ganas, accompanied by their leader known as Bhootattar. He is also recognized by the names Amritapala, Dandanatha, and Rakshasa Muthu. With chains adorning his body, he earned the epithet Sangili Bhootattar.



The icon of Bhuta Gana, known as Bhutattar, is situated atop the southeastern corner of the outer fortress wall and is worshipped with devotion. Bhutattar is depicted with fierce eyes, a thick mustache, a robust physique, a large stomach, and protruding teeth at the corners of his mouth.

The temple itself is not typical in its structure. It consists of a small four-pillared mandapa that surrounds the sacred icon. Below the top tier, two additional tiers of the mandapa can be found. The middle tier showcases a painting of Bhutattar, while the bottom tier features a relief image of the deity.

Happy travelling. 

This article is Part 9 of the series of articles I write about Kantimati Sameta Nellaiyappar Temple. 

The other parts of the series can be accessed through the below-listed links.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8




Location: Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India

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