Sendanar is one among the nine devotees who sung the divine Tiruvisaippa, the ninth Tirumurai. His compositions form the second set in the Tiruvisaippa. He was working as the head clerk of Pattinattu Adikal. (There have been many people with the name Sendan in history. Kovai Tudichaikizhar refers to Vizhi Sendanar as the composer of Tiruvisaippa and Nangur Sendanar as the composer of Tiruppallandu. Another Sendanar was identified as Divakaram Sevita Sendanar who lived in Ambar. Yet another reference was Sendanar adored by the grammar text Vira Chozhiyam and he was a Buddhist.) Sendanar was from the town Nangur near Tiruvenkadu. (Some say he was from a town called Seppurai). He lived during the end of 9CE and beginning of 10CE.

When Sendanar was the head clerk, he opened the treasury under Pattinathar to the public. The relatives of Pattinathar got Sendanar arrested by the Chozha king. Pattinathar prayed to God and got Sendanar released. Later Sendanar moved along with his wife and family to Chidambaram. He eked out a living from cutting wood. In spite of meagre means, this devotee fed one devotee of the Lord, daily. The Lord who enjoys the sincerity and love of His devotees one day came as a devotee to eat the cooked grain balls (kali) he offered. The Lord left the remnants of that food on His sacred body to show the world the greatness of His devotee.

Once during the Arudra festival at the Tillai temple, when the chariot refused to move, Sendanar sang the Tiruppallandu. The chariot not only moved but also reached its shed without anyone touching it! He later founded a monastery in Tiruvidaikazhi and stayed there worshipping Lord Murugan. It is said that the king donated the land for his monastery which was called Senda Mangalam. Tiruvidaikazhi Puranam mentions that he attained the Feet of the Lord on the day of Taipusam. This blessed devotee has sung the Tiruppallandu, which in spite of being a small 13 hymn song in the huge ocean of the Tirumurai, is always sung as part of the Pancha Puranam. He has also composed the Tiruvisaippa on Tiruvizhimizhalai, Tiruvavaduturai and Tiruvidaikazhi.

Har Har Mahadev

See Also:
1. Pattinaththadikal 
2. Thiruvadhirai
3. Thaippucham
4. திருப்பல்லாண்டு
5. திருவிசைப்பா
5. Panycha puranam