Lord Shiva here is also called Adhimooleswarar.  There is a grand Court Hall (Raja Sabha – court of the king) in the Arthamandapa Hall in the temple. Saivite saint |Gnanasambandar had mentioned the Lord in his hymns as Moolanatheswarar and the place as Kaarar Kondrai.  Devotees believe that performing abishek to the Lord would bring them all prosperities.

People pray for removal of obstacles in marriage talks and for child boon.

The temple is situated in between the rivers Cauvery and Kollidam.  Nandhi (the bull vehicle of Lord Shiva and the Bali Peeta (an upside down lotus platform for placing the Nivedhana) are outside the temple.  As it is believed that worshipping the Goodess facing South would minimize the ferocity of Yama the God of Death, the Goddess in the temple is facing south.  Those who have lost their kid(s), perform special puja to the Goddess with yellow clothes.  They hope to get another child.  This pooja is performed in the temple on all Poornima (full moon) days.  Newly wedded couples also pray to Goddess seeking healthy and wise children.  Behind the sanctum sanctorum is the shrine of Sankaranarayana instead of Lingoghbava as is generally found in Shiva temple.  There are Rukmini, Sathyabama and Lord Venugopala also in the temple.

A Chola king ruling this region then passed through this place while hunting and wanted to have rest.  He saw a white bird and with the intention of having it, he shot an arrow but the bird escaped.  When he visited the place again, he saw the bird and waited near the bushes as it was its nest.

The king felt the smell of milk in that place.  But the bird did not return.  The king removed the bushes and found an anthill.  When he further dug, milk sprang from the spot.  The king, afraid of the incident, simply returned back.  Lord Shiva appeared in his dream and said that He was in that spot in the form of a Linga and directed him to build a temple.  So place came to be known as Pattrurai (Paal+Thurai – Paal in Tamil means milk and thurai place, thus came the name Pattrurai)  The Lord was named Pattrurainathar as he came out from the place where milk sprang up.