The temple is situated between rivers Cauvery and Kollidam.  Out side the temple, are the shrines for Lord Vishnu gracing with His consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi and Lord Maha Ganapathy.

Women seeking child boon and pregnant mothers pray to Mariamman for safe labour and offer bangles to dwarapalakis.  Also those suffering from measles pray to the Goddess.

Sri Mariamman graces with a crown of fire and hold weapons in Her eight hands.  Pachaikali and Pavalakali are the dwarapalakis for the Goddess to whom women offer bangles seeking child boon and pregnant women pray for safe delivery of the child.   Majority of devotees are those suffering from measles.  As a custom, in other places, these patients stay in their own houses and use to bathe in hot water heated in sunlight.  In Manalur, they directly come to the temple complex itself for the stay  and have such a bath in the hope that they will be cured soon as they are under he direct view of Goddess Muthumariamman.

Measles patients use to collect rice from houses as Dhan, bring it to he temple and prepare the porridge, offer it to Goddess as nivedhana and distribute to others as Prasad.

Procession deity begins Her journey the next day of Shivrathri to other nearby places as Punnainallur, Kumbakonam and shall return after 42 days.  The festival shall start in Chithirai (April-May) on the first Monday.  Next Monday, a ceremony called ‘Chedil Suttrudhal’ is followed by hanging a lamb in front of the temple.  Those realizing their wishes carry Milk Pots and Kavadi during this festival.

As the month of Aavani-August-September happens to rainy season, there will be possible problems from snakes and other insects in farm lands.  Hence for the safety of their husbands working in fields, women observe fasting on Sundays in this Tamil month.  This is a place largely covered by agricultural lands.  Special pujas are performed for the Goddess on such Sundays followed by procession.

Being situated in the midst of two rivers, Manalur would have to face heavy floods during monsoon subjecting the residents to untold sufferings.  The chieftain ruling this place begged the Goddess to protect the subjects from rain havocs.  The rain receded and people were saved.  As a token of his gratitude, he built this temple and named it as Manalur-place of sand, brought by floods.

A farmer, while tilling his land, could not take off his plough which stuck in a place.  When he dug the place with the help of others, he found an idol of Goddess.  The Chieftain came to the place, wrapped the idol in a piece of cloth and sent it to this place.  The villagers were confused as to where the idol should be placed.  They kept the idol packed as it was.  A little girl appeared in the dream of a devotee and identified Herself and entered the temple.  They understood that She was Mariamman.  When they opened the package, they found the Goddess with measles pearls all over the body.  They installed the deity and named Her Muthu –Pearls- Mariamman.