The antiquity of the temple dates back to 1300 years built during the 8^th century by Pandya kings.  According to one story, the idol of Lord Narasimha Perumal was designed and sculpted even before the construction of Lord Nellayappar-Mother Gandhimadhi temple by the Pandyas.   It is also said that the level of the Moola Linga of Lord Nellaiappar and of Narasimha Perumal were equal and there was an underground pathway connecting both temples.  But in course of time, this temple got buried under the ground.  Great Vaishnavite Acharya Koorathazhwar Kone discovered this fact.  Lord Sri Narasimha with His boundless energy came out roaring drawn by his devotion power.  The temple came into being then through the tireless and devotional efforts of Vaishnavite saints Perarulalar Kone and Tirumangai Azhwar.  They rendered many renovations and maintained the temple.

Devotees place their prayers at the feet of the Lord seeking relief from debt burdens, solutions for property disputes and development of their trades in a touching manner with tears.  Their faith is so staunch that they believe that their Lord would respond their prayers and would not let them down.  They offer Lime juice with sugar as nivedhana to Lord.

Lord Sri Narasimha graces in almost all Vishnu temples having Mother Mahalakshmi on His left lap and embracing by His left hand.  In contrast, Mother Mahalakshmi is seated on the left lap of the Lord, has Her hand on the shoulders of the Lord holding a lotus flower.  Also Her look is on the Lord.  The philosophy behind this form is that Mother represents the grievances of the devotees speaking to Lord face to face with Her hand on His shoulders.  This is a very rare imagination of those who designed the idol.  The other difference is that though the Lord is called Narasimha, He does not have the face of a Lion.  Such form of Narasimha is known as Prahladha Varada, Lord who protected Prahaladha from the cruelties of his demon father Hiranya.   It is also the belief of devotees that Perumal in this form would consider their prayers with all sympathy.

All incarnations of Lord Vishnu were to establish Dharma and destroy those against the rule of dharma. Narasimha incarnation is one and unique to protect a boy who bound him tightly with his devotion.  The boy Prahaladha’s father Hiranya declared that all his subjects should worship only him and not Lord Narayana as their Lord.  His son Prahladha rebelled against his father’s draconian order though he was prepared to respect him as a father but refused to accept him as God.  Hiranya used all his powers to bring the son to his terms and did not hesitate to harass him as violently as he could.  But the son did not give in.

Hiranya relied on his boons that would protect him from death threats by humans, animals and such other powers.  He shouted at his son saying “where is your Hari”

Lord Himself was a little worried and spread His powers in everything including dust and grass.  When Prahladha showed a pillar where too the Lord would manifest, he broke the pillar only to see the Lord appearing ferociously in a form, a combination of both human and a lion, a form that did not include in the boon demand of Hiraya.  Lord flew into fury, kept him on the lap and killed him.  Mother Mahalakshmi had to be called to sit on His lap to bring the Lord’s temperament to normalcy.  Narasimha thus became Lord Lakshmi Narasimha.