Lord Shiva in the temple is praised as Somanatha, Lord Vinayaka as Sambanda Vinayaka. 

Sri Kamatchi Amman is believed to be powerful to grace Her devotees with help those facing problems in marriage proposals.

Thumburu was a great master in playing Veena.  His daughter was Sumathi.  She did not notice the arrival of Sage Durvasa as she was in penance on Shiva.  The sage, known for his temperament, cursed Sumathi to be born in Earth.  She was born in the name of Punithavathi.  As Lord Shiva called her Ammaye and as she belonged to Karaikal, the great devotee came to be praised as Karaikal Ammaiyar, the presiding deity of the temple.

The place was once called Karaivanam where lived a couple Dhana Duttan and Darmavathi.  Punithavathi (Sumathi in her earlier birth in the celestial world) was born to them.  She was a Shiva devotee since her childhood.  She was married to Parama Dutta a trader.  Punithavathi continued her Bhakti on Lord Shiva.  Lord Shiva sent two mangoes to Paramadutta through a devotee.  He sent it home.  Lord Shiva came to Punithavati’s house for alms.  She was too happy to offer one fruit to him, also a Shiva devotee.

When Paramadutta came home for lunch, Punithavati served him the remaining fruit.  As it was so sweet, the husband asked for the other one also.  Punithavati was in a dilemma and begged the Lord to help her.  A mango fell at her hands which she served to her husband.  The second mango was sweeter than the first one.  He asked his wife what happened and she told him the truth.  When her husband demanded her to get one more through Lord Shiva, she prayed and to the surprise of Paramadutta, a fruit appeared on Punitavati’s hand.  Paramadutta understood that Punitavati was divine and that he could not be a husband to her.  He parted with her.  He left for other place, married another girl and got a child through her.  He named the child Punithavati.

Knowing the development, Punithavati came to Paramadutta to call him back to her.  He simply fell at her feet respecting her divinity.  Punithavatiar prayed to Shiva to grant her old age and shed her youthfulness.  She heard a voice directing her to proceed to “Kailash”.  As Kailash is a sacred place, Punithavathiar walked the way by head.  Lord Shiva came to receive her saying “Have you come safely” and granted her His dance darshan.  The temple was built later in her birth place, Karaikal.