This is a place that enjoys a higher importance than Kasi.  Sri Vinayaka behind the temple is praised as Lord Poyya Vinayaka.  He came in the disguise of a Brahamin to a king wandering around the place and enquired of his problem.  The king replied that he was searching for a location to build a temple.  Lord Vinayaka advised the king to stay at the bottom of the tank for some three and half hours (Nazhigai) to get the reply.  The king stood confused.  Lord Vinayaka said that the place was more holy than Kasi and what was left in Kasi could be recovered from this tank.  The king obeyed the advice of the Brahmin and came out with the sanctum sanctorum.  He was happy and built this temple.

This is a place considered sacred for performing remedial rituals for removal of any evil and adverse effects faced by the devotees.  Devotees perform Parvathi Homa to conclude wedding proposals successfully.  Those seeking child boon perform Santhana Gopalakrishna Homa.

This is the birth place of Sirapuli Nayanar, one among the 63 celebrated saivite Nayanmars.  He attained salvation also here.  People also celebrate their 60^th birth day in the temple.  Devotees perform Sahasranama (chanting 1000 names of the Lord) archana to Lord Bhairava on the Ashtami the 8^th day of the new moon fortnight.  Lord Muruga in the temple is praised in the Tirupugazh hymns of Arunagiriar.  This is also one of the sacred places where Lord Shiva granted Wedding Darshan to Sage Agasthya.  The temple belongs to Mada category built by king Kochengatkannan.  In a banquet here, Lord Shiva participated sitting with others.

King Kochenganan was suffering from ulcer in the stomach.  A voice said that he could be cured if he built in a temple at a place that had three sthala vrukshas-sacred trees.  He saw Kondrai, Pakku and Vilwa trees here and began building the temple.  During the construction, the wall built the previous day would fall the next day.  He begged Lord Shiva for the solution.  He was advised to feed 1000 Brahmins for 48 days.  He found that one Brahmin short each day.  He again fell at the feet of the Lord to help him.  On the final day-48^th day- all the seats were full with 1000 Brahmins present.  The king politely asked the old 1000^th guest to which place he belonged to.  The old man replied “Yarukku Oor” meaning “place! to whom?”.

The security with the king was angry as the old man questioned back the king.  The guest ran from there and disappeared in an anthill.  When opened, a Swayambulinga was found in the anthill with an injury caused by the hit of the crowbar used to demolish the anthill.  It is still visible on the Linga.