The temple is on a land covering 1.5 acres with a five tier Rajagopuram facing east.  It has three prakaras-corridors.  The Vimana above the sanctum sanctorum is of Gajabrushta design.

Devotees believe that bathing continuously in the sacred spring on Sundays will cure skin diseases.

It is the staunch belief of the devotees that worshipping Mothers Tiruverkadu Balambikai, Tiruvalidayam Jagadambikai and Tiruvottriyur Vadivambikai in a single day would pour on them the choicest benefits both during this life and the life later.  People believe that continuous bathing in the sacred spring on Sundays would cure them of any skin problems.  The temple was built by a Chola king.  Lord Shiva once told Mother Parvathi that any one thinking of this holy place, stay here for a while or even pass through this place would be awarded with  total salvation to the devotee.

While Lord Vinayaka was playing in the milk ocean, Lord Vishnu witnessing the play, his conch slipped and fell into the ocean.  He got it back with the grace of Lord Shiva of this temple.  Along with Lord Vishnu, Adisesha also worshipped Lord here and promised that He would not bite any one living within the boundaries of this place.  Since that day, no death had occurred in this place due to snake bite.  Hence, the place has the name Vidam Theenda Pathy – place where no snake bite occurs.

Lord Muruga created a spring here near the Velvela tree and made amends for not releasing Lord Brahmma from his captivity as directed by Lord Shiva.  Sages Athiri, Parasara, Brugu, Kuchara, Angirasa, Vasishta, Gautama, Kashyapa, Dindi, Mundi, Valakilliar Viradagni and others had worshipped Lord Shiva in this temple.  Pandava brothers, Emperor Shibi Chola, Vana, nine planets and deities of the 8 directions – Ashtadhik Balakas had worshipped here.  Lord Muruga is praised in the Tirupugazh hymns of Saint Arunagiriar.

This is birth place of Moorka Nayanar.  He resolutely followed the principle of taking his food only after feeding Shiva devotees.  He was unable to stick to the dharma, he used his gambling skill and made money.  When the losers refused to pay him the dues, he used violence to recover the money and continued the habit with the proceeds.  As he behaved brutally with the losers, he was named Moorka Nayanar-violent Nayanar.  He was cleansed by Lord as the intention of Nayanar was high.  There is a shrine for Moorka Nayanar in the outer corridor of the temple.  A festival dedicated to Nayanar is celebrated on the Kruthika star day in Karthikai-November-December-month.

When all sages reached the border of Himalayas to witness the Wedding of Mother Parvathi with Shiva, due to their total weight, the ground went below causing the rising of the south.  Lord Shiva asked Sage Agasthya to go to south to balance the ground level.  For the sake of the safety of all, Sage Agasthya had to sacrifice the great opportunity of joining the divine celebrations.  Lord Shiva assured the sage that he would grant the wedding darshan to him on his way to south.  When Sage Agasthya reached Tiruverkadu, Lord granted darshan with Mother Parvathi. Due to the curse of Sage Brugu, Lord Vishnu was born as Parasurama to Sage Jamadagni and Renuka Devi.  When he came here to worship Lord Shiva here, his mother Ranukadevi also accompanied the son.  That Renuka temple is now the famous Karu Mariamman temple in Tiruverkadu.  Lord Shiva wanted to create the world after it was destroyed by the great floods-pralaya-tsunami.  He ordered the four Vedas-Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharvana to become Velvela trees.  These trees are the sacred trees of the temple.  Hence the place is named Verkadu-jungle of vela trees with the auspicious prefix Tiru – Tiruverkadu.