His Holiness Sri Kanchi Mahaswamigal, in His “Voice of Divinity” (Deivathin Kural) has mentioned about this canal quoting from a book ‘Kavyamala’ published by Nirnayasagar Printers in Mumbai based on some old and other copper epigraphy collected by them.  There is also a mention about Milagu Pillayar worship in the Government Gazette published in the year 1916 in page 367.  It would be very useful if the Government takes up this temple that would be useful to promote national unity.

When monsoon fails, the Farmers’ Association of Cheranmahadevi pray to this Vinayaka by grinding pepper on him, perform abishek in a way that the abhishek water falls in the canal so that monsoon would set in.

We are quite familiar with the news that the neighbouring states are not willing to share with us the excess water they have.  But a youth from Karnataka collected assistance from Kerala and built this canal in Cheranmahadevi.  The canal is named ‘Kannadian Kalvai’.  He not only built the canal but also a Vinayaka temple with a totally different worship pattern in Cheranmahadevi in Tirunelveli district.

A king ruling Kerala then was suffering from a disease that could not be cured by any medicine.  He heard a voice in his dream asking him to make a doll equal to his height, fill it with emerald pearls of pulse size, place his disease also into it and donate the idol to a Brahmin.  Following the divine advice, the king made the doll according to the specifications of the voice but no Brahmin was ready to accept it.  A Brahmin youth in Karnataka heard of the news, came to the king and accepted his donation.

Sooner the doll changed hands, it became alive and demanded a part of the benefits of the Gayatri Mahamantra the youth was chanting all his life so that the disease in the doll would not touch him.  The Brahmin obliged but felt sorry later that he had done wrong due to his desire for the wealth.  As a repentance, he wanted to spend the wealth for a public cause.  But he was not able to decide a particular project and decided to meet Sage Agastya for his advice.

Before his departure to meet Sage Agastya, he left the pearl filled doll with a Brahmin in Ambasamudram whom trusted and told him that he would take it back on his return.

Sage Agastya, to test the determination of the youth created many obstacles on the way, but the youth endured all the sufferings and reached the sage.  The sage promised him his wish and asked him what he wanted.  The Karnataka youth expressed his desire.

The sage told the boy that of all the good deeds, creating water facility was the best.  (We know the story that Rivers Cauvery and Tambiraparani were created by Sage Agstya).  He told him to follow a cow he would meet on his return and asked to follow it holding its tail and note down the route carefully and dig a canal.  He advised the youth to build dams in places where it leaves its dung and make storing places where it urinated.   Also create lakes where its rested down.  The cow would disappear at a place where he could complete his project.

The youth came to the Brahmin to get the doll back.  There were only pulse pieces but not the pearls.  He went to the king and explained his project and how he was cheated.  The king came to the Brahmin and demanded him to swear in front of Lord Shiva in a temple.  The Brahmin was burnt there as he swore falsely.  The youth got back the priceless pearls.

Cheranmahadevi is the place where the Karnataka youth found the cow.  He did everything as instructed by sage Agasthya.  The cow disappeared at a place called Prancheri where he created a big lake.  It is as vast as a sea even now.

As noble souls never seek publicity for they did, till today nobody knows the name of the Karnataka youth.  Hence, the canal is named after his mother tongue Kannada.  He was annoyed what to do if monsoon failed and it so happened for three years.

The youth installed a Vinayaka, ground pepper on his body, performed abishek and made it fall in the canal.  Dark clouds gathered and poured heavy rains.  The farmers of Cheranmahadevi are following this worship even today.