The sage Mirugandu married   girl called Maruththuvathi. They did not have any issues inspite of being married for quite some time now. So He went to Kasi to do penance  gor getting progeny. Satified with his penance Lord Shiva appeared before him and asked him what he wanted. When he sage Mirugandu replied that he should be granted with progeny Lord Shiva in turn asked him whether he wanted a child who will live for one hundred years but with all bad habits , disease, foolishness, unintelligent and defect and deformity in all his five sense organs  OR a child who will live for sixteen years only but will be beautiful looking, highly intelligent, absence of any disease, the sage replies that he wanted a child with sixteen years life span. Lord Shiva immediately disappeared after granting him the boon. There after on an auspicious day and at an auspicious hour Maruththuvathi delivered a male child. The celestials threw  a rain of flowers and played the musical instrument called Thunthubi. Brahma christened him with the name Maarkandeyamn.

Markandeyan in courseof time frew up. While he was growing, his parents were not happy and he asked his parents the reason for their unhappiness. The parents informed him about the boon that thay received from Brahma. Markandeyan consoled them and to get longevity in his life he will go and  do penance(tapas in tamil) invoking Lord Shiva and return victoriously. He left for Kasi to do penance. There near the Manikarnika ghat he made a lingam from sand and continued worshipping the lingam. In appreciation of his tapas and being satisfied and happy with his tapas he granted a boon that he will not have fear Of Yama(god of death). Markadeyan returned back to his home town. Their he continued his daily worship of Lord Shiva.  When he was nearning the of sixteen and his life span was about to end, a messenger of Lord Yama called him out. Because of the effect of Markandeyan’s Shiva Pooja the messenger could not go near to Markamdeya. Then Chithra guptha and Kaalan another minister were both sent to him to fetch him. They could not move Markandeyan. Finally when Lord Yama came Markandeyan embraced the lingam. Immediately Lord Shiva appeared and gave a severe kick with his left leg on Yama. Because of this Yama died. Since no death happened in the earth because Yama himself died  the weight of earth continue to rise. Unable to bear the increasing weight Booma devi(the goddess of earth) prayed to Lord Shiva. Immediately Yama got back his life and got up. Markandeya the son of Mirugandu sage became a chiranjeevi (meaning ever living) and he will be sixteen year old always. The form assumed by Lord Shiva i.e., kicking Yama with his leg, for the sake of Markandeyan is called KAALANTHAGA MOORTHI. To worship him we should go o the place called Tirukkadavur. This place is situated near Mayiladuthurai. To get rid of fear of Yama one should the god of this place. To get rid of fear of death or yama even rishis, sages, Siddhas worship him here daily. Those who have attained sixty years of age perform shstiyaptha poorthi by coming here and by worshipping him. Archana by Red Lotus flowers  and neivethyam with coconut,turmeric, plantain fruit and flower on Fridays will increase longeivity of life  and fear of Yama will vanish.