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This
temple has a strange legend and ends with admitting of a Vaishnavite
bhakta into the fold of Saivism. According to sthalapurana, one
Saivate family was forced by circumstances to get a Vaishnavate
groom. As ordained the wedding was solemnized, but the young wife
finding no Sivalinga in the house, started offering puja secretly to
a wooden peg used to tether the calf, treating as Sivalinga. None in
the house was aware of it, except her own husband. Being a staunch
Vaishnavate, he smashed the peg with an axe. No sooner did he uproot
it, there emerged Sivalinga. Petrified family understood the glory
of Siva, who protected His devotee during the period of misery and
turned Saivates. The Swayambhu Sivalinga bears on its top the marks
of the axe. The temple was built later by the devotees with the
liberal endowments by the ruling class. The famous king Idumban
worshipped this Lord and made many gifts. It possesses worshipful
deities installed in befitting niches.
It
lies near Tiruvarur and accessible by bus from it.
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