Lord of the temple is a swyambumurthy. Rays of Sun God fall on the Lord on Masi Shivrathri day in February-March.Jatayu, an unforgettable character in epic Ramayana who laid his life in the service of Lord Sri Rama performed penance on Lord Shiva here seeking His grace to help him simultaneously bathe in Kasi (now Varanasi) and Rameswaram and attain salvation. 

Pleased with his penance and his noble aim, Lord appeared before him and said that he would be fighting with Ravana to rescue Mother Sita from his abduction attempt when his wings would be cut off by Ravana. 

When he would be in acute pain, Sri Rama will come there and that he would be giving the information about the direction Sita was taken by Ravana.  Jatayu would fall at his feet and attain salvation. 

Jatayu asked back how he would be able to fly and bathe in Kasi and Rameswaram if his wings were cut off by Ravana.  Lord replied saying that Jatayu wanted only one Sethu Samudra Sanana but bathing in the tank of this temple was equal to bathing in 16 Sethu Snana ghats.  It is said that this tank was dug by Lord Vinayaka during Brungi Maharshi period.  

This Theertham-tank is equal to the Triveni confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswathi, hence praised as Mukkudal meaning the confluence of three theerthams.  A Chola king who was on hunting had to stay here for a night.  He had the habit of taking the dinner only after Lord Shiva worship. 

The horseman made a Linga of the Kollu bag (the grain for horses) and enabled the king to do his Shiva puja before dinner.  When he later tried to take the bag, he could not as it became a real Shivalinga, according to the history of the place.

Temple Timings:

The temple is open from 6.00 a.m. to 8.00 a.m. and from 5.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.

Temple Festivals:

Besides all Lord Shiva related festivals, three new moon days in Aadi (July-August), Thai (January-February) and Mahalaya in Purattasi (September-October) are celebrated in the temple with special abisheks and pujas.