Who Built The Tiruchendur Temple?

1.The legend is that the Temple exists, since the Victory of Lord Muruga over Surapadman.

2.After Surasamharam, Lord Muruga desired to worship his father, Lord Shiva. Hence Mayan, (Non Tamils, read him as Viswakarma) the divine architect constructed this shrine at Tiruchendur. Even now Lord Subramahnya is seen in the posture of worshiping Lord Shiva in the sanctum sanctorum.

3. It is believed that the demigods (read devotees/ sanyasis) of Muruga wanted to worship him in a place where there was a mountainous tract, sea and river and hence Tiruchendur was chosen.

4. No record exists on the data of actual construction of the temple, which may be over 2500 years, but there are records of improvements to the temple by Pandya and Chera Kingdoms.

5.The temple find a place in Tevaram, sung by Appar. Earlier temple inscription starts from 875AD.

6. The the temple in current form was reconstructed in 17th century (after 1649) during Tirumalai Naicker rule by his devotees/ Sanyasis with the funding from the public.

7. The consecration of the idols were done in the presence of Tirumalai Naicker in 1653.