Lord Vinayaka of the temple is praised as Siddhi Buddhi Vinayaka.  The temple is facing east.  There are shrines for Lords Siddhi Vinayaka, Dakshinamurthy, Muruga with His consorts Valli and Deivanai, Viswanatha with Mother Visalakshi, Mothers Gajalashmi and Mahalakshmi, Sage Bhairava Maharshi, Bhairava, Sun, Moon,  Somaskanda, Veera Makali and Chandikeswara.

Bathing in the Karuna Theertham traders here pray to Tirupayatrunathar and those suffering from vision problems pray to Mother Kavianganni.

Sage Bhairava Maharishi had worshipped Lord Shiva in this temple.  Mother Veera Makali blesses devotees from Her own shrine.  Those suffering from vision problems and evil spirits pray in the shrine hoping for relief.

The place was once a centre of export and import trade.  Horses were imported from Arabia and pepper was exported in exchange.  A trader brought pepper bags for export.  He came to know that a duty was levied then for export of pepper.  But no duty was levied on pulse export.  The duty would eat out the profit of the trader.  He prayed to Lord Shiva saying that he would have to meet with heavy loss if he paid the duty and begged Him to convert the bags as containing pulses till he passed the check post.  He slept there at night.

Merciful Lord converted the bags as containing pulses and also informed His devotee in his dream.  The officials passed the bags after checking them.  The trader reached Nagapattinam and sold his product for a profit.   The trader simply spent his earnings in the service of Lord Shiva.  Pulse in English means Payaru in Tamil.  Lord thus became Tiru Payattrunathar and the place Tirupayattrur.