The Rajagopuram with five stages stands majestically.  Armoured Flag-post, Nandi and altar are seen.  Lord Vinayakar is seen in the Flag-post.  In the inscription, this Lord is noted as “Thiruveerattaanaththu mahaadevar, Thirukkandiyur utaiya mahadevar”.

Devotees worship this Lord to get rid off  ‘Brahmahathi’ curse and to become beautiful.

The sanctum of Dandapaani is a separate temple with a mandapam.  In the ‘saptha-sthaana’ festival, the Lord takes a procession.  Ambal stands south facing with four arms and with ‘abhayavaratham’ (refuge sign).  Within are the sanctum of Vinayagar, Subrahmanya with Valli-Deivanai, Mahalakshmi, Nataraja, Vishnu-Durgai, Bhairavar, many kinds of Vinayagar and Ardhanaareeswarar in the sitting posture. Chandeswarar is in separate temple.  Brahman, Lingodhbavar, Dakshinamaurthi, and Bhikshaadanar appear as koshta murthis.

Near the door-guards (dwaarapaalar), is the image of Sage Saathaathaapar, and the sanctum of Kaalathinaathar, who revealed Himself to Sage Saathaathaapar, Sapthasthaana Lingams and Panchabhuta Lingams. In the Navagrahas’ sanctum the Sungod is seen with his two spouses.  The Prime Deity a Swayambu murthi, is on a slightly high pedestal.  The statues of Brahman and Saraswathi are near the sanctum of the Lord.  The statue of seated Brahman looks lovely appearing with folded hands in prayer holding flower and rosary.  After plucking his head, Brahman prayed to the Lord to restore his beauty.  The Lord blessed him to get back the beauty of his five faces in his four countenances and Brahman gladly received this benediction.

To pluck the head of Brahman, the Lord assumed the garb of a hunter.  A small statue of this form is seen near the left side of the door that leads to the sanctum of Brahman opposite to the Lord’s sanctum.  In the sanctum of Navagraha, a dais is built with provision to light lamps and worship.

Since one head, out of the five heads of Brahman was plucked this place came to be known as ‘Kandanapuram’ or ‘Kandiyur’.  The Lord brought the Bael Tree from Mount Kailas for Sage Saathaathaapar; so this holy place is also called  “ Aadi Vilvaaranyam”. Sage Saathaathaapar used to go to Kaalahasti on the ‘pradosham’ day to have darshan of the Lord.  Once when he came to Kandiyur, he could not go to Kalahasti in time.  The legend is that the Lord graced him with the Kalahasti darshan at Kandiyur itself.  This sacred site is also the place to placate the Brahmahathi curse.