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Devas, an elite community in the celestial world lost all their wealth and position to demon Tharakasura.  They approached Lord Brahmma for remedy.  He advised them to worship Lord Shiva in this place with flowers and assured them that the demon would be killed by Him.  To escape the attention of the demon, Devas took the form of ants (Erumbu in Tamil) to worship Shiva.  As the Linga was too soft and slippery and steep, they could not reach the top of the Linga.  All merciful Lord, changed His form as an ant-hill also leaning slightly to facilitate their pujas to Him.  Lord came to their rescue, destroyed the demon.  He is praised as Erumbeeswarar.

Lord Shiva in the temple is a swyambumurthy.  There is gap in the middle of the Linga as if it is twin Linga.  This is explained as Shiva-Shakti form.  As ants go in line in the sanctum sanctorum during pujas, it is said that Lord, in the form of ants,

accepted the pujas offered to Him.

Sun God in the Navagraha shrine is with His two consorts Usha and Pradyusha both facing each other.  Lord Kailasanatha  graces from a separate temple left of this temple.  The temple has four theerthas – Brahmma Theertham, Madhu Theertham, Kumara Theertham and Padma theertham.  It is said that the hill of this place is but a piece of the Meru mount split by Vayu – God of Wind when a competition arose between him and the divine serpent Adisesha to decide the power of their physical strength.

There is Lord Shanmugha Subramnaya’s shrine with His consorts Valli and Deivanai between the 2 Kasiviswanatha shrines behind the sanctum sanctorum.  There is the Shatkona Chakra below His Peeta.  Worshipping Lord Shanmughasubramanya along with this Chakra brings immense benefits to the devotee, it is said.  Selva Vinayaka graces the devotees in the temple. 

Shiva Linga in the sanctum sanctorum is in an ant-hill shape with ups and downs without a perfect shape.  It is a sand Linga, hence no abishek is performed.  Only oil application is followed.  As there is a gap in between, it appears as if there are two Lingas. It is said that the right side is of Shiva part and the left as Shakti part, hence praised as ‘Shivasakthi Linga’.  As ants (Erumbu in Tamil) are consuming the nivedhana objects in the sanctum, it is believed that Lord Shiva Himself is acknowledging the nivedhana offers during the Pujas.  This darshan is considered very important by the devotees.  It is also believed that Rathi, wife of Manmatha-Cupid worshipped the Lord praying that her alluring beauty should not make her proud.

Swarnakala Bhairava shrine is in the prakara-corridor with a furious look.  Mother Gajalakshmi is opposite Bhairava in a separate shrine.  Worshipping both simultaneously relieves the devotee from fears and ensures prosperity in the family.  Mother Narunkuzhal Nayaki – Mother with fragrant hair – graces from a shrine facing south.  Different Alankaras is followed by the mother each day.  Just before Mother Narunkuzhal Nayaki, there is an idol of a Mother worshipped in the olden days.  Of the two dwarapalakas in the Lord’s shrine, one looks angry, the other smiling.  People generally known for their temperate qualities, become softer after worshipping the Lord, it is believed. The one special feature in the temple is Lord Sankara Narayana combining the greatness of both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu and Lord Nataraja with anklets behind the presiding Lord Shiva goshta wall.