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Arulmigu Thirukalatheeswarar temple is situated in Uthamapalayam town, which is around 31 Kms from Theni.
This is one of the ancient and biggest temple. Earlier it was named as Kattur. Earlier period this place was once under the control of Uttappa Kondama Naickar and from his time, this place came to be called Uttamapalayam.
This temple has been constructed with cut stone masonry. Temple ornamental works and huge cut stone mandapams and also riding horse sculptures are great example of nayakkars period. They have wonderful ornamental bends, very big pillars, mandapams.

This is one of the rare temples with separate shrines for Rahu and Ketu. From the name of the Lord, one could guess that this Kshetram has some connections with the well known Sri Kalahasti in AP. In both the places, the Lord is Kalatheeswarar. Both are Vayu Kshetrams and people offer special prayers in both the places for placating Rahu-Ketu. Hence this temple is also known as Then Kalahasti (Southern Kalahasti).

This Kshetram was associated with the hunter Kannappan who plucked his eyes to give sight to the Lord. Since this is considered on par with Sri Kalahasti, there is a separate shrine for Sri Kannappa Nayanar.
As per legend, one of the local kings had constructed a temple of Murugan in this area. During Rani Mangammal period (of Nayakar dynasty), here lived a Shiva Devotee by name Pichai Pillai who was a frequent visitor to Sri Kalahasti and was very much attached to the Lord there. After he became old, he could not undertake the arduous journey to the northern temple and was feeling bad. Lord appeared in his dream and advised him to locate Him in a nearby Vilva Garden. Pichai Pillai rushed to the spot along with the local people and found out the Lord below a white Oleander (Arali) tree. They moved the Lingam to a cart and tried to bring it to the village. But enroute, the axle of the cart broke and they could not move the vehicle. Then they found out that there was an idol of Arumugan nearby and decided that it was the appropriate place for the Lingam. Pichai Pillai called Him Kalahastheeswarar ( Kalatheeswarar in Tamil) Lingam.

Nandhi mandapam is in front of the Rajagopuram. South side of Rajagopuram has Lord Ganesha shrine and north side has Lord Murugan shrine. Though the Lord is Kalatheeswarar, the temple is better known as Gnanambika temple, after the Ambal’s name. As per the sthala purana, when the temple was constructed, there was no Ambal. Despite several efforts, all the idols made, did not meet with the specificiations. After some time, a devotee had a dream that the Ambal Idol would be floating in the nearby Mullaiperiyar river. Next day morning, they found a bamboo basket floating in the river containing Ambal’s and Vinayaka’s Idols. She was installed as Ganambika. The shrines are arranged in the Somaskanda fashion with the shrines of parents and Shanmukha arranged by the side of each other. There is a stone panel in front of the Ambal with nine holes. By viewing the Ambal through this panel, one could have simultaneous darshan of both the Mother and Son.

In the mantap in front of the Shiva shrine, on a wall, there is a special carving which contains all the 27 stars and the 12 Zodiac signs with the Vasthu Bagavan sitting in the centre. Above this panel, there is a Lingam, to which Brahma and Saraswathi offer prayers. All the three of them are surrounded by a snake. Adjoining this panel, there is another panel depicting the Surya Mandalam with the 12 zodiac signs, surrounding the Sun God. This is a very unique creation in this temple. As per the local custom, people having specific problems in their zodiac signs/horoscopes, offer special prayers to their signs and pray to the Shiva carved above the Vasthu Bhagavan. Sarpadosha Parihara Pooja is performed during Rahu Kalam on every Sunday (4.30 to 6 pm).