In ancient times, when the Devas churned the ocean to obtain the nectar of immortality, they began consuming it without first worshipping Lord Vinayaka. Angered by their oversight, Lord Vinayaka took the nectar pot to teach them a lesson. As He passed through this place, which was once a dense Kadamba forest, a drop of nectar fell on the earth, manifesting as a Swayambhu (self-manifested) Linga. Realising their mistake, Indra and the other Devas sought Lord Vinayaka's forgiveness. Vinayaka advised them to worship Lord Shiva, who, in response to their prayers, granted them the nectar and chose to reside here as Amirthakadeswarar—symbolising the nectar (Amirtha), the pot (Kada), and the Lord (Easwara).
Athithi, the mother of the Devas, worshipped Lord Amirthakadeswarar, seeking blessings for her children to receive the nectar. Indra, not wanting his mother to travel daily to the temple, attempted to move the entire temple to Indraloka by transforming it into a chariot. However, Lord Vinayaka pressed down on the left wheel, causing it to get stuck in the earth. Despite Indra's efforts, he could not lift the chariot-temple. Realising his limitations, Indra pleaded with Lord Vinayaka for assistance. Vinayaka agreed to release the temple if Indra installed a crore of Lingas. Indra accepted the challenge, but every Linga he attempted to install was damaged. Acknowledging his pride, Indra sought the mercy of Lord Amirthakadeswarar. The Lord instructed him to create one Shivalinga while chanting His name a thousand times. Indra followed this command and created the Rudrakoteeswara Linga. Lord Shiva then appeared before Indra, declaring His desire to remain at this place and continue receiving worship from Indra's mother. Indra humbly complied, and it is believed that Indra still performs daily pujas to Lord Amirthakadeswarar at this temple.
Sthala Puranam :
After the Devas churned the ocean and obtained the divine nectar, they began consuming it without first worshipping Lord Vinayaka, who is traditionally worshipped before any auspicious event. Angered by their disregard, Vinayaka took the pot of nectar away. As He left Tiruparkadal, a drop of the nectar fell here and manifested as a Swayambhu Lingam. Realising their mistake, Indra and the Devas pleaded with Vinayaka for forgiveness. After worshipping Vinayaka, they were instructed to worship Lord Shiva at this place. Responding to their prayers, Lord Shiva granted them the nectar and chose to remain here as Amirthakadeswarar, with the name "Kadambur" derived from "Kadam," referring to the pot of nectar.
In another legend, reminiscent of the one at Chaya Vaneswarar Temple in Sayavanam, Indra’s mother, Aditi, used to visit this temple daily to worship Lord Shiva. To make it easier for her and driven by his ego, Indra decided to transport the entire temple to Devaloka in a splendid chariot, without worshipping or seeking permission from Vinayaka. To teach Indra a lesson, Vinayaka held back the chariot by its left wheel, preventing it from leaving the site. The temple, which is built like a chariot, vividly portrays this incident, with the left wheel of the chariot appearing slightly buried in the ground.
Realising his folly, Indra performed penance as instructed by Vinayaka, which involved installing one crore (ten million) Lingams. However, each Lingam he tried to install broke apart. Indra then prayed to Lord Shiva, who instructed him to make a single Lingam while chanting the Panchakshara Mantra one crore times. This effort was successful, and the Lingam created by Indra is believed to be the one installed at the Rudra Koteeswarar Temple in nearby Keela Kadambur. It is said that even today, Indra performs puja at this temple daily.
The Sthala Puranam also mentions that the temple has existed through all four Yugas. Chandran (the Moon God) worshipped here in the Krita Yuga, Indra in the Treta Yuga, Parvatharajan (Himavan) and his eight family deities in the Dwapara Yuga, and Sage Patanjali in the Kali Yuga. Inscriptions and images depicting these legends can be found in the temple.
The present structural temple dates back to the early 12th century and was constructed during the reign of Chola king Kulothunga Chola I. Prior to this, the temple was made of brick and mud. It is one of the few remaining examples of the "Karakoil" type of construction, where the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) is shaped like a chariot being pulled by horses. In the late 19th century, after the temple had fallen into neglect and disrepair, it was renovated by members of the Nagarathar community, guided by a divine vision received by one Arunachalam Chettiar of Devakottai.
Despite being a relatively small temple, the architecture is both extensive and exquisite, with almost every square inch of the outer walls of the garbhagriha covered in carvings, murtis, bas-relief images, and other artwork. These depictions illustrate various puranam’s associated with the temple, stories of Lord Shiva, and the lives of the 63 Nayanmars. The Dakshinamurti here is crafted with great precision, and the vimanam above the koshtam depicts Dakshinamurti in three different forms. The temple also houses a rare Chola bronze of Dasa Bhuja Rishabha Tandava Murti (Shiva with 10 arms, dancing on the Rishabham), which is brought out only for Pradosha puja every fortnight.
The moolavar (main deity) is housed on an octagonal avudai and is believed to be carved out of Navapashanam, a compound of nine poisonous substances combined in a way that creates powerful medicinal effects. The Navagrahas (nine planets) are also believed to have worshipped Lord Shiva here, and this puranam is honoured by adorning the moolavar in clothes of different colours representing the planets.
The Aaravara Vinayakar, located in the traditional southwest corner of the temple, is said to have been brought from the North by Rajendra Chola after his victory over the Ganga dynasty (another version states it was brought from Vatapi). This Vinayakar is closely connected with the Sthala Puranam of the temple. Additionally, Lord Murugan, depicted as Villendhiya Velavar, is shown with a bow instead of the traditional spear, representing His visit and worship here before His battle with Soorapadman.
The place, Kadambur, is mentioned in temple inscriptions and is referred to as Uttama Chola Chaturvedi Mangalam. Readers of the Tamil epic Ponniyin Selvan may recognize Kadambur as the location where several key events of the story take place.