In the myth, the Pandiya King ordered every household in Madurai to offer one person for putting sand on the banks of the river Vaigai to control floods.

An old lady, who sold puttu (a kind of rice pudding) to make a living, had nobody to send for the flood control work.

Lord Shiva disguised as a youth approached the old lady with a deal to do the work for the lady and in return she has to give him puttu every day and hence the name Puttukku Mann sumantha thiruthalam meaning - place (thiruthalam) where Shiva carried (sumantha) sand (mann) for puttu.

Even now, to mark this event, on September 4 of every year, a function is held in the riverbank of Arappalayam and puttu is cooked in every household.

Arapplayam bus station is a major junction for the TNSTC, SETC buses going towards Coimbatore, Salem, Dharmapuri, Tirupur, Dharapuram, Gobichettipalayam, Theni, Kambam, Karur and Dindigul.

Buses are operated to Thirumangalam, Theppakulam, Anna Nagar and Madurai Kamaraj University from Arappalyam bus stand.