In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Puducherry.

As per Hindu legend, while Vishnu and Brahma contested for superiority, Shiva appeared as a flame, and challenged them to find his source.

Brahma took the form of a swan, and flew to the sky to see the top of the flame, while Vishnu became the boar Varaha, and sought its base.

There are inscriptions from Raja Narayana Sambuvarayar (1339–63),[2] who is believed to have donated around 850 acres (340 ha) to the temple and it was irrigated by Ossudu Lake.

[1] U V Swaminatha Iyer, the great Tamil scholar obtained the palm manuscripts from his French friend Mulian Vensam and published the book in 1940 titled Villai Puranam written by Veeraraghava Kavi.

Arunachala Kavi has written verses revering the importance of the deity Muthukumaraswamy of the temple in the book Villai Muthukumarar Pillai Tamil.

The temple rituals are performed three times a day; Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 a.m. and Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m. Each ritual comprises four steps: abhisheka (sacred bath), alangaram (decoration), naivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for Kameeswarar and Gnanambigai.