[1] The life of Nami Nandi Adigal is described in the Tamil Periya Puranam by Sekkizhar (12th century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars.

[1][2] Nami Nandi Adigal was born in the town of Emapperur, near Thiruvarur, which was then part of the Chola kingdom.

The residents mocked Nami Nandi Adigal saying that why did he want to light lamps for Shiva, who carries fire in his hand.

The saint would journey from Emapperur to the Araneri shrine everyday, worship in the temple and return to his home-town after lighting the lamps with water in the evening.

The Chola king heard about Nami Nandi Adigal's devotion and appointed him as the head priest of the temple.

[3][4][5] The tale of the lamp miracle is also recalled in the 13th-century Telugu Basava Purana of Palkuriki Somanatha with some variation.

In celebration of the festival of Panguni Uttaram, an effigy of Shiva was paraded to the neighbouring village of Tirumanali.

He reminded Nami Nandi Adigal that all born in Thiruvarur were Shiva-ganas (attendants of Shiva) and their touch could not have defiled his ritual purity.

[3][7] The Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram (c. 1150) has a relief dedicating the tale of Nami Nandi Adigal, lighting the lamps with water.