According to the regional legend of the temple, Indra, the king of the devas gave his daughter Devasena in marriage to Murugan, and along with her presented his elephant Airavata as part of his offering.

[citation needed] Another legend has it that Indra presented a sandal stone as a part of his daughter's gift.

Murugan is also believed to have imparted knowledge of Tamil to the sage Agastya and he is heralded with the epithets Veeramurti, Jnanamurti, and acharyamurti in this shrine.

On worshipping at Thanikai, the king of the snakes, Vasuki got his bodily wounds healed, which had been caused during the Samudra Manthana to secure the amrita (nectar of immortality) by the devas and asuras when the Mandara mountain was used as the churning base and the snake king Vasuki as the rope.

Sage Agastya worshipped Murugan at Tanikai when he was blessed with the divine gift of the Tamil language.

Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar, who lived 200 years ago (one of the trinity of Carnatic music) had his inspiration in Tiruttani when Murugan (in the guise of an old man) met him on the steps and sweetened his tongue with the prasadam of this temple, which impelled him to compose and render his first kriti "Sri Nathadhi Guruguho Jayati Jayati" (song) Murugan of Tanikai.

[citation needed] The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu.