Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE.

As per another legend, Adishesha, the serpent performed penance at this place to seek the grace of Vishnu to lay on him.

To stop the blood, the king was asked to perform ablution on the presiding deity with oil every day.

The inscription on the Eastern Gopuram from the period of Sundara Pandya II in 1284 indicates gift of land to the temple.

[5] The presiding deity is called Devapiran as he is believed to have married Varamangai, the daughter of the pontiff of Vanamamalai Mutt.

[7] The shrine of the presiding deity is located axial to the gateway tower and approached through Ardhamandapam and Mahamandapam, pillared halls.

There is a festival hall in the second precinct in the temple facing South that has sculpted pillars indicating various legends of the Puranas.

[9][10] The temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by Nammalvar in ten hymns.

[12] The temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis based on Vaiksana Agama.

As at other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Vaishnava community, from the Brahmin class.

The temple rituals are performed six times a day: Ushathkalam at 7 a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 p.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at 7:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 10:00 p.m. Each ritual has three steps: alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Vanamamalai Perumal and Thayar.

[11] The major festival, the twelve-day Brahmotsavam is celebrated during the Tamil month of Thai (January - February).

The first head of the Mutt in 1447 was Vanamamalai Ramanuja Jeer and it has an unbroken continuity of Guru Parambara Jeeyars.