At the summit of the hill is a shrine dedicated to Kasi Visvanathar, beside which is a statue of the poet Nakeerar in an attitude of great reverence. All abishekams are performed to the Vel in the main sanctum. Also hollowed within the rock are many mandapams with carved pillars, platforms, and other shrines with decorative relief and carvings on all surfaces. The main sanctum carved into the rock enshrines a well chiselled orm of the Lord. The temple built on the northern side of the hill at an elevation of about 300 feet from the foot of the hill has a 150 foot tall gopuram of seven tiers over its entrance. According to legend it was here that Lord Muruga wed Teyvayanai, daughter of Indra, after his victory over Soorapadman and the asuras. The Subramaniam temple at Tirupparunkunram situated six miles south of Madurai is an ancient shrine dating back to the 2nd century BC. The poet Nakeerar of the Sangam Age sang many songs in praise of the Lord, among them the well known composition Tirumurugartrupadai which describes the six most important abodes of Lord Muruga (Aarupadai Veedu). In this form Lord Muruga is known as Shanmukha or Arumuga Swami.
When the divine consort Parvati beheld the beauty of these children, she embraced them all forcibly together to become one form with six heads and twelve arms. The wives of six rishis nurtured the babies and were subsequently rewarded to appear as the constellation Pleiades. One of the many legends associated with the origin of Lord Muruga states that Lord Shiva emitted sparks from his third eye and these fell into the Saravana Poikai (lake) to become six infants. The worship of Lord Muruga goes back to the pre-Christian era and forms an important facet in the religious life of Hindus. Many Hindus believe that the presiding deity of this yugam is Lord Muruga (Kali Yuga Varadan) whose Vel, which symbolises the spear of victory, will eventually restore peace and harmony, destroying arrogance, violence, and injustice. Kali Yuga, the age indicating a period of darkness and degeneration commenced about 3100 BC.
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