Deities: The presiding deity here is Dhandayudapani. The principal image is in the standing posture of a young boy Murugan with a staff(Dhandam) in his hand. The image is made of an amalgam of nine materials known as Navapaashaanam.

Legends: Legend has it that the celetial sage Naaradhar approached the abode of Shiva, Mount Kailasam with the celestial fruit of knowledge - Gnyanappazham. While both the sons of Shiva wanted the fruit, Shiva and Parvathi decreed that the one to first complete circumambulating the universe would get the celestial fruit.

While Subramanya mounted his peacock and went around the Universe, Vinayakar circumambulated his parents Shiva and Parvathi on the premise that Shiva and Parvathi stood for the Universe and thus obtained the coveted celestial fruit.

Angered by this denial, Subramanya left Kailasam and took up his own abode at Palani and refused to return to Kailasam. He then went on to take up abodes on several of the Hills in the Tamil country leading to the popular tamil phrase, "Kundru Thorum Kumaran".

There is yet another legend associated with Palani. Agasthia munivar was presented by Shiva with two mountain peaks called ‘Shivagiri’ and Shakthigiri’.

Upon Agasthiyar’s directiion, his disciple, Idumban tied the two peaks to the ends of a big pole and carried them on his shoulders. He paused to rest at palani where the hills got stuck to the ground. On one of the peaks was Murugan with whom Idumban fought to reclaim the hill.

Idumban was defeated and killed in the fight and upon being implored my Agasthiyar was restored to life. Idumban requested Murugan to allow him to be installed as the Dwarapalakan in the palani temple. The Kaavadi form of worship originates from this legend.

A disciple of Bhogasiddar is believed to have commenced worship in a small shrine here. Cheramaan perumal(one of the 63 naayanmars and a contemperory of Sundaramurthy nayanaar) is believed to have contructed the sanctum.