Puranic History

Lingothbhavar:
The Creator Lord Bramha and Protector Lord Thirumal entered into a controversy among themselves so as to ascertain who was the greatest. Lord Siva was asked to be the judge. Lord Siva told them that whoever was able to see his crown as well as his feet would be termed as the greatest. Then Lord Siva transformed himself into a Jothi (a column of fire) touching the heaven and earth. Thirumal took the avatar of varaha (wild boar) and dug deep into the earth to find Siva's feet but at last accepted defeat. Bramha took the form of a swan and flew to see the crown of Siva. Unable to see the crown, Bramha saw a thazhambu flower which had decked Siva's crown falling down. He asked the flower as to the distance of Siva's crown whereby the flower replied that he had been falling for forty thousand years. Bramha, realizing that he would not be able to reach the crown asked the flower to act as a false witness.

The thazhambu flower acting as a false witness declared that Brahma had seen the crown. Siva became angry at the deception and cursed that Bramha should have no temple on earth and that the thazhambu flower should not be used while praying to Lord Siva. The place where Lord Siva stood as a column of fire to eliminate the ego is Thiruvannamalai.

The Annamalai Hill was Agni (fire) during Krithayugam, was Manikkam (Emerald) during Threthayugam, was pon (Gold) during Dwaprayugam and rock during Kaliyugam as per the ancient legends. On the request of Thirumal and Bramha by their devout prayer, Siva who was in the form of a fire column took the form of a Sivalingam at the foot of the hill hwere the Arulmigu Annamalaiyar Temple is located.

Arthanareeswarar:
Lord Siva's wife Goddess Umadevi once playfully closed His eyes which plunged the world into darkness. All living beings suffered in the dark. To absolve herse of this sin Mother Umadevi created a Sivalingam out of sand and worshipped at Kancheepuram. At that instance, Lord Siva ordered her to proceed to Thiruvannamalai and do penance so that she could get half of His body. Likewise Mother Parvathi did penance at Pavalakundru with the help of Saint Gowthama. A demon called Makidasuran disturbed the penance of Mother Parvathi. The Mother took the form of goddess Durga Devi and destroyed him on the full moon day of the Tamil Month of Karthigai during the auspicious period of pradosham. Lord Siva presented himself in the form of Fire atop the hill and merged Goddess Parvathi on the left half of his body.

To commemorate this event, every year during the Tamil month of Karthigai in Kiruthigai Star, exactly at 6.00 p.m. Arthanareeswaramurthi presents himself as Jyothi Swaroopa to his devotees at the time of Karthigai Festival 10th day.

The following legends are also associated with this temple:

Appearance of Lord Muruga:
Saint Arunagirinathar was the ardent devotee of Lord Muruga. Sambandan was a scholar in the king's court and had obtained many boons from goddess Kali. Afraid of Arunagirinathar's popularity, he proposed to the king a competition between him and Arunagirinathar, as to who could bring his chosen deity manifest in the form visible to everyone present.
In the competition the devotion of Arunagirinathar brought the appearance of Lord Muruga through a stone pillar. Since then this has became one of the famous places of visit for the devotees of Lord Muruga.

Vallala Maharaja humiliated by Lord Siva:
After completed the construction of this Gopuram King Ballala became proud of his achievement. In order to teach him a lesson, Lord Arunachaleswarar refused to leave the temple through the Vallala Gopuram during first 9 days of 10 day Special Festival. The King was distressed and prayed for his forgiveness. Only then, Lord Arunachaleswarar consented to pass through this gopuram on the 10th day of the festival. This is a lesson taught by Lord Siva about humility and greatness, not only to King Ballala but to everyone.

Arunagirinathar saved by Lord Muruga:
In his earlier years Arunagirinathar climbed the Vallala Maharaja Gopuram and attempted to fall off. Lord Muruga appeared before him and saved his life. Since then Arunagirinathar became known as Gopurathilayanar.

Lord Arunachaleswarar himself performing the funeral rites of King Vallala :
Arunachala Puram describes King Vallala as an embodiment of all human virtues. He was praised for his uprightness, generosity and love for Lord Arunachaleswarar.
The King had no issues. Lord Siva tested him for his piety and became a child at the hands of king Vallala and his wife. King Vallala embraced the child in all his lovingness and later Lord Siva disappeared. When the king prayed for a child, Lord Siva assured him that would perform all his funeral rites as he himself became a child to the king.
Even now in the month of Maasi (February) when the annual anniversary of King Vallala Deva's death occurs, at the instruction of Lord Arunachaleswarar, the Lord is taken in procession with great Ceremony to the village Pallikonda Pattu, where the funeral rites take place. This festival is known as 'Masi Maga Theerthavari' Urchavam.

Yanai Thirai Konda Vinayagar :
The Vijayanagar King Pravda Deva Maharaya, once lost his vision and was blind. Sambandar, a confidant to the king advised him to get the flower Parijatham to regain his sight and suggested that Arunagirinathar could do the job. The king was convinced and asked Arunagirinathar to bring Parijatha flower

As the Parijatha flower is in heaven, Arunagirinathar moved his life force into the body of parrot, after keeping his own body in the gopuram. Even before his return with Parijatha flower his body was cremated. As he could not get his human form back, Arunagirinathar remained as parrot and composed great songs including Kandaranubuti.