The Kannappa temple is situated on the Girivalam inner path but it is also accessible from the outer path by means of a little forest trail near the Echo mandapam. Set with Arunachala as a backdrop, this temple is a scenic and quiet spot, ideal for meditation and is built at an altitude with a fine view of the forest and hill. It was falling into ruins some years ago and was renovated to its present state by the Shantimalai foundation. Today it appears as a beautiful stone monument with carved stone pillars in front and a fine stone staircase leading up to the shrine.

As the name suggests, this temple is dedicated to Sri Kannappa Nayanar who is one of the 63 Tamil Saivaite saints. Legend has it that Kannappa was a hunter in the forest and an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. Everyday he would worship a Shiva Lingam in the forest with great devotion and piety. One day the Lord decided to test his faith and made the left eye on the Lingam to bleed copiously. When Kannappa saw this, he was so distressed that he pulled out his own left eye out of its socket and placed it on the bleeding eye on the Lingam. When he did this, the Lord made the other eye on the Lingam to bleed too and on seeing this, Kannappa even more pained, started to pull out his other remaining eye out of its socket to place it on this bleeding eye after first marking the spot with his foot because he knew he would be unable to see if he pulled out his other eye. At this point, Lord Shiva, greatly moved by his devotion, appears to Kannappa there and holds his hand. Thus Kannappa’s devotion is rewarded and he is granted liberation. Till today he is revered as one of the 63 holy savants of Tamil saivism even though he was only a simple huntsman.

The Kannappa temple also plays a role in the Thiruvoodal festival in January which is the Divine quarrel between Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi. During this event, the jewels of the Gods are supposedly stolen and this episode of the ‘Divine Jewels robbery’ takes place, interestingly, inside the Kannappa temple where it is enacted every year in the form of a divine drama ritual.

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