Kanjamalai, this temple falls into the category of Marudamalai, Sivanmalai and Sennimalai in Tondainaadu.

It is known for its association with the Siddhar saints of Tamilnadu. It   is located 14 km west of Salem, and is known for the herbs that abound in the region. Pilgrims visiting the hill temple here consider a dip in the waters of the streams traversing the hill sacred.

Legend has it that Adikaimaan, a Tamil ruler was presented with a nellikkani – as the amritam or the panacea by asiddhar at Kanjamalai and that he presented it to the saint poetess Avvaiyaar. This incident is releted in the Sangam works of the earlier portion of the 1st millennium CE.

Another legend has it that a devotee of Shiva spent years travelling visiting the various shrine sof Shiva and finaly reached the shrine of Karpuranaathar and spent the rest of his life in penance, after which he attained the status of a siddhar, and that he assumed a formless form in Kaliyugam, in the preceincts of Kanjamalai – also considered to be an abode of Shiva, and that he came to be known as Kanjamalai Siddhar.