Chandikeswarar is one of the 63 nayanars, Shaiva saints of the 7th-10th century. According to legend, there once lived a young boy Chandesa who offered the milk given to him for sale to the ablution of lingam he made of sand. His father kicked the lingam in anger, whereupon the boy cut off his father's leg with an axe. Shiva appeared and appointed him as the chief of ganas(dwarf attendants), and decreed that Chandesa must also be worshipped daily in Shiva temples. The image of Chandikeswarar with an axe in his hand is present in the first precinct around the sanctum in all Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu.