According to local tradition, while vacating the Tiruchendur temple, the Dutch decided to carry away the idol of the main deity of Shanmukhar and Śiva Natarajar, as they thought they were made of gold.
Vadamalaiappa Pillaiyyan is said to have recovered the original idol from the sea, either by negotiating with the Dutch, (who had fled to Ceylon), or miraculously recovering it from the sea.