IMPORTANCE
The ailments and hardships of those who are victims to "KAIVISHAM" is said to be fully cured on drinking a medicinal herb supplied by a nearby Brahmin family. The victims need to offer prayers at this temple before proceeding to the mana.
The srikovil is in a circular pattern.
The two deities, Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu are facing west. Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu in a same srikovil in itself is a rarest occurrence and such a prathishta, hopefully, cannot be seen anywhere in the world.
The water in a well at the northern side of sanctum is connected with the lingams and used only for the pooja purposes and only 'santhi' (priest) is allowed to take water from the well. Other temple employees are prohibited from doing it. The water is said to be very tasty and healthy and had not dried for centuries.
The poojas to these two deities are performed separately and never together. Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu are treated as two deities in the same srikovil. In other words, the 'chaithanyas' of lord Siva and lord Vishnu are present separately and harmoniously inside the same garbhagriha.
Both the deities are offered with dhara (abhishekam) every day. It is said that in no other temple, lord Vishnu is offered with daily dhara.
Psychic patients are believed to be cured if they perform 'bhajanam' in front of these deities eating only the prasadam from this temple during the period of bhajanam, which can be for a period of 7 days, 14 days, 21 days or 41 days as per the intensity of the disease. 'Mahamrityunjaya homam' for longer and disease free life can be offered along with other poojas and homams.
Those who are unmarried can offer prayers to Godess Parvathy and the main deities in the form of 'swayamvara pushpanjaly' and will surely get married soon.
The root of banyan tree around the lord Ayyappa sannidhanam is said to have curative powers in skin ailments and diseases related to hair and scalp. It will hasten the growth of hair.
During mandala kalam, special pujas and navaka panchagavya abhishekams are performed. The panchagavya is said to be having curative powers if taken inside every day during this period. At the end of mandala kalam, that is on mandalam 41st day, Niramala Mahotsavam is performed for the deities, and it is the ulsavam of the temple. Also Sivarathri, Ashtamirohini, Navarathri etc are performed with right rituals.
There is also a 'bhoodathan thara' on the southern side of the inner sanctum. Eating of sand from the small opening of this thara is said to cure psychic problems.