According to the legends, King Indrajuman, who immersed himself inside the worship of Lord Vishnu, failed to fortify his navy and lost his country to enemies. One day whilst doing worship, Indrajuman did no longer observe the sage Durvasa who came to look Indrajuman. The sage were given irritated and cursed the king to be born as an elephant in his next delivery. Upon apologizing, sage Durvasa took pity on Indrajuman and blessed Indrajuman that he would continue to be a Vishnu devotee as an elephant and Vishnu could relieve him of the curse and achieve salvation. In his subsequent beginning, Indrajuman, who turned into born because the elephant Gajendra persevered as a Vishnu devotee. One day at the same time as consuming water from the temple tank, his leg become grabbed by using the crocodile Koohoo, who was a demon, who afflicted all who took tub in the tank. Kohoo turned into cursed with the aid of a sage to be born as crocodile in his next birth. The elephant cried in pain, calling the call Aadhimoolame and Vishnu despatched his discus to fend off the crocodile. Both the elephant and crocodile grew to become to their human form with the aid of the grace of Vishnu. Since Vishnu appeared to store the elephant Gajendra, he came to be called Gajendra Varadar.
According to some other legend, Lord Hanuman additionally worshiped Vishnu at this place and hence the place came to be called Kabisthalam (kabi in Tamil indicated monkey).
Gajendra Varadha Perumal Temple is constructed in Dravidian style architecture. The temple is enclosed by a brick wall which encloses all its shrines and bodies of water. The temple has a rajagopuram of five tiers, and a single precinct. Gajendra Varadhar, the prime deity, is enshrined in the sanctum, in a reclining role called Bhujanga sayanam.The vimana (roof above the sactum) is called Ganganakrutha Vimanam reflecting mediaeval architecture. Saint Tirumazhisai Azhwar hailed Perumal as “Attrangarai kidakkum Kannan – Kannan reclining on the bank of the water.” Since then, the devotees had found He endearingly Kannan and the word had come to remain.Kabisthalam is one of the famous five Perumal temples as Pancha (five) Krishna Kshetras. The Moolavar of this Perumal Temple is Sri Gajendra Varadha Varadhan. Moolavar looking East at Kidantha Kolam in Bhujanga sayanam. Prathyaksham to Anjaneyar, and to Gajendran as Bhaktha Elephant. Ramamani Valli (Potramaraiyaal), Thayaar.