According to legend, an 8th-century
Chola princess Mathurapuraveeravalli, daughter of Tissai Ughra Cholan, the King of
Madurai, was inflicted with a persistent intestinal disorder as well as facial disfigurement which made her face look like a horse. She was advised by a priest/sage to bathe in the freshwater spring at
Keerimalai. The name Maviddapuram is derived from
ma (horse),
vidda (removed) and
puram (holy city). The present day temple dates from the 17th century. Only "high" caste Hindus had been allowed to worship in the temple. In 1968 several hundred "low" caste Hindus, mainly
Pallar and
Nalavar, staged a non-violent protest outside the temple gates but were met with violence from a group of "high" caste Hindus. In June 1968 "low" caste Hindus stormed the temple. They were given access to the temple following the intervention of
Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK, Federal Party).
C. Suntharalingam, who had led the "high" caste resistance to opening the temple up to the "low" castes, was prosecuted under the
Prevention of Social Disabilities Act and fined
Rs. 50 by the
Supreme Court. This act, which had been brought in as a
private member's bill by ITAK in 1957, made the denial of entry into a place of worship on grounds of caste an offence. The temple was inside the HSZ and as a result its priests were evicted by the military. The temple's structure was bombed and its contents looted. ==Notes==