During the late 19th century, the State of PudukOttai had an ingenious man who
was the Divan of the State. A 'Divan' is a prime minister with more powers than the present day prime minister. He was Seshaiya Sastri.
            He wanted to modernise and expand PudukOttai town. As part of the plan, he
wanted to create a new part of township called Marthanda Bairava Puram.
            According to the plan, there was an important road to be laid.
            But there was a big banyan tree underneath which there was a small temple of an Aiyanar called 'Thadi Konda Aiyanar'.
            This tree had to be cut and the Aiyanar temple had to be removed.
   
            If this was done, everything could be carried out without hitch. Thats what Seshaiya Sastri thought.
            So he built a beautiful new temple for the Aiyanar. He tried to shift the Aiyanaar
there. But people would not agree to it. They thought that it would be a great sacrilege
   
            The Sastriyar said, "It is with very good and sincere intentions that I am doing this.
My bhakthi towards the Aiyanar is in no way lesser than anybody else's. I am very sure that the Aiyanar would acknowledge my purpose and shower his blessings upon my endeavours."
            Thus saying he wrote out a governmental appeal and placed it at the feet of the Aiyanar.

            The contents of the appeal were something like this:
            "This is a humble appeal from your humble servant Seshaiya Sastri with many
millions of namaskarams at the lotus feet of Sri Aiyanar who is a deity of absolute reality
in the Era of Kali.
            Your Lordship is presiding over this township in order to protect it. You humble servant is performing certain actions expecting the permission of Your Lordship. This humble soul has planned to make a road and a street in this place. But the presence of this tree is an impediment to that plan of laying out a straight road. This humble self has caused a new and beautiful temple to be built. Your Lordship must forego the difficulties of staying exposed to wind and rain and hot sun and other vagaries of nature and bear Your Lordship to the new temple under comfortable conditions. Your Lordship must also give permission to cut this banyan tree and give way."

            After a stipulated number of days, he shifted the Aiyanar to the new temple and
caused a grand kumbhabhishekham to be performed.
            After that, he ordered the banyan tree to be cut.
            But the labourers would not cut it. They were still scared.

            "Expecting Aiyanar's blessings, I am doing this. If nobody would come forward to
cut it, then I will cut down the tree".
            He took the axe in his hand. Seshaiya Sastri was one of the fattest men of his times. Hundreds of people assembled to see him cut the tree.
            The Sastriyar shouted, "May Thadi Konda Aiyanar protect me!"
and hoisted the axe above his head.
            All the people who had fear of the Aiyanar, expected that the Sastriyar would be
struck down anytime. At the least, the axe would fall on the Sastriyar's feet and cause
great injury. Some people expected that blood would spurt out of the tree.
            Everybody's eyes were fixed upon the Sastriyar's lifted axe without the flinching
of an eye lid.
            The axe fell on the banyan tree trunk and bit into the fresh bark.
Nothing untoward happened. The sastriyar only got more enthusiastic.
            "There is no reason for the Aiyanar to get angry with the Sastriyar who happens
to be a great Bhakthiman and a very kind and good man. What he is doing is a deed which
is totally accepted by the gods", the people said to each other.
            "The Sastriyar has cut the tree. Its because the Aiyanar has given His sanction that
he was able to do it. Now this tree can be cut without fear", some said.

            Immediately a few of the workers cut the banyan tree and felled it. After that the road and street were laid out according to plan without any hitch.
            The Aiyanar resides in the new temple. But the people retained the old pedastal in its place and still offered worship to it also.