Sikkal is situated approximately five kilometers from Nagapattinam on the Nagapattinam-Tiruvarur route.
This temple is primarily dedicated to Lord Siva, known as Śrī Navaneetheswara. However, the main deity is Lord Subrahmanya, revered as Singaravelavar. According to legend, Sage Vasishta crafted a Sivalinga made of butter from the divine cow Kamadhenu's milk for worship. After the puja, the Sivalinga became immovable, leading to the name "Sikkal" in Tamil for this place. Sages Vasishta and Viswamitra, the wish-granting cow Kamadenu, and Emperor Muchukunda of Deva Loka worshipped this temple. Saints Sambandhar and Arunagirinathar have composed hymns praising Lord Sikkal Singaravelavar.
The goddess in a standing posture here is Velnedunganni. Other deities, including Ganapati, Mahalakshmi, Nataraja, the sixty-three Nayanmars, Bhairava, Surya, and Chandra, have separate shrines according to agamic standards. The sacred tree (sthala vriksha) in this temple is jasmine. Three holy tanks named Ksheera (milk), Gaya, and Lakshmi Tanks are present.
During the Tamil month of Arpasi, Skanda Shashti is celebrated grandly for the main deity Singaravelavar. Tradition holds that Lord Muruga received the Vel (spear) at Sikkal and vanquished Surapadman at Tiruchendur the following day. Even today, during Skanda Shashti, it is believed that Lord Singaravelavar receives the Vel from his mother one day before Surasamharam, and his face sweats miraculously. Lord Singaravelavar appears in the form of utsavamurti with his consorts Valli and Devayanai, showering divine grace.
Legend has it that Muchukunda Cholan, associated with the Tiruvarur legend, built this temple. Vasishta prayed to Shiva to recover his Kamadhenu, whose milk turned into butter. Crafting a lingam out of butter (Venneippiran), Vasishtar tried to move it but failed; it got stuck (sikkal). Interestingly, Tirukkannankudi, a nearby Vaishnava Divyadesam, has a legend of Vasishtar offering worship to a butter-crafted image of Krishna. The Ksheera Pushkarini (Paal Kulam) tank is located behind the temple. Vishnu is said to have sought Shiva's blessings before visiting the demon king Mahabali, and there is a Kola Vaamana Perumaal shrine adjacent to the temple.
The entrance is adorned with a seven-tiered rajagopuram, reaching about 80 feet in height. Inscriptions from the imperial Chola period and the Vijayanagar period abound in this temple, covering an area of about two acres. The Kartikai Mandapam in the forefront displays numerous paintings illustrating Subramanya's legends.
The temple conducts six worship services daily, and many marriages take place in the kalyana mandapam. The annual brahmotsavam is celebrated in the month of Cittirai. Singaravelar receives his Vel (spear) from Devi during the Skanda Sasti festival in the month of Libra, and his image is believed to break out in sweat during this time. Soorasamharam is enacted here during this festival.