>According to Manimekalai, the legendary sage, Agastya, helped the people of Kaveripattinam during a period of drought. He advised the Chola king, Todittol Sembian, to celebrate a festival for Indra to please him, so that the deity may bring rain to this city. Heeding this counsel, the king arranged a big festival for Indra. In return, they received rainfall in the city, and the prosperity associated with it, and hence his successors continued to celebrate this festival every year, for 27 days during the month of Chaitra.>According to another legend, once, a Chola king named Nedumkilli could not celebrate the Indra Vila festival. As a consequence to this, the wrath of the deity fell on the kingdom and the king: The sea engulfed the famous port city of Kaveripattinam, and all the inhabitants of the city suffered.
