In the grand procession of Chandiswara Mahadeva, Ahilya, the exquisite wife of the sage Goutam, caught sight of a rather unattractive woman and, unable to contain her amusement, laughed at her. The woman, deeply insulted, cursed Ahilya, condemning her to a life without her husband and to be shunned because of her beauty.

As fate would have it, Indra, the king of gods, captivated by Ahilya’s unparalleled beauty, disguised himself as Goutam and approached her one night. When the real Goutam discovered the deceit, he cursed both Indra and Ahilya. Ahilya was turned into a stone slab, and Goutam retreated to the Himalayas for penance. Years later, Lord Rama, on his journey, granted Ahilya life once more.

Reunited with Goutam, Ahilya lived a life of devotion. They were blessed with a son named Sadananda, who later led them to Shreemal. Here, she discovered the deity Meenakshi within an Amla fruit, who blessed her with her husband’s eternal love. In gratitude, a well was dug for Ahilya’s private baths, and the place came to be known as Ahilyaharidya, while the goddess was worshiped as Amlaja Devi.