The earliest structure at this site is attributed to the Pallava king Mahendravarman I (circa 600 CE), who built a brick-and-stone shrine with a black granite hall. However, the site likely had a temple even earlier — 2nd-century CE Tamil poetry references Kama kottam (Kamakshi Amman) and Kumara kottam (Subramanya), suggesting Kanchipuram's ancient temple culture. The Chola dynasty (9th-13th centuries) rebuilt the temple in granite, adding a 100-pillared hall and multiple prakarams.
Many Chola inscriptions at the temple record gifts of land, villages, and gold to the temple. The 10th-century philosopher Adi Shankara is credited with expanding the temple along with the Kamakshi Amman and Varadaraja Perumal temples during his visit to Kanchipuram. The Vijayanagara period (14th-17th centuries) was the most transformative — Krishnadevaraya built the massive Raja Gopuram in 1509 and contributed the thousand-pillared hall and the fifth prakaram. The Nayakas of Madurai continued additions in the 16th-17th centuries.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Nattukottai Chettiars (a prominent banking community) funded major renovations. The Archaeological Survey of India report of 1905-06 recorded extensive renovation activities. The Pachiyappa Mudaliar, a wealthy merchant, also contributed significantly to the temple's upkeep. Today the temple is maintained by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
