Chandramouleeswarar Temple, Thiruvakkarai

Chandramouleeswarar Temple stands in Thiruvakkarai, a village on the Varaha river about 20 km from Villupuram, close to the National Fossil Wood Park. Shiva is worshipped as Chandramowleeswarar with his consort Amirthambigai, and the temple is a Paadal Petra Sthalam. The stone shrine dates from the reign of the Chola king Aditya I (870–907), and the temple received endowments from the Chola queen Sembiyan Mahadevi. The sanctum holds a lingam with three faces, said to be one of very few in India.

The temple is also called the Vakrakali temple after the goddess Kali, who legend says slew the sister of the demon Vakrasura; her shrine stands inside the Shiva temple, something said to happen only at Thiruvakkarai. The temple is known for its 'vakram', or contrary, layout: the rajagopuram, flagstaff and Nandi are not in a straight line, so the main deity cannot be seen from the entrance, and Sani's crow faces left. A separate shrine of Varadaraja Perumal shows Vishnu with the Prayoga Chakra.