Narthana Vallabeswarar Temple, Thirukoodalaiyathoor

Narthana Vallabeswarar Temple stands in Thirukoodalaiyathoor, Cuddalore district, where the Manimutharu and Vellaru rivers meet. Shiva is worshipped as Narthana Vallabeswarar, represented by a lingam, with his consorts Gnanasakthi and Parasakthi, and the temple is a Paadal Petra Sthalam praised by Sundarar. Legend says Sundarar, losing his way to Vriddhachalam, asked directions of a holy man who led him here and turned out to be Shiva; Shiva is also said to have danced here before Brahma. Another story tells of a Chola king cured after bathing at the confluence, giving Shiva the name Koodalaiyitroorar, from koodal, 'confluence'.

The half-acre temple is entered by a three-tier gopuram and enclosed by concentric granite walls. The original is credited to the Cholas and the present masonry to the 16th-century Nayaks. Besides the usual shrines to Vinayaka, Murugan and Durga, it has a shrine to Chitragupta, Yama's accountant, whose festival image holds a pen and script.