Lord Muruga in the temple is praised in the Tirupugazh hyms of saint Arunagirinathar.   Lord Chandramouleeswara is also praised as Chandrasekhara, Piraisoodia Peruman.  Mother is praised as Amirthambikai, Vadivambikai.

Devotees pray to Lord Shiva for mental peace, for relief from adverse planetary effects, removal of obstacles in undertakings, for removal of adverse effects following from last birth, for safety and welfare of children and for total solutions for any problem threatening self and the family.

Besides seeking above boons, devotees pray to Mother Vakrakali for happy wedding long delayed by lighting lamps in the Deepa Lakshmi shrine in lime cups, tie mangal sutras.  Devotees place their appeals to Lord in writing and tie them in the Trident.

There are two famous Lord Shiva temples with Panchamukha Linga (Linga with five faces) only in Nepal in North and Kalahasthi in South in Andhra Pradesh.  But a three faced Linga – Mummukha Linga – is only at Tiruvakkarai.  The Mukha looking east is Tathpurusha Linga, the one facing north is the Vamadeva Linga and the one facing south is the Agora Linga.  Agora Linga has two sharp teeth on sides, visible only during abisheks.

There are many things in the temple that are vakra in nature-contradictory to tradition.  The flag post is slightly on the north side.  Generally, one can have the darshan of the deity from the very entrance under the main tower.  None of main features in the temple-the Rajagopuram, flag post, Nandhi are on a straight line and are found away from one another.  

The devotee crowd in the temple is huge at 12.00 p.m. (midnight) on poornima-full moon days and 12.00 a.m. on new moon days when Jyoti darshan is offered to Mother Vakrakali Amman.  That is the light lit above the tower mandap.  This darshan is very important for the devotees.  The Sri Chakra, installed by Acharya Sri Sankara is on the left of Mother Vakrakali.  The discus of Lord Varadaraja Perumal is differently seen in the temple.

This is the place where saint Kundalini Siddha attained Samadhi which is within the temple itself.  The ear rings of Mother Vakrakali are designed as a little child.  Mother Vakrakali graces in the temple in a smiling-merciful form – Shanta Swarupi.

The crow, being the vahan of Sani Bhagwan is on the left against the right.  Those facing Vakra Sani period (some times planets use to move retrograde called Vakra), pray here for relief from its effects.

The cremation ground is just opposite Mother’s shrine.

Lord Varadaraja Perumal destroyed demon Vakrasura.  Vakrakali destroyed Dhunmukhi, sister of Vakrasura.  Dhunmukhi was pregnant when Kali attacked her.  According to rules, killing a Shisu-child is a sin.  So Vakrakali took out the child from her womb and wore it as ring on her right ear.  As Kali destroyed the sister of Vakrasura, She stayed here in the temple as Vakrakali.  She was in a furious temper.  Acharya Sri Sankara cooled down the Goddess by installing Sri Chakra on Her left leg.   As Kali is the deity for the serpent planets Rahu and Ketu, while circumambulating the shrine, 4 rounds should be clockwise and 5 anti-clockwise.

The place became popular because of the grace of Mother Vakrakali Amman.  The place is known as Vakra Shanti Tiruthalam.  The idol of Mother Vakrakali is so devotionally sculpted as Patteeswaram Durga, Chidambaram Brhamma Chamundeeswari and Thillai Kali.  Traditionally, Kali temples are at the border areas of the place.  At Tiruvakkari, the shrine is under the Rajagopuram of the main Shiva temple at the entrance.

The idol of Vakrakali is awe inspiring.  The head has flame hairs. A skull is the crown.  The ear ring is the Sishu in the right ear.  She has eight hands.  The right hands hold weapons as Pasam, discus, sword, skull of a wild animal.  She is also wearing a garland crosswise of the heads of the demons as the upper sari ending on the right hand through breasts.