Manikandeswarar Melapalandai

Manikandeswarar, Melapalandai

Saivite Temples, Thiruvannamalai District

God

Manikandeswarar, facing east

Goddess

Amman, facing south

Other Deities

Vinayaka, Naagar, Anjaneyar, Mahavishnu, Navagraha, Subramanya with consorts. Sanctum Niches – Bala Vinayaka, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma, Durga, Chandikeswara

Manikandeswara Melapalandai is a small east facing temple with entrance from the east. This ancient temple with a single Prakaram was under renovation during our visit in 2019. The idols in the sanctum niches are not the original ones as they are very small and have been just kept in place. The Mahavishnu idol is about 6 feet tall in a separate south facing shrine. The sanctum sanctorum is a beautiful stone construction. The rest of the shrines are all new constructions. The entrance to the sanctum is through the south, facing the goddess as you enter. The ancient Nandi Idol and Balipeedam is in front facing the lord through a small window.

Holy Water (Theertham) – No information

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Vilwam (Aegle marmelos)

History

Manikandeswara Melapalandai is an ancient temple looking at the constructon and style of the Sanctum Sanctorum, but no historical information is available as of now.

Legend

No information

Directions

Manikandeswara Melapalandai is about 25 kilometers west of Cheyyar and 12 kilometers east of Arani. You have to take a deviation towards north at the fork in the Vandavasi to Arani Road, cross the Cheyyar River, Bakthavatsaleswarar Vaalapandal temple and reach Manikandeswara Melapalandai. This temple actually comes in Vellore district, but for matters of convenience to the visitor we have included in Thiruvannamalai District.

Stay and Food

None locally. Closest for food and stay would be Kancheepuram.

Saivite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples