God
Sundareswarar, facing east
Goddess
Meenakshi, facing south
Other Deities
Kadan Theertha Vinayakar, Muruga with consorts, Gajalakshmi, Sapthamadar, Jeshta Devi, Navagraha, Agora Veerabadhra, Saneeswara, Uma Maheswarar, Naagar, Rishabandhigar, Bhairava, Jamadagni, Suryan, Chandran, Agni. Sanctum Niches – Dakshinamurthy, Chandikeswara Chandikeswara
Meenakshi Sundareswarar Melapaluvur is an ancient east-facing temple which was in ruins and has been renovated in recent times. The temple is situated in a depression of about 3 feet. A 3 tiered Rajagopuram is on the entrance in the depression. There are 2 Dwarapalakas on either side of the Rajagopuram. After this are Airavatham, Dwajasthambam, and Balipeedam. The entire temple is situated in a single Prakaram. A Mukha Mantapam and Ardha Mantapam leads to the sanctum sanctorum of the main deity. The Amman shrine is separate and faces south.
Holy Water – Well in the Prakaram
Holy Tree – Vilwam (Aegle marmelos)
Meenakshi Sundareswarar Melapaluvur is an ancient temple. As per available information this temple was built by Pazhuvetarayar Kings during the 10th Century CE. In CE 880 Pazhuvettarayar Kandan, Kumaran, and Maravan ruled this place. Melapaluvur was called as Mannupperum Pazhuvur, under Kundra Kootram (Kunnam). The temple was also called Pakaividai Eswara gruham and the main deity was called Mahadevar, Pazhuvur Nakkar, Thiruthotramudaiya Mahadevar, Kulothunga Chozheeswaramudaiya Mahadevar, and other names.
An inscription during Uttama Chozha’s (970 CE to 985 CE) reign records the endowment for burning a lamp by Pazhuvettaraiyar King Kandan Maravan. He also appointed Kasiba Gothra Ilangothi Suriyan as a supervisor at the temple on the recommendation of an inspector of the temple called Kousikan Nakkan Maran. This order of appointment was received when the Pazhuvettaraiyar King, stayed at Miladunattu Chenapuram.
As per inscriptions, during the time of Parantakan (909 CE) a person called Pattudayar from Avani Gandharva Easwaram made a donation. An inscription records the endowment to keep the lamp burning by one Nakkan Kidantha Perumal with a contribution of 10 Kalanju gold as a gift to this temple. Another inscription mentions an endowment for burning a perpetual lamp by Venni Kootram Poovanur, Aththiraiyan Sivadasan Chozhapiran alias Utama Chozha Brahmathirayar (a high-ranking official in the Chola kingdom). For the same purpose 96 Sheep and a Lamp weighing 400 palam, measured in a scale called Thulakol Seruvidai were gifted to this temple during his visit.
An incomplete inscription mentions a temple named Srikanda Eswaram and a donation of land given to that temple. The temple and location mentioned in this inscription have not been identified.
An inscription belonging to an unknown year in the Meenakshi Amman shrine records that Thiruthotramudaiya Mahadevar temple, originally constructed with bricks, was in a dilapidated condition and was reconstructed with stone by Vanakovaraiyar Suddhamallan Uttama Chozhan Ilangeswaran. He also constructed the Gopuram, Praharas, Ashta parivara sannidhis and arranged for regular worship.
During the reign of Kulothunga I’s 10th regnal year, donations were received from several people for the making of a bronze idol of Thirunavukkarasar. During his 15th regnal year a land near Pavithra Manicka Pereri was donated to the temple by Vanakovaraiyar Suddhamallan Uttama Chozhan Ilangeswaran.
During Rajaraja Chola’s 3rd and 10th regnal year, 10 Kalanju gold, land, grains and ghee were donated by prominent people.
Kulothunga Chozha-III’s period inscription at Twin Temples, Keezhapalur records the construction of steps to climb, by a Thevaradiyal called Vazhavanthan Siriyal and that she was the wife of a soldier who worked in the Kaikolar army at Gangaikonda Chozhapuram. Adita Chozha I’s period inscription records an endowment for burning two perpetual lamps by Nakkanbhoothi one of the Thevaradiyar and a gift of land to this temple as devadhanam. The land was converted into two bhoga cultivated land before gifting to this temple, (mentioned as Pakaividai Eswaram) and Avanikantharva Eswaram.
In another inscription, Soman Bhuvani was stabbed to death by Arangan Bhattan. The Pazhuvur Nagarathar tried to catch him but couldn’t do so. So the Pazhuvur Nagarathar established an endowment for burning a perpetual lamp at Pakaividai Eswarathu Mahadevar Temple (present day Sundareswarar Temple). For the same 4 Siva Brahmins of the temple administration received Gold from the Pazhuvur Nagarathar. This Gold was used to rectify the breach of Pakaividai Chaturvedi mangalam lake.
Kumbhabhishekam was performed in 2015 after 500 years with the contribution of Nattukottai Nagarathars.
No Information
Meenakshi Sundareswarar Melapaluvur is 3 kilometers before Keelapaluvur on the road from Lalgudi to Ariyalur.
None Locally. The closest places are Lalgudi, Thiruchirapalli and Thanjavur.