Unnadapureeswarar Melattur

Saivite Temples, Thanjavur District

God

Unnadapureeswarar facing east

Goddess

Sivapriyambigai, facing south

Other Deities

Ganesha, Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Brahma, Durga, Chandikeswara, Muruga with consorts, Gajalakshmi, Lingams, Naalvar, 63 Nayanmar, Naagar, Navagraha, Kala Bhairava

Unnadapureeswarar Melattur is a large and well maintained east facing temple with entrance from the east through a tall 5 tiered Rajagopuram. The single Prakaram is large and is enclosed by high walls about 20 feet tall. The Shiva Lingam is tall and tapering. The goddess idol is about 5-6 feet tall.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Well inside temple

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – No information

History

Unnadapureeswarar Melattur is an ancient temple. Inscriptions here indicate that Melattur village might have existed as early as the times of Vikrama Chola who lived in 12th Century CE. Earlier known as Nritta Vinoda Valanadu, the village was renamed as Unnadapuri pertaining to the presiding deity Unnathapureswarar. When the Vijayanagar Empire fell during the Battle of Talikota in 1542, there was a prominent exodus of artistes and Hindus southwards. Achyuthappa Nayak of Thanjavur, a vassal of the Vijayanagar kings granted the village of Unnadapuri near Thanjavur to 501 families of Kuchipudi dancers who were a part of this group. The village was subsequently renamed as Achyutapuram and eventually as Melattur with the passage of time. The Kuchipudi dancers preserved their ancestral tradition which eventually gave rise to the Bhagavatha Melas as well as the unique style of Bharatanatyam that has evolved here.

Mythology

No information

Directions

Unnadapureeswarar Melattur is about 17 kilometers east of Thanjavur via Thittai.

Stay and Food

None locally for stay, closest is Thanjavur and Kumbakonam.

Saivite Temples

Thanjavur Temples

Tamilnadu Temples