Saturday, December 12, 2015

Melamalai, Narthamalai

Major historical monuments of Narthamalai are located in melamalai hillock only. Vijayalaya Choleeswaram, Larger Vishnu Cave temple, Pazhiyiliswaram are the important historical monuments located in the Melamalai Hills.



There are a few other interesting sites around Melamalai.



Natural Cavern & Tomb of Mohammad Masthan
A natural cavern at a short distance south of the Vijayalaya Chozhisvaram temple contains a tomb of a Muslim saint called Hazrat Noor Muhammad Masthan.

Talai Aruvi Singam Sunai
Talai Aruvi Singam is a tarn (sunai) on this hill. In this there is a submerged cave temple with a lingam cut out of the same rock named Jvaraharesvara (‘destroyer of fever’). According to an inscription dated 1857 AD, Ramachandra Tondaiman had the water bailed out and, in the company of his junior Rani and his guru Sivarama Swami, worshipped this lingam.

There is a small Vinayaka shrine, with a front mandapam and flat roof, near this sunai.
Lake

On the southern side of the Melamalai, at the foot, there is a small but beautiful lake. There is a small shrine for the village deity, Ayyanar, on the western bank of this water spread.