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.
