Unnathapureeswarar Temple, Melattur, Thanjavur
Unnathapureeswarar Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to
Lord Shiva located at Melattur Village in Papanasam Taluk in Thanjavur District
of Tamil Nadu. Presiding Deity is called as Unnathapureeswarar and Mother is
called as Sivakami / Sivapriyambika Ambal. This temple is known more for
Shiva Shakthi Pooja and considered an important Shiva Shakthi Peetam.
Legends
Shiva
Sakthi Peedam:
This temple is known more for Shiva Shakthi Pooja and
considered an important Shiva Shakthi peetam. It is believed that
apart from the Universal Mother Parasakthi, Saptha Madhas and the two gate
keepers of the Parasakthi Peetam, offer worship to this Lord. In
fact, as per belief, the Mothers go around nine temples in this area in
rotation and offer poojas to the Shivas of those temples during
Navarathri.
Lord
Shiva came as Fisherman to save Lord Vishnu:
Once a demon by name Somaka stole the four Vedas and
disappeared in the sea. Vishnu took the Machavataram (fish), went after
the demon, killed him and in the process of recovering the Vedas, also drank
the demon’s blood. He was intoxicated and totally uncontrollable. When Brahma
and the other Devas pleaded with the Lord of Kailash, he came as a fisherman along
with Parvathi in a boat. Vishnu, the fish, attacked the boat with his
fin. Shiva caught hold of the fish and squeezed it so that Vishnu could
vomit all the blood of the demon and regain his original form.
Lord
Shiva curse on Lord Vishnu:
As per another legend, once Vishnu entered Kailash along
with Garuda without informing Nandi. When Nandi protested, Vishnu felled him
with his weapons and entered. When Shiva came to know about this, he
cursed Vishnu to be born a human being and Garuda as an ordinary bird. When
the pair requested Shiva for a solution, he informed them about Vishnu’s Rama
Avatharam where he would take the role of a human. Since that would happen
after a long time, in the interim, He suggested them to go to Unnathapuram and
perform penance there for six months. When they completed the tasks,
they got back their normal forms.
Chozha
king was blessed with Child:
In the latter days, there was a Chozha king by name
Kalmashapada, who was Childless. As advised by his Kulaguru and Sage
Agasthya, he performed penance here and got a progeny.
Equivalent
of taking bath in Seven Seas:
King Dharmaveera who was an ardent devotee of this Lord,
once desired that he should take bath in Ramasethu during an auspicious day. Since
he was unable to go there, he prayed to the Lord who brought the essence of all
the Seven Seas here and created a Theertham and asked the king to take bath in
that to get the benefit equivalent to that of taking bath in Seven Seas.
The
Temple
Presiding Deity is called as Unnathapureeswarar. Mother
is called as Sivakami / Sivapriyambika Ambal. It is evidenced from the
stone inscriptions that during the reign of Vikrama Chola (1125-1150 A.D) a
Shiva temple was built over an alluvium that carried a Linga, naming the place
as Unnathapuri / Unnathapuram and the deity in Linga form, Unnathapureeswarar. The
place is also known earlier as Nritta-Vinoda-Valanadu, came into existence since
the early part of the 12th century.
Religious
Significance
For brief details, please refer below link;
Connectivity
The Temple is located at about 6 Kms from Thirukkarugavur,
9 Kms from Ayyampet, 8 Kms from Ayyampet Railway Station, 9 Kms from
Pandaravadai Railway Station, 8 Kms from Thittai Railway Station, 12 Kms from
Papanasam, 18 Kms from Thanjavur, 76 Kms from Trichy and 80 Kms from Trichy
Airport.
