Next, let’s look at the two temples built by the Paluvettarayas, the feudal kings of the Chola nation. This temple is located in Keelayuryur called Melapaluvur on Trichy Jayangkondam National Highway in Ariyalur District. Protected by Archaeological Survey of India. Historical evidence says that this temple was built in the ninth century AD by the feudal kings Kumaran Maravan and Kumaran Kandan during the Adita Chola period .
To see these two temples, we went to the former Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple in Melapaluvur. It is a very old Shiva temple built in a beautifully elegant manner. But now they have renovated and built roof towers over the stone walls of the temple. The temple looks like a blend of old and new.
A circular wall has been built around this temple. Inside this temple is an ancient idol of Ganesha. Its exterior is currently being renovated and painted. It is known about its antiquity only when looking at its historical data. When you go inside this temple, you will see a very beautiful sculpture carved on a pillar. It is an idol of Dwarapalakar. Usually the idols of Dwarpalakas have big moustaches. But this statue looked a little different. This sculpture is the first sculpture that I have seen in that pillar carved temple. The pillar itself has been set up in three-dimensional form.
The entrance gate to the temple seems to have been placed at present. I think the previous doors must have been damaged. In front of the temple there were idols of two Dwara Balakars. The idols were found to be a little dilapidated.
After that, if you go inside the temple, there is a separate sanctum dedicated to Lord Muruga with Valli Deivanai. The roof of this temple has also been renovated.
On one side of this temple there is a half-built ruined entrance gate. It does not have a tower. At present they kept it locked with a steel barred door.
A small hall of the temple houses a wooden Nandi idol. I think they are doing it now for Swamy urvalam
At the gate of the Karpagraha of the temple there were two Dwara Palakar idols and next to it there was an idol of Ganesha carved in black stone. The idol of the two Dwara Balagars has been painted and erected in modern times.
As seen in Kodumbalur, they have done fine carvings on the pillars. The front halls of the temple have not changed, the old pillars have been kept securely and new buildings have been built on top of them. Three-quarters of the old pillars are preserved by them. It was mentioned there that the temple was founded by the Paluvetayars in the seventh century after Christ.