What to expect
Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple
An early-Chola stone Shiva temple at Melapaluvur (Melapazhuvur), historic seat of the Paluvettaraiyar chieftains who served Chola emperors from Aditya I to Rajendra I. The temple is rich in Chola, Pandya and Vijayanagar inscriptions.
Practical guide
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Before you go to Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple
Entry rules not verified for this temple. Some Hindu temples admit only Hindus, and most enforce a dress code at the door. We have not verified the rule for this particular temple, so please check before you travel — especially if you are not Hindu or are visiting from outside India.
We report each site's own published rules neutrally, and only where we can source them.
Typetemple
Nearest baseThirumanur
DistrictAriyalur
Best timeOctober to March is the cooler, drier…
Time neededAbout an hour
EntryFree
Places to visit5→Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple is planned from Thirumanur, one of the travel bases in Ariyalur district. Use Thirumanur for stays, food and local transport, then plan this place as a focused stop.
Getting there
How to visit
- Base yourself in Thirumanur or nearby in Ariyalur, then confirm the last-mile route locally before travel.
- If access depends on temple, museum or seasonal rules, check on the day before you go.
Timing
Best time
October to March is the cooler, drier season in the Cauvery delta.
Weather in Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) TempleSeasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple
Sunrise6:04 am
Sunset6:24 pm
Golden hour best light5:24 pm–6:24 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:24 pm–6:49 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 279°
Moon tonight🌖 Waning gibbous · 83%
South-west monsoon. June to September is the south-west monsoon in Tamil Nadu. Expect heavy showers, mostly in bursts rather than all day — carry rain cover, allow extra time for getting around, and note that ferries and open-air sites are the first things affected.
Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop
Stays, food & things to do near Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple
Verified hotels, homestays, restaurants, experiences, sights, shops and rentals around Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple — commission-free, with direct contact. Filter by what you need.
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Top experiences around Thirumanur
4 more places around Thirumanur, each worth a day of its own.
wildlifeKaraivetti Bird Sanctuary
8.1 km · ~13 min by cab
A 453.71-hectare freshwater wetland at Vettakudi that draws large numbers of migratory and resident water birds, with over 188 species recorded including the bar-headed goose. Peak birdwatching runs September to March.
templeVaidyanatha Swamy Temple, Thirumazhapadi
16.0 km · ~27 min by cab
An ancient Shiva temple on the banks of the Kollidam whose antiquity reaches back to the Sangam age. A Thevaram-sung shrine praised by the Nayanmars Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar, it is known for its Nandi Kalyanam festival.
templeKilaiyur Twin Temples (Avani Kandharpa Ishvaram)
190 m · 2 min walk
A pair of finely preserved early-Chola stone temples (Erattaikoil) at Keezhaiyur in the historic Paluvur cluster, one built in 884 AD by the Paluvettaraiyar chief Kumaran Kandan. They are prized for their early Chola architecture and sculpture.
templeKailasanathar Temple, Thirumanur
13.7 km · ~23 min by cab
An ancient Shiva temple at Thirumanur near the Kollidam river, traditionally credited to Chembian Madevi, the grandmother of Rajaraja Chola I and a noted temple patron. The sanctum holds Kailasanathar as a lingam with a separate shrine for the goddess Kamakshi, alongside sub-shrines for Murugan with Valli and Deivayanai. Its walls carry Chola-period Tamil and Sanskrit inscriptions recording donations and temple practices.
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Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple — at a glance
Timings7:00 AM - 11:00 AM, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM daily
Best timeNovember to February
Entry: Free
Getting here
How to reach Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple
About 45 km from Tiruchirappalli (TRZ) airport; nearest railhead Ariyalur (~20 km), then taxi.
Getting around Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple
We have not assessed physical access at this place yet. Across India, step-free routes, handrails and accessible toilets are the exception rather than the rule, and pavements are often interrupted — if step-free access matters to you, contact the site or a local operator before committing to the trip.
If you need help at Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple
112All emergencies (police · fire · medical)The single number to call in any emergency (ERSS).100Police101Fire108Ambulance (emergency / EMS)1091Women’s helpline (distress)1098Child helpline1363Tourist helpline (India, 24×7, multilingual)
Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.
Nearby
What’s near Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple
churchElakurichi Adaikala Madha Shrine (Our Lady of Refuge) 16.1 km · ~27 min by cab · straight line
On the map
Where Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple is
Good to know
Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple?
October to March is the cooler, drier season in the Cauvery delta.
What are the entry fee and timings at Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple?
Entry: Free. Timings: 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM daily.
How do I reach Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple?
Base yourself in Thirumanur or nearby in Ariyalur, then confirm the last-mile route locally before travel. If access depends on temple, museum or seasonal rules, check on the day before you go.
How much time do I need for Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple?
About an hour.
What else is near Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple?
Nearby you can pair Kilaiyur Twin Temples (Avani Kandharpa Ishvaram) (190 m), Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary (8.1 km), Kallankurichi Dinosaur Egg Fossil Site (9.0 km), Pradakshineswarar Temple, Sripurandan (10.6 km).
Read before you go
Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple itself yet. These cover Thirumanur, the town it sits in, and the wider district.
Tamil Nadu-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Tamil Nadu.
Image credits
- Melapaluvur Sundareswarar (Agastheeswarar) Temple:Pa. Jambulingam · CC BY-SA 4.0