What to expect
Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple
A Shakti temple famous for the night-long Mayana Kollai festival held after Maha Shivaratri, drawing large crowds for its dramatic cremation-ground ritual re-enactment. This temple guide is organized from Gingee in Viluppuram district, with practical planning for routes, timing, nearby stays, food, operators and direct local inventory. Use it to compare what to see, how long to spend, when to go and which pilgrim stays, respectful local guides, food stops, shops, transport and verified visitor support should be verified around Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple.
Practical guide
Plan Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple
Who's going?Tailor Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple to your trip
Before you go to Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple
Entry rules not verified for this temple. Many Hindu temples in Kerala 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 baseGingee
Best timeOctober to March is the cooler, drier season in the Cauvery delta
Time neededAbout an hour
EntryFree
Nearest town/baseGingee
DistrictViluppuram
Place typetemple
Time neededAbout an hour.
A Shakti temple famous for the night-long Mayana Kollai festival held after Maha Shivaratri, drawing large crowds for its dramatic cremation-ground ritual re-enactment. This temple guide is organized from Gingee in Viluppuram district, with practical planning for routes, timing, nearby stays, food, operators and direct local inventory. Use it to compare what to see, how long to spend, when to go and which pilgrim stays, respectful local guides, food stops, shops, transport and verified visitor support should be verified around Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple.
Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple is planned from Gingee, one of the travel bases in Viluppuram district. Use Gingee for stays, food and local transport, then plan this place as a focused stop.
Visiting
Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple — at a glance
Timings6:00 AM - 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM - 8:30 PM daily
Best timeOct-Feb; festival season around Shivaratri draws peak crowds
Entry: Free
Getting here
How to reach Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple
Nearest railway: Villupuram Jn (VM) ~40 km; nearest airport: Puducherry ~55 km or Chennai (MAA) ~160 km
Expect massive crowds during the Mayana Kollai festival night; footwear off before entering the sanctum
Getting around Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari 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 Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari 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.
Getting there
How to visit
- Base yourself in Gingee or nearby in Viluppuram, 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 Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari TempleSeasonal guide
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Today at Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple
Sunrise6:00 am
Sunset6:37 pm
Golden hour best light5:37 pm–6:37 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:37 pm–7:02 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingWNW · 287°
Moon tonight🌗 Last quarter · 45%
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.
Visitor notes
Safety
Good to know
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Where Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple is
Good to know
Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple?
October to March is the cooler, drier season in the Cauvery delta.
What are the entry fee and timings at Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple?
Entry: Free. Timings: 6:00 AM - 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM - 8:30 PM daily. Fees and timings are indicative — confirm on site before you travel.
How do I reach Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple?
Base yourself in Gingee or nearby in Viluppuram, 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 Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple?
About an hour.
What else is near Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple?
Nearby you can pair Mandagapattu Cave Temple (Trimurti Temple) (10.7 km), Alagiya Narasimha Perumal Temple, Ennayiram (15.0 km), Satrumalleswaram Rock-Cut Cave Temple, Dalavanur (15.3 km), Panangatteeswarar Temple, Panayapuram (19.6 km).
Read next
Stories, legends & history of Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple
StoryMayana Kollai at Melmalayanur: The Night Tamil Nadu Worships the Goddess of the Graveyard6 min readStoryMandagapattu: Where the Pallava Rock-Cut Temple Was Born7 min read
More stories, legends & guides from Viluppuram
Image credits
- Melmalayanur Angala Parameswari Temple:பாப்பாத்தி அம்மாள் · CC BY-SA 4.0