Nanjundeswarar, Melacavery, Thanjavur

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Nanjundeswarar	Ambal / Thayar:	–
Deity:	Siva	Historical name:
Vriksham:		Teertham:
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	– to – & – to –	Parikaram:
Temple group:		–
Sung by:		Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Melacavery	District:	Thanjavur
Maps from (click):	Current location	Kumbakonam (3 km)	Mayiladuthurai (39 km)
	Thanjavur (41 km)	Tiruvarur (43 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

The part of Kumbakonam to the north of the Kaveri river is called Melacavery. Going by one of the engraved slabs announcing the beautification of the nearby Brahmapureeswarar temple’s tank in 1957, this place used to be called Brahmeshtipura Agraharam.

This part of Kumbakonam boasts of two prominent Siva temples today, both located nearby: the which is a Tevaram Vaippu Sthalam, and the Brahmapureeswarar temple.

At the time of our visit in August 2022, this temple was unapproachable due to its poor maintenance. Although a physical temple had been constructed, it was surrounded with undergrowth and bushes, and we learnt from the caretaker of the Brahmapureeswarar temple, that no worship took place here. The images in the gallery are from this visit.

The original temple here is said to have been built around the same time as the Brahmapureeswarar temple, putting it at over 1000 years old, and from the medieval Chola period (possibly from the time of Raja Raja Chola I or Rajendra Chola). However, the moolavar lingam and Amman vigraham belonging to this temple were moved to the Brahmapureeswarar temple at some point.

Post our visit, it appears that the temple grounds have later been cleaned up and is a functional temple now.