Our quest towards seeking the final truth led us to a hidden gem among the rubble. We stumbled upon a historic Shiva temple situated near Melur on the Trichy to Madurai highway.
It is a cave temple touted to be more than 1000 years( hearsay from the villagers) with the main deity as Lord Shiva flanked by Lord Ganesha and Lagulisa ( a deity found only in two or three places in Tamilnadu, The Hindu). Lagulisa or Lakulisa is the founder of Pashupata Saivism which is one of oldest Saivite schools that existed as early as first century AD (see Indian Temple and Iconography). There is a goddess Kali statue which is highly gravitating!!!!!!!. Villagers say that the goddess Kali is very powerful. There is also an archaeological survey board which is an ample testimony to the vintage of this great temple.
The temple is situated near a place called Narasingampatti on Trichy to Madurai highway. We have to take a right below the flyover at Narasingampatti to reach Arittapatti. If you see TVS company on your left on road , it is safe to assume that you are in the right path.
However, you might have to cross a dry river bed or a water body (lucky if it is dry, nowadays dry most of the times) and climb over a small hillock with steps leading to the other side which leads you to a curved path up to the temple. It is advised that you visit the temple with ample day light and with local assistance which is available before you walk into the dry river bed.
Lord Ganesh
Main Deity
Goddess Kali
Lagulisa
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