Arinjaya Choleeshwaram — The Forgotten Pallipadai of the Cholas!
அரிஞ்சய சோழன் பள்ளிப்படை!
Did you know the mighty Raja Raja Chola I built a temple not for a god first — but for his grandfather?
Welcome to Melpadi, where the Arinjaya Choleeshwaram stands as one of the earliest Chola Pallipadai temples, marking both memory and empire.
Directions / Location:
📍 Melpadi Village, near Arcot, Ranipet District, Tamil Nadu.
Located about 25 km from Vellore on the Arcot–Chittoor route, this serene site once formed the northern frontier of the Chola realm — known in inscriptions as Rajaraja Chaturvedimangalam.
Highlights Not to Miss:
✦ The Pallipadai (memorial temple) of Arinjaya Chola, grandfather of Raja Raja I.
✦ Inscriptions of Raja Raja I, referring to the deity as Arinjigai-Isvaram Udaiya Mahadevar.
✦ A Vishnu temple nearby, said to be built for Arinjaya’s queen — showcasing early Shaiva–Vaishnava dual patronage.
✦ The village also preserves hero stones (Veerakkal) and traces of ancient trade routes.
Architectural Wonder:
✦ The shrine is east-facing, built of granite in early Chola style — compact, sturdy, and minimally ornamented.
✦ The Vimana is eka-tala (single-tiered) with clean Pallava-Chola transition features.
✦ Later brick additions and a restored adhisthana hint at continuous worship from the 10th century onward.
✦ Look for fine inscriptions etched on the base — the true storytellers of this memorial.
Arinjaya Cholan, Arinjaya Choleeshwaram, Melpadi, Pallipadai Temple, Early Chola Architecture, Raja Raja Chola I, Tamil Nadu Temples, Chithiram Pesuthada, Suresh Priyan
Chithiram Pesuthada
Arinjaya Choleeshwaram — The Forgotten Pallipadai of the Cholas!
அரிஞ்சய சோழன் பள்ளிப்படை!
Did you know the mighty Raja Raja Chola I built a temple not for a god first — but for his grandfather?
Welcome to Melpadi, where the Arinjaya Choleeshwaram stands as one of the earliest Chola Pallipadai temples, marking both memory and empire.
Directions / Location:
📍 Melpadi Village, near Arcot, Ranipet District, Tamil Nadu.
Located about 25 km from Vellore on the Arcot–Chittoor route, this serene site once formed the northern frontier of the Chola realm — known in inscriptions as Rajaraja Chaturvedimangalam.
Highlights Not to Miss:
✦ The Pallipadai (memorial temple) of Arinjaya Chola, grandfather of Raja Raja I.
✦ Inscriptions of Raja Raja I, referring to the deity as Arinjigai-Isvaram Udaiya Mahadevar.
✦ A Vishnu temple nearby, said to be built for Arinjaya’s queen — showcasing early Shaiva–Vaishnava dual patronage.
✦ The village also preserves hero stones (Veerakkal) and traces of ancient trade routes.
Architectural Wonder:
✦ The shrine is east-facing, built of granite in early Chola style — compact, sturdy, and minimally ornamented.
✦ The Vimana is eka-tala (single-tiered) with clean Pallava-Chola transition features.
✦ Later brick additions and a restored adhisthana hint at continuous worship from the 10th century onward.
✦ Look for fine inscriptions etched on the base — the true storytellers of this memorial.
#ArinjayaCholanPallipadai #CholaArchitecture #Melpadi #RajarajaChola #PallipadaiTemple #TamilHeritage #VelloreHeritage #ChithiramPesuthada #SureshPriyan
Arinjaya Cholan, Arinjaya Choleeshwaram, Melpadi, Pallipadai Temple, Early Chola Architecture, Raja Raja Chola I, Tamil Nadu Temples, Chithiram Pesuthada, Suresh Priyan
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