Malayadippatti
In Malayadippatti ('ma-la-ya-dip-pat-ti', village-at-the-foothills-of mountain), there are
two cave temples hewn out of same rock, similar to that of
Thirumayam (திருமயம்).
The bas-relief sculpture of Mahishasura-mardini (மகிஷாசுரமர்தினி ) in the
Siva shrine is very impressive. The Sapta-matrika (சப்த கன்னியர்) frieze
here will interest iconographers. Practitioners of Kundalini yoga may also
find it worth studying this group of sculpture for it is an authentic 1200-year
old composition. There are paintings on the walls, ceiling and sculptures
in the Vishnu shrine. Also there are some prehistoric burial sites near
to Malayadippatti village.
Malayadippatti is a small village in the northern half of the Pudukkottai
(புதுக்கோட்டை) district. In the early inscriptions the place was called
Thiru-valattur-malai (திருவாலத்தூர் மலை).
It is 40 km away from Pudukkottai, in the Killukkottai–Kiranur (கிள்ளுக்கோட்டை-கீரனூர்)
route, 3 km away from Killukkottai and 20 km from Kiranur.
One can reach this place by taking the diversion either from Adhanakkottai
(அதனக்கோட்டை) on the Thanjavur (தஞ்சாவூர்)-Pudukkottai road or from Kiranur
(கீரனூர்) on the Tiruchirappalli (திருச்சிராப்பள்ளி) -Pudukkottai National
highway. Town Bus facility is available from Kiranur and Killukkottai.
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