Home ::
Meenakshi Temple in Madurai India
Meenakshi Temple in Madurai
India
One of the biggest and ancient temple
complex, the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai India is dedicated to Lord Shiva (Sundareshwara) and
Lord Meenakshi (Goddess Parvathi). According to legend, Madurai is the place where the
wedding between Shiva and Parvathi took place. The temple built by Kulasekhra
Pandya was given its full glory by the Nayakas who ruled the city between the
16th and 18th centuries.
High
walls surround the complex which houses the two sanctums of Meenakshi Temple
travel guide and
Sundareshwara. The 12 huge towers, known as Gopurams, are made from granite and
are ornate with beautiful figures of deities, mythical animals and monsters. The
huge gates located at four points in the temple lead to the temple complex while
the smaller gates lead to the sanctums of the deities.
To the eastern
side of the temple is the Ashta Shakthi Mandapam which was once used to
distribute food to the devotees coming from far away places. A little ahead is
the Meenakshi Nayaka Mandapa which has a huge lamp holder with 1008 lamps which
when lit up present a spectacular sight. The Thousand Pillar Hall is another
major attraction which houses a museum where you can see beautiful icons,
photographs and drawings presenting the colourful history of the
place.
Meenakshi Temple Travel Guide
» Thirumalai Nayak Palace : The huge palace was constructed by king
Thirumalai Nayak in 1636. The building we see today is just a part of the
original structure which was almost four times larger and built in an Italian
style. The munificent palace was decorated with beautiful artefacts, miniature
paintings and invaluable antiques, most of which were transported to other
places.
» Thirupparankundram : 6 km southwest of Madurai,
the small town is regarded as one of the six abodes of Lord Subramaniya.
According to legend, Lord Muruga was married to the daughter of Indra, Devayani,
at this place. The shrines inside the temple are dedicated to Shiva, Ganapathy,
Durgai, Vishnu and other deities.
» Azhagar Kovil : The
temple dedicated to lord Vishnu is situated on a beautiful hill located 21 km
northwest of Madurai. The Azhagar form of lord Vishnu, believed to be the
brother of Meenakshi is worshipped here. The Chitrai Festival celebrated during
April/ May is marked by a procession carrying a golden icon of the lord from
Azhagar Kovil to Madurai.
» Vandiyur Mariyamman Theppakulam : Situated about 5 km east of the
Meenakshi Temple, it is a huge temple tank dedicated to lord Vigneswara. It is
the biggest tank in the state and a sight worth watching, when full of water.
The tank is fed with water through a network of underground water channels.
Getting There - How to Reach
Madurai
»
By Air : The Madurai Airport is situated just 10 km from Madurai city. Daily
flights by Indian Airlines and other private service providers connect Madurai
to major Indian cities including Chennai, Bangalore,Tiruchi and
Coimbatore.
» By Rail : Madurai is an important railway
junction of the southern railway which connects the city to important places
like Chennai and Tirunelveli through many express and super-fast trains. The
Vaigai Express which connects Madurai with Chennai takes just 7 hours to
complete the 495 km long journey.
» By Road : Madurai
city has 5 bus stands from where State Transport and other private buses ply for
all the major cities in and outside the state.
