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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.
Contactno:9942899555,9942587000,9842430308,
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