Madurai

Pop: 1,200,000 Area Code: 0452

Madurai is the second largest city in Tamil Nadu, next to Chennai. This interesting city has a good atmosphere and is a popular place to visit. It is one of the oldest cities in India, over 2,500 years old. Madurai is situated on the banks of the Vaigai River.

The highly impressive Meenakshi Temple is in the center of the old town and is the main reason why people come here. An average of 10,000 people visit daily. The foundation of the town and temple were built by the Pandyan king, Kulasekhara. It is a place of pilgrimage specifically meant for the devotees of Lord Siva, therefore it is called Saivaksetra, the place where Lord Siva is worshiped. Sri Chaitanya came here on his South India tour.

History
Madurai was the capital of the Pandyan Empire from the 4th century till the 10th century. In the 10th century the Chola took over Madurai. It was regained by the Pandyans in the 12th century and they ruled it until the 14th century.

Madurai was invaded by the Delhi Sultanate in the 14th century and for a short time became a Sultanate under Malik Kafur. Then it came under the control of the Vijayanagar kingdom in the 15th and 16th centuries. During this time the Meenakshi Temple was greatly expanded and some of the temple towers were built. From 1599, Madurai was ruled by the Nayak dynasty. Tirumala Nayak (1623-59) built the Raja Gopuram and Teppakkulam Tank.

In 1736 the East India Company took control of Madurai. They torn down the city’s walls and filled in its moat. The moat used to be located where the Veli streets are now and this marks the boundaries of the old city.

Orientation
Madurai is situated on both banks of the Vaigai River. The old city, south of the Vaigai River, is surrounded by four streets—North, East, West, and South Veli Streets—which were made by the British when they filled in the moat that surrounded the city. The main shops, important offices, bus, and railway stations are on West Veli Street, 1km west of the temple. The temple is in the center of the old city, as are many of the lower-priced hotels. The Anna Bus Stand, museum, and higher-class hotels are north of the river, northeast of the Meenakshi Temple. Main streets are arranged in an irregular grid that go concentrically around the temple. The closest streets to the temple are East, South, West, and North Chitrai Street.

Information
The Tourist Office (34757) at 180 West Veli St, provides a free map of Madurai, and can arrange car rental and a tour guide. Open Mon to Sat 10 am to 5.30 pm. They also have tourist counters at the airport and railway station.

There is a daily Tour to Rameswaram that departs at 7.30 am and returns around 6 pm. It goes to most of the major places and is a convenient way to visit Rameswaram. You can arrange this tour with local travel agencies. The tour bus picks you up at your hotel.

The GPO is at the corner of N Veli St and Scott Rd. The poste restante (No 8) is open 10 am to 5 pm. You can send faxes from here.

There are bookshops on West Veli St including Malligai Bookshop, 11 W Veli St. Higginbothams Book Shop (24528), W Veli St, has a decent selection.

Hospital: Government Hospital (532-535), Panagal Rd, across the Vaigai River. Better is the private Jawahar Hospital (42023) 14 Main Rd, KK Nagar, north bank of the Vaigai River.
Shree Meenakshi Tours (39339), 97 Vakil New Street, is an established travel agency.

Internet facilities at Mahizham Internet Browsing Centre, 80-A, 3rd Floor, Nethaji Road (web site: www.koolal.com).

Money
You can change money at the State Bank of India (33524), 6 W Veli St, across from the train station; and at the Central Bank of India, 15 Meenakshi Rd. At the Andhra Bank, on W Chitrai St, they accept Visa and MasterCard, but not currency.

Meenakshi Temple
This 17th century temple has two sanctuaries: one dedicated to Lord Siva as Sundareswar (“Lord of Beauty”) and the other to Meenakshi, his wife. Meenakshi holds a parrot and a bouquet. It is a huge temple, in which you can get lost. Tirumala Nayak built the present temple in the early 17th century, but its history goes back to the Pandya kings, 2,000 years ago. It has some of the most impressive gopurams (temple towers) in India. It is estimated that there are 33 million carvings in the temple. This temple has some of the best architecture in India. About 10,000 people visit the temple every day. Around 25,000 people come on Fridays, which is the day sacred to Meenakshi.

The temple has a hall with a thousand pillars (actually 985). There is an interesting art gallery and museum in this hall. The museum can be visited while the temple is closed in the afternoon, between 1 and 4 pm.

The temple is open daily 5 am to 12.30 pm and 4 to 9.30 pm. Outside the Meenakshi Amman Shrine there is temple music between 6 and 7.30 pm and 9 and 10 pm. Every night at around 9.30 pm there is a dramatic ceremony during which Lord Siva is carried into the bedroom of Parvati. He is taken back to his temple around 6 am each morning.

The inner sanctums are restricted to Hindus only, but everyone can go anywhere else on the temple grounds. It is interesting to visit the temple both during the day and at night, as the dark corridors, with lamps burning here and there, are very impressive.

Temple Story
The story of the deities is that Meenakshi was born—with three breasts—out of the yajna (sacrificial) fire that the Pandyan king, Malayadhwaja, was performing to get a son. The king was told that one of the breasts would disappear when Meenakshi met the man she would marry. It is said that Meenakshi conquered the world defeating all the gods and demons. She then set out to conquer Lord Siva. When she met Lord Siva on Mt Kailash her third breast disappeared. Siva told her to return to Madurai, and eight days later he arrived in the form of Lord Sundareswar to marry her. Their wedding is celebrated in a grant fashion every year in Madurai.

Meenakshi means “one who has eyes like a fish.” Just as a mother fish has to just glance on her spawn to develop life in them, so in the same way her worshiper’s spiritual life comes alive when goddess Meenakshi glances at them.

Temple Information
There is a detailed explanation of the temple called History and Description of Sri Meenakshi Temple, which you can purchase at stalls inside the temple.
There is a Rs 25 camera fee payable at the temple office inside the southern gate, to the left as you enter. After taking a few pictures, I was asked by a regular-looking guy whether I had my camera ticket, so it is best to pay in advance. I know of another person who was asked whether he paid the camera fee a few seconds after taking his first picture.

The main section of the temple is closed between 1 and 4 pm, even for taking pictures. But the halls in the eastern part of the temple, including the 1,000 Pillar Hall and the Ashta Shakti Mandapa, are open during this time.

Non-Hindus are not allowed in the inner sanctum. There is a Jewel House next to where the vehicles of Meenakshi and Sundareswar are kept. This impressive collection of jewelry can sometimes be seen for a donation.

Temple Complex
The outer wall of the complex is 259m by 221m (847 by 792 ft). The temple has 12 large gopurams, or gates. The main entrance is on the eastern side of the temple. There are four huge gopurams with beautifully painted colored statues on the outer wall. The southern tower, built in the 16th century, is the largest one and is 48.8 metres (170 ft) high with a 33m by 22m (108 by 67 ft) base. It has over 1,500 sculptures on it. There are two huge yalis, which are like a combined lion and elephant, on both sides of the tower. The diameters of their eyes are 75 cm (2.5 ft), which gives an indication of the size of their bodies. The west tower, which is the first tower to be seen if you are coming from the railway station, is 47m (154 ft) high and has 1,124 sculptures on it. The north tower is 46m (152 ft) high and has 404 sculptures on it.

The eastern gopuram, built in the 13th century by Maravarman Sundara Pandyan, is the oldest tower. The eastern gate, which in most temples is the main gate, is never used. The reason for this is that one of the priests of the temple jumped off this gopuram when the Palace officials levied taxes on the temple servants. After this incident, the tax was immediately stopped. The gate is supposed to be haunted by his ghost.

People instead enter to the left of the eastern tower directly in line with the entrance to the Meenakshi Temple. There are beautiful sculptures of Ganesh and Subrahmanya on the sides of this entrance. There is also a scene of Sri Meenakshi’s wedding. This entrance leads to the Ashta Shakti Mandapa (Eight Goddesses Hall), where there is an interesting market. There are sculptured pillars decorated with carvings of the eight Shaktis (goddesses) and Siva’s 64 miracles performed at Madurai. There are also paintings in this hall that depict the birth of Sri Meenakshi.

A small hall connects the Ashta Shakti Mandapa to a large hall (43m by 33.5m) called the Meenakshi Naicker Mandapa. In the small hall there are 2.4m (8 ft) tall statues of a hunter and Parvati.

The Meenakshi Naicker Mandapa has 110 pillars, each of which is 6.7 m (22 ft) high. On each pillar is a figure of a yali, which is like a combined lion and elephant. There is a 7.5m (25 ft) high Thiruvatchi (frame of lamps) that contains 1,008 lamps.

Going straight from the Ashta Shakti Mandapa, you enter the seven-storey Chitrai (artistic) Gopuram, which has 730 sculptures on it. This leads to the Mudali Pillai Mandapa. This hall has scenes from the Puranas on its walls.

The Portramaraikulam Tank (Golden Lotus Tank), also called Swarnapushpakarini, is where Tamil literature was presented and then put in the tank. The manuscripts (in the past they were written on leaves) that floated were considered great works of literature, and if they sank, they were dismissed. Pilgrims either bathe, or wash their feet and hands in the tank before entering the inner sanctum. The tank is 50m by 36m (165 by 120 ft).

On the west side of the golden tank by the Meenakshi shrine is the Oonjal Mandapa, or Swing Mandapa, which has a swing where the two presiding deities are worshiped every Friday (6 to 7 pm). The six main Subrahmanya temples are painted on the walls of this Mandapa. Next to this is the Kilikootu Mandapa, the hall of parrots. There used to be parrots here that chanted the name of Meenakshi, but now you won't find any parrots. It has beautiful sculptures of the Pandavas, Vali, and Sugreeva (the king of the monkeys). There is a Yali here that has a stone ball that revolves in its mouth.

Next to the Kilikootu Mandapa is the main entrance to the Meenakshi shrine, also known as Amman Koyil, or “mother temple.” The roof of the main shrine is covered with gold.

Across the corridor and next to the tank is the small Rani Mangammal Mandapa, which has an 18th century painting showing the marriage of Meenakshi and Sundareswar. In the hallway there are also sculptures from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Walking north from the Meenakshi shrine brings you to the Sundareswara shrine. By the doorway between these two shrines is a huge 2.4m (8 ft) tall monolithic Ganesh, Mukuruni Vinayaka, said to have been found when the Mariamman Teppakkulam tank was excavated.

In front of the Sundareswar shrine are carvings of the Navagraha (nine planets). Next to this is the Kambathadi Mandapa, where there are carvings of the ten incarnations of Vishnu and the wedding of Meenakshi.

At the entrance of the Sundareswar Temple are 3.6m (12 ft) tall dwarapalakas (door-guards). In the southern part of this temple are shrines dedicated to Saraswati (the Goddess of Learning) and the 63 Nayanmars (important devotees of Siva). In the southwest corner is the utsava-murti (the deity taken out of the temple for processions). In the north section one can see Durga, Siddhi and Lakshmi (goddess of fortune), as well as an ancient Kadamba tree and a well. In the northwest corner is Kasi Visvanath. There is a tunnel in this enclosure which is said to have once been connected to the Thirumalai Nayak Palace. In the next enclosure is a Lord Nataraja shrine, where Lord Siva is dancing with his right foot raised.

If after leaving the Sundareswar Temple you go straight (east), you come to the Vira Vasantharayar Mandapa, which has 46 pillars and a large Nandi, the bull carrier of Lord Siva. There is a large arch of lights in this mandapa.

The Thousand Pillar Mandapa was built in the 16th century. Each pillar is intricately carved. It is a huge hall, 75m (250 ft) by 72m (240 ft). There is a large deity of Nataraja (dancing Siva) at the far end of the hall. There is an interesting museum and musical pillars in this hall. The musical pillars are just inside the entrance to the right. The museum is open 8 am to 8 pm.

When you exit this hall you come to the Thirukkalyana Mandapa. This is where the marriage ceremony of Sri Meenakshi is performed each year in April/May.

Between the north gopuram and the Thousand Pillar Hall on North Adi Street there are five musical pillars, each made of 22 rods carved out of a single block of granite. Each of the rods of the pillars produces a different note when struck.

Near the pillars is a mandapa with 16 pillars called Tattu Chutur Mandapa, built in 1172.

Koodal Alagar Temple
This is a Vishnu temple located 2km west of the city, that has three altars, one on top of the other, in which Lord Vishnu is in three different poses: sitting, standing, and reclining. The main deity of the temple is Koodal Alagar, who is in a sitting posture. Above the shrine of this deity are the altars of Sri Ranganatha, in a reclining pose, and Sri Surya-narayan Perumal, in a standing pose. There are intricate woodcarvings here, including one of Lord Rama’s coronation. This is one of the 108 Divya Desam temples. There is a Navagraha (nine planets) enclosure in this temple.

Mariamman Teppakkulam Tank
This huge tank, 300m (1000 ft) by 285m (950 ft), is located 5km east of the Meenakshi Temple. This is where the Teppam Float Festival takes place, during which the deities are taken out on decorated boats in Jan/Feb. The tank is fed water from the Vaigai River through underground channels. It is usually only filled during the Teppam Festival. While digging up the earth a huge Ganesh was found, which is now installed at the entrance of the Sundareswar Temple, in the Meenakshi Temple. From the State bus stand, you catch bus #4 or #4A to get here.

Thirumalai Nayak Mahal Palace
This interesting Indo-Saracenic palace is about 1½ km southeast of the Meenakshi Temple. The Nayak rulers built it in 1635. Architecturally, it is one of the best palaces in India, but there is not much left of it. Thirumalai Nayak’s grandson dismantled much of the palace and used it to build another palace in Tiruchirappalli.

The audience hall, Swarga Vilasam (Celestial Pavilion), has a 20m-high dome without a single girder or rafter to support it. It has excellent stucco work on its domes and arches. There are more than 200 columns, some over 12m high.
There is a museum in the palace dealing with the history of Madurai. It has Pandyan, Buddhist and Jain sculptures. Here you’ll find a beautiful sculpture of Narasimha and a deity of Lord Vishnu, both dating from around the 9th century. Open daily 9 am to 1 pm and 2 to 5 pm.
There is a Sound and Light Show on the history of Madurai and the life of the Nayaks, in the evening (English show: daily 6.30 pm, admission Rs 5).
The palace is a 15-minute walk from the Meenakshi temple. Buses #11, #11A, #17 and #38 from the State bus stand come here.
Mangammal (Tamukkam) Palace, Gandhi

Museum & Government Museum
The Gandhi and Government museums are located in the 17th Century Queen Rani Mangammal Palace, about 5km northeast of the temple, on the other side of the river. The Gandhi Museum is one of the best in India. It contains the blood-stained dhoti worn by Gandhi when he was assassinated. It also has an interesting History of India Display. The History Exhibit begins when Europeans first arrived in India and goes until Independence. There is an exhibit that documents Gandhi’s life. Open daily 10 am to 1 pm and 2 to 5.30 pm; free. Next to the museum is the Gandhi Memorial Library, which has reference material and books which are about, and by, Mahatma Gandhi.

There is a small garden in front of the palace dedicated to Gandhi. It contains a replica of the hut in which Gandhi stayed between 1936 and 1946 and a memorial pillar where the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were placed.

The Government Museum has local archeological exhibits, 19th century weapons, good bronze sculptures, paintings, musical instruments and stamps. Open daily except Fri 9 am to 5 pm; free.

To get here you can take buses #1, #2 or #3 from the State bus stand to the telecommunications tower. From there it is a half km walk.
Rajaji Park, about 200m west along Tamukkam Rd, is a fancy playground with slides and motorized rides for children.

Festivals
The Chithirai Festival in April/May is the most important festival. It celebrates the marriage of Meenakshi (Parvati) with Sundareswar (Lord Siva). The two deities, riding on a golden bull and wearing pearl crowns, are brought on a spectacular procession around the town. Lord Alagar’s (Vishnu) procession to the bank of the Vaigai River on the full moon day is one of the most interesting events of the festival. Lord Vishnu rides on a real-gold horse-chariot to his sister’s wedding. Meenakshi is considered to be the sister of Lord Alagar.

For 12 days in late January or early February there is the Teppam (Float) Festival, during which Sri Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswar ride on decorated boats (Floats) around the Mariamman Teppakkulam Tank. It is a very popular festival. During the Avanimoola Festival (Aug/Sept), temple carts are pulled around the streets of the city.

Madurai Area

Alagar Koil (Azhagarkovil) Temple 
Alagar Koil is an important Vishnu temple, 18km northeast of Madurai, at Alagar Hill. Around the temple are ruins of an ancient fortified town. The presiding deity is Alagar (the beautiful). The gopurams of this temple have recently been repainted, making them look outstanding.
Alagar, who is Meenakshi’s brother, was supposed to give her away in marriage to Sundareswar, but he arrived late for the wedding. This pastime is replayed at the Chitrai Festival. On the fourth day of the nine-day Chitrai Festival, Lord Alagar goes to Madurai to attend his sister Meenakshi’s wedding. This is a grand event and hundreds of thousands of people attend this festival. The panels in the Meenakshi Temple show carvings of Vishnu giving Meenakshi away in marriage, thus telling a different story.
Alagar Koil is one of the most ancient temples in India. All twelve Alwars visited this place. It is stated in the Mahabharata that both Yudhisthira and Arjuna came here. It is said that

Koorattalwar, the chief disciple of Ramanuja, got back his eyesight by worshipping the deity here.
The processional deity, Sundararaja, is made of very valuable gold called Aparanji gold. There is a shrine dedicated to Lord Narasimha, known as Jwala Narasimha, located behind the inner sanctum. Every day he is bathed with milk, curd (yogurt), and other items to cool down his anger. There is a big opening in the ceiling, just above his head, through which his anger and fury can pass out. There is a deity of Sudarsana-cakra said to be 2,000 years old in this temple.

There are temples on the hill dedicated to Siva, Bhairava, Subrahmanya, and Vinayaka (Ganesh). This place is one of the places dear to Subrahmanya.

Non-Hindus are not allowed in the temple, but converted Hindus may be allowed to enter the temple. You take bus #44 from the State bus stand on West Veli St to get here.

Thirupparankunram
At this place is a temple dedicated to Subrahmanya (Kartikeya), which celebrates his marriage to Indra’s daughter, Devayanai. The temple was carved out of a mountain. This temple is one of Subrahmanya’s six sacred abodes. Open 5 am to 12.30 pm and 4 to 10 pm.    

Thirupparankunram is 8km southeast of Madurai, on the main railway line. From Madurai, buses #4A, #5 and #32 from the State (PRC) bus stand come here.

Uramellaneyan Temple
The Uramellaneyan Temple is in Tirukkottiyur, 10km south of Tirupattur, and 50km east of Madurai. There are two Deities of Lord Narasimha here. One shows him chasing Hiranyakasipu, who is trying to elude his grip, and the other shows him tearing the body of Hiranyakasipu to shreds.

This is the birthplace of Tirukkottiyur Nambi (Goshtipurna), one of Ramanuja’s five gurus. He initiated Ramanuja into the secret of the sacred mantra. It is said that Ramanuja received the secret mantra from Tirukkottiyur Nambi after 18 visits. Sri Ramanuja then publicly explained the inner meaning of the mantra from the temple tower to all the Vaishnavas who had assembled there.
Shopping

Madurai is known for it cottons and batiks. The interesting Prithu Mandapam Market is just inside the eastern entrance of the Meenakshi Temple. Krishnamoorthy Cloth Store is a good place to get cloth here.

Parameswari Stores, 21 E Chitrai St, outside the southern gopuram of the Meenakshi Temple, has good silk-cotton mixture products. Madurai Gallery (34064), at Cottage Expo Crafts, 19 N Chitrai St, has handicraft products and good jewelry. Handloom Society Hall, 24 W Chitrai St, has high quality handmade cottons.

Khadi Emporium, Town Hall Rd, has good wooden carvings and gift items. Cooptex Sales Emporium, W Chitrai St, has saris and good fabrics.

Copyright ©2001 John Howley and Spiritual Guides