Places to see in Madurai City
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Meenakshi Temple :
It is in the midst of the city . The entire city is planned keeping the Temples
as its core like a lotus. The city is planned according to the silpa canons and
the other city that has the same basis is Kanchipuram famously known as
'Nagaresthu Kanchi' in Sanskrit. The temple is an important landmark and nucleus
of the life of the city. The temple has 11 gopurams and the tallest of them is
at the southern portal rising to a height of 200 ft. This portion is exclusively
dedicated to goddess Meenakshi. The shrine is usually entered from Vittavasal
Street the entrance of which is adorned by the Astalakshmi (Eight goddesses of
wealth) Mandapam. Scences of Kumara Sambhva and the marriage of goddess
Meenakshi with Sundareswara are painted on the ceiling. At the entrance are the
statures of Subramanya and Vinayaka and on the passage is the beautiful
sculpture of Shiva and Meenakshi as a huntress. An exquisite brass- faced
doorway gifted by the rulers of Sivaganga is the inlet to the mandapam lined
with sculptures of Shiva in various poses. It leads to the Potramarai tank with
arcades all around. The corridors of the tank display the 64 leelas called
Thiruvilaiyadalgal of Shiva.
The thousand-pillared mandapam is a veritable
museum of Dravidian art and architecture. Goddess Saraswathi arrests our
attention in here demeanor , folds of dress and the grace with which her fingers
play the instrument veena. Thirumalai Nayak has carved the Ardhanari ( both male
and female in left and right half) that spellbinds the onlooker. In Kambathadi
Mandapam , Agni Veerabadra and Agora Veerabadra speak volumes of their valour
and fiercesome look. The wedding of Meenakshi with all the important
participants in the marriage is a lively sulpture each one expressing apt
feelings in his face Shiva with his grace. Malayatwaja Pandya with his joy ,
Brahma with rapt attention in observing the rites and the others looking on
without winking their eyes in gaiety. All these make one feel that he /she is a
participant in the event.
The Nataraja dances here in a different style
instead of raising his left leg up , he plays it vice versa. The dancing hall is
called Velliambalam and the idol is plated with silver.
The Temple Museum is housed in the 1000
pillared mandapam. There are 985 richly carved pillars each one surpassing the
other in elegance. The Vasanta Mandapam or Pudumandapam has more scenes of the
wedding ceremony. The spring festival is held here in April-May.
Oonjal Mandapam : It is on the western end of
the tank called Potramarai Kulam. There is swing on which goddess
Meenakshi and here consort Shiva are seated and worshipped every Friday .
Adjacent is the Kilikootu Mandapam or hall of parrots having beautiful
sculptures with caged parrots that chant the name of Meenakshi.
The Madurai temple is a twin temple complex
and Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple is across the courtyard/ The corridor outside
the shrine has the stump of a tree under which Indira (the head of Devas) is
said to have worshipped a lingam.
Out of the 12 gopurams , the tallest four stand
at the outer walls. The southern goupuram the tallest of them is the most
spectacular and has over 1500 sculptures. From its top one can have a
panoramic view of the city. The Rayagopuram on the eastern side is still
unfinished having 3 base of 174 sq.ft. and had it been completed it would have
been the tallest. ( The unfinished tower with only the base and initial
super structure is called Rayagpuram and the finished is one is called
Rajagopuram) . The eight smaller gopurams are within the compounds of the twin
temples. There are few temples in India which share the grandeur of this twin
temple complex. It is so huge that newcomers will be upset to find their way
proper , hence , it is better to go with a guide or with a person who had
already been there several times.
The Mariamman
Teppakulam : This tank is also known as Vandiyur Teppakulam and
is about 5 kms east of Meenakshi temple. It occupies and area equal to the Twin
- temple complex. This tank was also built by Thirumalai Nayaka. In the middle
is an island with a temple for Ganesa. The tank was created due to digging
of earth to make bricks for the Thiurmalai Nayak palace. It is 1000 ft logn and
950 ft wide and four white turrests border the garden of the island. The float
festival sof the Meenakshi Amman temple is held here in January - Febrauray.
The Thirumalai Mayak
Mahal : This is the palace of Thirumalai Nayak , just a km away from
the temple. This Indo-Saracnic marvel was constructed in 1523 A.D. It has
pillars of granite cased with mortar and supporting arches which presents a
majestic view. It is said that originally it was four times than what it looks
now.The corner of the east face has towers. On three sides of a quadrangle 250
ft by 180ft . are corridors with arches supporting roof. The most remarkable
part of the structure is the swarga vilasam or the audience hall . Its dome is
60ft in diameter and 70ft high. Such a lofty dome stands firm without any
support revealing the engineering skill of its builders. Circling this was the
Zenana from where the royal ladies witnessed the durbar. It is fine example of
the architechtural style of the Nayaks.
Kudal Azhagar Temple:
The Vishnu of Madurai is called Kudal Azhagar and his temple is as ancient
as the Meenakshi Temple. Thouth all goupurams are absent , the vimana called
Ashtanga stands in the centre with diminshing tiers under which is the sanctum.
Ferguson, the connoisseur of arts, estimates that it surpasses anything of its
kind to be found in South India. The base has excellent carvings. There are
three sanctums where the deities are seen in sitting , standing and recumbent
postures one above the other.
The Tamakam :
It is a beautiful relic of Thirumalai Nayak resembling his palace the Mahal. The
Lotus Hall here has a dome with ceiling , shaped like an inverted lotus. It was
the Nayak's summer palace.
Goripalayam Mosque :
There is a large mosque in Goripalayam containing 2 tombs of two Delhi Sultans
of the Madurai Sultanate. The amazing thing about it is that the dome which is
70ft. diameter and 20ft. high is made of a single block of stone. It is said
that it was built by Thirumalai Nayak for his muslim subjects.
The Gandhi Museum :
It contains a picture gallery , a gallery of relics , a kadhi and
village industries section and a south Indian handicrafts section . It is
located in an old palace.
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