If you are keen to visit a place that has a glorious past and a busy present with great temples

that flaunt
the architectural brilliance of the artisans, you need to be in Madurai. The 2500 plus years old city, which
has a rich heritage, is located on the banks of Vaigai river. Famously called ‘The city that never sleeps’,
Madurai is always busy regardless of the time of the day. Anytime you venture out, you are sure to find
the city busy and even if you are hungry in the middle of the night, you will find ‘idlis’, the famous south
Indian dish served here. Incidentally, Madurai is famous for idlis too. If you are planning to visit Madurai,
ensure that you include the following six famous places to visit in Madurai in your “list”.

Heritage and History of Madurai

Madurai, the ancient city of 2500 years old, in almost all major epics & literatures has many names aside :

Quote:

Athens of the East

Thoonga nagaram
Naan maada koodal
Koodal nagaram
Aalavaai
Thiruvalavai
The City of Divine nectar

1. Sree Meenakshi Amman Temple

Photo  by Kumar Appaiah, CC BY-SA 3.0

 Famous for: Hinduism, Architecture, Parvati, Shiva.

 Tickets: Free and 100 INR for VIP darshan.
 Opening Timings: Open all days from 5AM – 12:30 PM & 4PM – 10PM
 Duration: 2 hours.

Sree Meenakshi Amman Temple is one of the most famous temples in South India. The huge temple
that extends beyond 6 hectares of land is dedicated to god Shiva and it is named after goddess Parvati.
The temple was constructed by Kulasekara Pandya. The temple has been mentioned in the songs sung
by ancient saint as early as the 7th century. Invasion of Malik Kapur in 1310 resulted in the ancient temple
being destroyed. When Hindu kings returned to power, the temple was restored and the present form is a
contribution by Nayaks who ruled Madurai between 16th and 18th centuries. The thousand pillar hall is
one of the amazing works in the temple that is famous for architectural brilliance. It is the temple’s
museum and the statues here are exquisite.

Things to Do at Sree Meenakshi Amman Temple:

 Evening/Morning aarti.
  Hall of thousand pillars.
 Sacred temple tank (Porthamarai Kulam).
 Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival (Apr/May).

2. Thirupparankundram Murugan Temple

Photo  by Kramasundar,  CC BY-SA 3.0

 Famous for: Hinduism, Architecture, Murugan.

 Tickets: Entry free.
 Opening Timings: Open all days from 5:30AM–1PM & 4PM–9PM
 Duration: 2 hours.

Thirupparankundram gains importance as it is one of the six places chosen by god Murugan as his
abode. It is said that this was where Lord Murugan married Devasena. It is also considered as the place
where sun and moon abide. This cave temple is dedicated to the element of earth among the five
elements and various Tamil classical texts mention this hill as ‘Southern Himalaya’. It might interest you to
learn that the hill not only houses Murugan temple but also an Islamic Shrine, which is dedicated to
Sekunder. The architecture is amazing.

Things to Do at Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple:

 Skanda Shashti festival during Oct-Nov.

 Morning and evening aarti.

3. Gandhi Museum
Photo  by Online Catalogue for Indian Movie Locations,  CC BY 2.0

 Famous for: History, Gandhi, Freedom struggle.

 Tickets: No entry fee.
 Opening Timings: Open all days from 10AM–1PM & 2PM–5:45PM.
 Duration: 1 hour.

Gandhiji and Madurai share a bond. It was after his visit to Madurai that Gandhi changed his dress code,
which he followed until he met his end. Gandhi Museum was constructed in memory of Gandhiji after his
assassination. The building, which houses the museum, was constructed around 1670 AD by Nayak
Queen Rani. The construction was completed and inaugurated in 1959. The museum houses a Picture
Gallery, which presents Gandhiji’s visual biography. The history of Freedom struggle is depicted with 265
illustrations in the Special Exhibition section. The ‘Hall of Relics’ preserves some original and replicas of
Gandhi’s personal belongings. Cultural programmes are conducted in the open air theatre here, which
can accommodate 8000 people. The library in Gandhi Museum has a vast collection detailing India’s
cultural background and books by Gandhiji.

Things to Do at  Gandhi Museum

 Special exhibition on “India Fights for Freedom.”

 Visual Biography of Gandhiji.

4. Samanar Hills
Photo  by Essar,  CC BY-SA 3.0

 Famous for: Caves, Jainism, History.

 Tickets: No entry fee.
 Opening Timings: Open at all times.
 Duration: 1 hour.

Samanar Hills is situated 10 km away from the famous Meenakshi Amman Temple. The caves found
here were used by Samanar, the Jains. It is believed to belong to 1 AD. The Jain carvings found here are
amazing and so are the sculptures. The hilltop offers splendid view of Madurai. A natural fountain that is
ancient is found here and it is called Pechchi Pallam. It is a great place to spend considerable time in
solitude.

Things to Do at Samanar Hills:

 Trekking.
 Lotus pond.
 Ancient natural fountain.

5. Koodal Azhagar Temple

Photo  by Arunankapilan,  CC BY-SA 3.0

 Famous for: Hinduism, Temples, Vishnu.

  Tickets: No entry fee.
 Opening Timings: Open daily from 5AM – 12:30 PM & 4PM – 10PM.
 Duration: 2 hour.

Koodal Azhagar temple is considered one of the ancient temples in South India. It is dedicated to god
Vishnu. It is situated 2 km away from the city’s west. Madurai has a rich past and its contributions to
language, art and culture are very famous. Koodal Azhagar temple is one such proof of the architectural
excellence of the ancient period. The architecture, the sculptures and the paintings are beyond
description.

Things to Do at Koodal Azhagar Temple:

 Fourteen-day annual Brahmotsavam festival.

 Morning/Evening aarti.

6. Pazhamudhir Solai
Photo by Wikimedia Commons

 Famous for: Hinduism, Architecture, Murugan.

 Tickets: No entry free.
 Opening Timings: Open all days from 5:30 AM – 1PM & 4PM – 9PM.
 Duration: 2 hours.

This is yet another famous temple dedicated to Lord Murugan and it is located on hill top. It is considered
as one amongst the six abodes of god Murugan. The sculptures carved of marble and wood are unique.
The giant steps in front of the temple make for a great climb. It is one of the most beautiful temples in
South India.

7. Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal

 Famous for: Architecture,
 Tickets: Entry free.
 Opening Timings: Open all days from 9AM to 5PM.
 Duration: 2 hours.

One of the most iconic buildings in Madurai, Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal is known for its majestic Indo-
Dravidian architecture and beautiful interiors. The first king of the Nayak dynasty built this palace in the
16th century and it is also speculated that he hired an Italian architect to build this monument. Many
things set this palace apart from other palaces in India, the unique architecture and the giant pillars being
some of them.

Things to Do at Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal:

 Take a tour of the whole palace.

 Visit Meenakshi Amman Temple nearby.

This city of Tamilnadu is a vibrant city and there are a lot  of tourist places in Madurai. This city is
connected with re-establishing the glory of the language Tamil and hence it is considered an important
place by the people of Tamilnadu. Some of Madurai’s dishes are famous all over the world. You can have
a great time enjoying the cultural heritage of the city and treat your taste buds with specialties of Madurai.

Madurai � a heritage city

Madurai, the city with a cultural heritage which dates back to 2,500 years, is located on the banks of the
Vaigai river in Tamil Nadu state of southern India. Madurai is one of the oldest cities in India and is 444
km from Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu state.

History:
The city derived its name from the word “Madhurapuri” (means “nectar showered upon the city as
blessings of Lord Shiva). Its history is significant and dates back to a period of pre-Christian era, called
“Sangam Period”. The most famed kingdom called “Pandyas” ruled the city during the third century B.C.

The Pandyas again captured the city and made it to flourish in foreign trade, arts, culture, Tamil literature
etc. Madurai was looted by Muslim emperors from Delhi for precious stones, jewels, and rare treasures.
Later Nayakars ruled the city from the year 1371, under the control of Vijayanagar empire. In the 17th
century, the British took over the city.

Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple:Being a well known landmark, this temple is the central point around
which the entire Madurai city was created. This 2000 years old temple occupies an area of 65000 sq m.
Various dynasties and powerful kingdoms constantly added to the temple.

The sanctum sanctorum enshrines idols of “Sundareswara” (Lord Shiva) and his consort “Meenakshi”
(Goddess Parvathi). Tourists can access the temple from four main gateways. Its paintings, structures
and striking “Ayiramkaal Mandapam” (Hall of a thousand pillars) astonish the visitors. Tourists should not
miss tapping the row of stone musical pillars which give out the seven different musical notes.

Thirumalai Nayakar’s Palace:

This awesome palace is just 1.5 km away from the Meenakshi temple. Thirumalai Nayakar, the famous
Nayakar ruler built it in the year 1636.  Its stucco worked dome, impressive arches, 20 m high white pillars
(circumference of 4 m) etc., enthrall the visitors. The Indo-Saracenic styled “Sorgavilasam”, standing
without the support of even a single rafter or grider is marvelous.

The credit goes to Lord Napier (Governor of Madras) for renovating the palace in later years. Visitors can
watch the sound and light shows conducted here every day in English and Tamil.

Thirupparamkundram Temple:
Located eight km to the south of Madurai Railway Junction this temple enshrines Lord Subramanyan (Son
of Lord Shiva). The temple is one of the six abodes to Lord Subramanyan. The sanctum sanctorum has
been carved out of solid rock.

Alagar Temple:
The temple dedicated to Alagar (Lord Vishnu) is perched atop the Solaimalai hill. Situated amidst green
surroundings, the temple is worth visiting. The temple is 21 km to the east of Madurai.

Gandhi Museum:
This museum is located in the palace of Rani Mangammal. It houses several pictures of the freedom
struggle, Gandhian movement and khadi industries. There is also a south Indian handicrafts section.
Mariamman Teppakulam:This beautiful square shaped tank is located near the Meenakshi temple in
Madurai and was built by the ruler Thirumalai Nayakar. Near this tank there is a temple which houses a
village deity named “Mariamman”.

Madurai has its own airport and railhead. The city is also well connected with major roads of india.