One of the most magnificent examples of Dravidian architecture and sculpture, the Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple at Madurai is surely one of the high-points of any tour of the country. Originally built by the Pandyas (who made Madurai their capital as early as 550 AD), the temple as we see it today was given complete shape by the Nayaks (who ruled from the 16th to the 18th century). This twin temple is dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi (Parvathi) and to Lord Sundareswarar (Siva).

The layout plan of the temple is rectangular. There are 12 Gopurams (Towers). Among the highlights in the temple complex are the Hall of a Thousand Pillars and the Tank of Golden Lotuses. Actually the number of pillars in the hall count to 985. Each pillar is sculptured and is a monument of the Dravidan sculpture. Housed in this mandapam is the Temple Art Museum, which is an exhibition of drawings, paintings and sculptures depicting 1200 years of history.

The Tank of Golden Lotuses is an ancient tank where devotees take bath. It was the meeting area of the Tamil Sangam-the academy of Tamil poets. Any work of literature was first thrown into this pond and itss worth was assessed based on whether it floated or sunk.Only those that did not sink were considered worthy of attention.

The city of Madurai has been a seat of Tamil culture and traditions since very ancient times. Great scholars like, Nakkeerar, Appar and Sambandar have celebrated its glorious culture in their songs. The temple complex is like a huge city—one of the largest of its kind in India and undoubtedly one of the oldest. The grandeur of the Meenakshi temple has remained undiminished for the past two thousand years. This sprawling and awe-inspiring temple complex is not only a marvel of architecture but also a symbol of Indian culture and civilization in all its glory.

It is one of the greatest Shiva temples in India, and is known for its sprawling landscape. It is the site of the 64 Tiruvilayadalgal of Shiva (Tiruvilayadal puranam and Halasyamahatmiyam) and is one of the Pancha Sabhais of Nataraja. The other dance halls are Chidambaram, Tiruvalankadu, Tirunelveli and Kutralam.

461 km from Chennai
Connected by air
Well connected by rail and road