Temple Tales – Madurai

மதுரை – Maduari – `The Athens of the East`:

 

Madurai was always in my list of must visit places. Unfortunately this was very short trip to the Pandian dynasty couple of weeks back. Few clicks which I clicked on my visit.

 

The Athens of the East

Madurai, one among the ancient cities in India is situated in the banks of river Vaigai in Tamil Nadu. Madurai city, the capital of Pandya rulers is an important commercial and religious center till today and the history of Madurai dates back to 6th century BC.

The Guard

Madurai means sweetness. There is a puranic story of how the name was derived. Dhananjayan, a merchant found a Sivalinga in the forest of Kadamba Trees. He mentioned this to king Kula Sekhara Pandya. The king destroyed the forest, built a temple and established a city around it. As nector was found to drip near the Sivalinga its sweetness was taken as the basis for the derivation of the term Madura(m)

Madurai is one of the important cities in South India. The seventh largest city in Tamil Nadu, it is situated in the banks of river Vaigai. Endowed with a rich cultural heritage and glorious tradition, Madurai is grouped among the antique cities of the India.

The history of Madurai dates back to 6th century B.C. During that period, the city was the much-acclaimed capital of the Pandya kings. Then, it functioned as an important commercial center of South India. It held sway over many small towns in the South.

Temples, monuments and ancient cultural wonders abound in Madurai. It is even called `The Athens of the East`. Madurai`s Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple is one of the greatest architectural marvels of India. Built by Pandya King `Kulasekara` and reconstructed later by Ruler Thirumalai Nayak, the temple has patronized literature, art, music and dance ever since its inception. The entire city is built around the Meenakshi Amman temple. Madurai Meenakshi temple attracts six thousand visitors a day.

ஆயிரம் கால் மண்டபம் –  Thousand Pillar Hall :

The “Aayiram Kaal Mandapam” or Thousand Pillar Hall actually contains only 985 carved pillars. The hall was built by Ariyanatha Mudaliar in 1569 and it is a structure where the engineering skill and artistic vision are blended.[21] Ariyanatha Mudaliar was the prime minister and general of Viswanatha Nayak. Each pillar in the hall is a carved monument of the Dravidian sculpture. There is a Temple Art Museum in the hall where icons, photographs, drawings, and other exhibits of the 1200 years old history of the temple is displayed.

Sculptures in the pillars of Thousand Pillar Hall:

Madurai is also known as “Thunganagaram”, city which doesnt sleeps. The entire road of wholesale onion market is open round the clock. Its said only at Madurai, one can get hot Idli sambar even at 1 am at mid-night.

I will not do justice to this post, if I don’t mention about Jigarthanda, the Indian Milkshake. wowwww best of the best I have had before and Briyani we had at Amsavalli Bhavan, Melpet. They are mouth watering…….. Thanks a tonne to my friend to guided me to Amsavalli Bhavan  🙂

Never miss these two If you haapen to be at the Pandias.

Few of my works from Madurai:

Hope

Door

Textured

Faith

Nayakar Mahal