Meenakshi Amman Temple

Madurai - Meenakshi Amman Temple

Meenakshi Amman Temple is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Parvati, known as Meenakshi, and her consort, Shiva, here named Sundareswarar.

The original temple was built by King Kulasekara Pandya, but the entire credit for making the temple as splendid as it is today goes to the Nayaks. The Nayaks ruled Madurai from the 16th to the 18th century and left a majestic imprint of their rule in the Meenakshi - Sundareswarar Temple. 

Madurai - Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple மதுரை - மீனாட்சி சுந்தரேசுவரர் திருக்கோவில்
Main Deity	Lord Shiva
Name	Sri Chokkanathar, Sundareswarar
Goddess Name	Sri Ankayarkanni, Meenakshi
Location	Madurai
Historical Name	ThiruAalavai, Tiru Aalavai
Significance	Pandya Nadu Shiva Temples, One of the Tevaram Padal Petra Stalam , Chithirai Thiruvizha, One of the 5 Pancha Sabhai of Nataraja - Velli Sabhai, Famous for Thiruvilaiyadal Episodes
Ancient	2500 years old
Travel Base	Madurai

Hall of 1000 pillars: The hall of thousand pillars, popularly known as Ayiramkal Mandapam in Tamil is the largest mandapam in the holy temple complex. This Mandapam has a total of 985 pillars. Each pillar is sculptured and is a monument of the Dravidan sculpture. It is Built in AD 1569 during the beginning of the Nayak Dynasty.

Potramarai kulam (Golden Lotus Tank) :  This temple tank  is an ancient tank where devotees take bath in the holy water. The area around this tank was the meeting place of the Tamil Sangam - the ancient academy of poets. The history of the sangam goes back to the days when gods dallied with men. This academy judged the worth of any work of literature presented before it by throwing it into the tank. Only those that did not sink were considered worthy of attention.

How to Reach :  This temple is centrally located in Madurai city and easily reached from both Madurai Railway Station and Madurai Central Bus stand. Madurai City is well connected with Road, Rail and Air.

TiruAppanaur, Tiruvedagam, and Tirupparankundram are the other paadal petra sivasthalams located near to this temple .