Meenakshi - Sundareshwarar Kovil:
The Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple popularly the Meenakshi temple is one of the greatest Shiva temples in India. The temple situated in the centre of Madurai town, is featured by sculptural wonders, grand halls, sturdy pillars and lofty towers with the typical South Indian artwork in all forms. The entrance is through four gates situated on the four directions. Madurai, a vibrant cultural centre, historically has been the capital of the Pandyan kings. It is one of the (5) Pancha Sabhais of Nataraja - Rajata (Velli )Sabhai - where Shiva dances with a raised right food. The other dance halls are at Chidamabaram, , Tiruvalankadu, Tirunelveli and Kutralam. While Chennai is the commercial and administrative capital of the Tamil Nadu state, Madurai is considered to be the cultural capital. Despite its historicity, unlike other temple towns, Madurai is a bustling urban centre offering all the trappings of modern life and comforts. It has a unique flavour of the ancient and the modern - with few other parallels in India. There are lots of industries in and around Madurai making it a well-connected centre of the state.
History:
Madurai has been a seat of Tamil culture since very ancient times. Tamil Shaivite sages like Nakkeeran, Appar and Tiru Gyana Sambandar have sung of its glories. The original temple was razed to the ground by marauding invaders & the current magnificient structure was built by the Nayak Rulers.
Legends:
Shiva is said to have been worshipped by Indra in the Kadambavana forest. Legend has it that Meenakshi (Parvati) the daughter of Malayadwaja Pandyan married Shiva here. Together, Shiva (Soundara Pandyan) and Meenakshi are said to have ruled over Madurai. There are several legends surrounding this temple. Since it was the seat of the Pandya rulers, all literary works got royal approval within the precincts of this grand temple. The tank situated in the centre of the premises though dirty and disused now has witnessed grand miracles, as corroborated by the Sthala-Puranas.
When to visit
For the pilgrim averse to crowds and the scorching Tamil Nadu summer, I would suggest winter season i.e. Nov to Feb. The best time for visiting temple is in the early morning when the idols are about to be dressed up for the day. I prefer this early pre-dawn time to escape the milling crowds. However, for seasoned travellers / pilgrims the ’’Chittirai Tiruvizha’’ (Tamil month Chittirai Festival) (Apr 15-May 15) is suggested. The entire city takes on a festive look; and the residing deities ’’Ammai-Appar’’ (literally mother and father) viz. Meenakshi and Sundareswarar are taken in colorful processions and the divine marriage and the coronation are enacted.
Madurai City abounds in hotels, so accommodation per se is no problem. Access from airport is also convenient. Madurai is also accessible from Chennai & Bangalore by road entailing an overnight journey. The bus service operated by the state government is affordable, convenient and above all punctual. The other attraction to Madurai as a destination is the nearby Kuttralam falls and the much-hyped Kodaikanal resorts. Madurai is also close to Trichy another temple town of Tamil Nadu. When one visits Rameshwaram (see my review), Madurai can be conveniently clubbed as it falls en route while travelling from Chennai.
The pilgrims are warned from fradulent guides. It is preferable to be accompanied by co-traveller knowing Tamil.