Meenakshi Temple, Madurai Complete Travel Guide: How to Reach, History, Timings

Meenakshi temple, Madurai’s oldest temple, radiates a mystical atmosphere over worshipers. Meenakshi is an incarnation of Goddess Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva, and has a temple dedicated to her on the southern riverbank Vaigai that goes back over 2500 years.

Lord Shiva (Sundareswarar) & Goddess Parvati (Meenakshi) have exchanged vows in this temple, also known as the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple.

Things You Need to Know Before You Visit

The Sri Meenakshi Temple is often regarded as the pinnacle of the Vijayanagara temple building in southern India.
Even more significant to South India’s cultural history as the Taj Mahal is to northern India’s
Nominations for “New Seven Wonders of the World” included Meenakshi Temple.
The 2,500-year-old city of Madurai’s lifeblood is the temple.
Tamil literature has referred to the Meenakshi Temple since antiquity

History of Meenakshi Temple

Academics believe that the Meenakshi Temple is as ancient as the city of Chennai, which was founded in the 1st century C.E. Kulashekarar Pandyan, the monarch who reigned so over the Pandyan dynasty, is said to have erected the temple by instructions provided to him in a dream by Lord Shiva.

The temple is mentioned in a few religious sources from the 4th and 5th centuries C.E. and is described as the city’s principal building.

When the Muslim conquerors demolished the original temple in the 16th century, it was completely reconstructed.

Inside of Meenakshi Temple

A Thousand-Pillared Temple

According to legend, the Aayiram Kaal Mandapam, also known as the Hall of Thousand Pillars, was created out of one rock. It’s possible to see a wide range of antique artwork at the temple museum, open to tourists of all faiths. This is the temple’s main hall, which houses enormous sculptures of Sivakami & Nataraja.

Approximately 33000 Statues Are In Existence

The temple’s estimated 33000 statues are an additional eye-catching attraction. However, it’s most known for its enormous statue of the Nataraja, which sits on a silver altar and is surrounded by gold. Visit the ‘Hall of Thousand Pillars,’ where each pillar is said to have been engraved with a different sculpture.

Read also: Planning a November Trip to Tamil Nadu? Here Are the Best Places to Visit

The Architecture Of Meenakshi Temple

As the greatest temple in South India, Meenakshi-Sundareshwarar has magnificent architecture and eye-catching artwork. Four Raja gopurams, two gold gopurams, and Chithirai gopurams, five five-story gopurams, with two three-story gopurams, make up the complex.

The temple’s most famous attractions are:

A wedding hall.
A holy lake with a golden lotus.
A thousand-pillared hall.
Several tiny shrines.
Gardens.
Elephant shelters.

“Best Swachh Iconic Place” was awarded to the temple by the Indian government in 2017.

Timing of Meenakshi Temple

The Meenakshi temple in Madurai is open daily from 5 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. It reopens at 4 p.m. and closes at 9 p.m. for darshan. Plan to spend at least two to three hours at Meenakshi Temple for darshan and a tour of the temple & deity. Getting darshan might take up to 5 hours during the event.

Location of Meenakshi Temple

Madurai Main, Madurai, Tamil Nadu 625001

How To Reach Meenakshi Temple

By road, pilgrims from Chennai and Banglore should expect a journey of 8 to 10 hours. The NH-7, NH-49, and NH-45B highway routes lead to Madurai.

Tamil Nadu’s state government provides regular bus service, as well as private bus service, for the state’s residents. Other significant cities like Kerala, Karnataka, and other regions are accessible by bus.

By Waterways

Meenakshi Amman Temple’s Epic Story Meenakshi Amman Temple Location and Access Information as Madurai is indeed an inland city; the Vaigai River passes through the middle of the city. Chennai (450Km) and Tuticorin (160Km) are the closest ports of entry.

By Train

To go to Meenakshi Amman Temple, follow these instructions: Trains are the primary means of transportation accessible to people of all socioeconomic backgrounds. Trains from major cities and towns, including Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi, go to Madurai.

By Airways

Madurai is home to both a domestic and international airport. Most of the flights originate in Chennai, referred to as Madras in the local slang. There are few direct flights from major Indian cities. The airport is 15 kilometers from the city center via NH-47. After arriving at the airport, the best choice is to find a reputable taxi stand and hail a cab.

Festivals At The Meenakshi Temple In Madurai

Chithirai Festival

Chitrai (April in the Gregorian calendar) is the Tamil month during which the Chitrai festival is held, and it starts with raising the national flag on the first of those 12 days. On the eighth day, Meenakshi Amman is crowned.

The Goddess is carried out in procession on the ninth day. This year, on the 10th day, a heavenly wedding between Goddess Meenakshi & Lord Sundareswarar is held, followed by a vehicle festival; Theertha festival is celebrated just on the 12th day with Lord and Goddess walking through Masi streets.

Navarathri

In the Kolu Mandapam, the Goddess emerges in a new dress to bless her worshippers during the Navarathri festival, which lasts ten days.

Every day at the Amman sanctuary, Kalpa puja & Lakshacharna are offered to the deity. The temple has various colorful lights and dolls, and there are cultural performances.

Purattasi

The Koodal Kumarar Sannidhi will host Kanda Sashti’s celebration for six days. In this location, Soorasamharam is not practiced.

When Arulmighu Muthukumarar leaves in procession on the seventh day, ‘Pavadai Dharshan’ will be performed in his honor.

No.	Name of Tamil Month	Month	Detail of the Festival
1	Chithirai	April – May	Chithirai Brahamostavam – Arumigu Thirukkalyanam.
2	Vaikasi	May – June	Vasantham Festival
3	Aani	June – July	Unjal Festival
4	Aadi	July – Aug	Aadi – Mulai Kottu Festival –
5	Aavani	Aug – Sep	Aavani Moolam Festival – ” Puttukku Mansumantha Leela Festival”
6	Purattasi	Sep – Oct	Navarathri Festival

Conclusion

The temple’s many pavilions, or mandapams, are among the temple’s most notable features. More than a few of these are the Aaiyiram Kaal Mandapam, the Ashtashakti Mandapam, Meenakshi Nayakan Mandapam and others.

Those mandapams, too, have a narrative to tell. A personal visit is needed to grasp the temple’s history and significance fully. At the same time, just 4 kilometers from the temple, the Sangam Hotels in Madurai are located in a more peaceful area of the city.

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