Place Details:
A historic Hindu temple, Meenakshi Amman Temple, is situated on the bank of Vaigai River. The enormous temple is dedicated to Parvati, who is also known as Meenakshi, and her consort, Shiva, who is called Sundereswarar here. It is believed that the temple was originally constructed by the survivors of Kumari Kandam, which is a mythical lost continent, in the 6th century BC. Early in the 14th century, the temple was looted by the Mughal Muslim Commander Malik Kafur. Only the shrines of Meenakshi and Sundaresvara remained intact after the temple was pulled down by the commander. In the 16th century, Vishwanatha Nayakan rebuilt the temple.
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Built according to Shilpa Shastra, the ancient Indian building manual, the temple is the epicentre of the city. It is the largest temple complex in Tamil Nadu and is divided into a number of concentric quadrangular enclosures contained by high stonework walls. It has four entrances in four directions. The complex has 14 gopurams (gateway towers), two golden sculptured vimanas and 33,000 sculptures, Porthamarai Kulam, the sacred temple tank and several halls. The Ayiram Kal Mandapam is a must see. The temple is the most visited tourist destination in the city.
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BEST TIME TO VISIT MADURAI
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