Meenakshi temple,,

 

                                      

Meenakshi Amman Temple, also known as Minakshi-Sundareshwara Temple, is one of the oldest and most important temples in India. Located in the city of Madurai, the temple has a great mythological and historical significance. It is believed that Lord Shiva assumed the form of Sundareswarar (the handsome one) and married Parvati (Meenakshi) at the site where the temple is currently located. Renowned for its astonishing architecture, Meenakshi Temple was nominated as one of the wonders of the world, but couldn’t make it into the list of ‘Seven Wonders of the World’. However, the temple is definitely one of the ‘Wonders of India’. It is also one of the main attractions of South India with thousands of devotees thronging it every day. During the ‘Thirukalyanam Festival,’ which takes place over a period of 10 days, the temple attracts more than a million devotees. Despite many people visiting it every day, the temple is well-maintained and was named the ‘Best Swachh Iconic Place’ (cleanest iconic place) in India.

The ancient city of Madurai, quite 2,500 years old, was built by the Pandyan king, Kulashekara, within the 6th century B.C. But the reign of the Nayaks marks the golden period of Madurai when art, architecture and learning flourished expansively. The most beautiful buildings in the city including its most famous landmark, the Meenakshi temple, were built during the Nayak rule.

Located within the heart of the town of Madurai, the Meenakshi-Sundareswarar temple is devoted to goddess Meenakshi, the consort of lord Shiva. It has long been the main target of both Indian and international tourist attraction also together of the foremost important places of Hindu pilgrimage. For the people of Madurai, the temple is that the very center of their cultural and non secular life.

It is said that the people of the town awaken , not by the decision of nature but by the mantra of hymns at the temple. All the main festivals of Tamil Nadu are celebrated here with gaiety, most vital being the Chithirai festival that's held in April/May, when the celestial marriage of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar is widely known , drawing an enormous crowd of individuals from everywhere the state.

The sculpted pillars are adorned with the exquisite murals that remember the ethereal great thing about princess Meenakshi and therefore the scenes of her wedding with Lord Shiva. At the Sundareswarar temple across the courtyard, Lord Shiva is represented as a lingam. The pillars depict scenes from the marriage of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar. There are 985 richly carved pillars here and every one surpasses the opposite in beauty.\

LOCATION

Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, State of Tamil Nadu,in India

LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE

• ^{9.55'10'23    North latitude}
• ^{78.07'09'63 East longitude}

ELEVATION OR MEAN SEA LEVEL

• Elevation or mean sea level of madurai meenakshi temple is 144  meter (or )472 ft above sea level

CLIMATE

• The Madurai lies on 140m above sea level 
• The climate here is tropical. 
• The summers are much rainier than the winters in Madurai.  
• The average annual temperature is 28.2 °C | 82.7 °F. In a year, 
• The rainfall is 849 mm | 33.4 inch.

LOCAL LANGUAGE

• Tamil

Mobile Network availability in MADURAI

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Meenakshi temple is famous for

Meenakshi Temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples in Madurai dedicated to Goddess Parvati, known as Meenakshi, and her spouse, Lord Shiva.

MEENAKSHI TEMPLE TIMING

Check for the Madurai Meenakshi temple timings, opening and shutting hours, darshan timings for weekdays & weekends, free & paid darshan information, Madurai Meenakshi Amman pooja timings, and obtain complete information about the all activities administered a day . Check darshan’s availability for today/tomorrow. 1Temples.com may be a leading portal for all Hindu Temples round the world with complete information and temple timings.

Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple is one among the foremost famous and oldest temples in India. it's located in Madurai city within the state of Tamilnadu. it's also referred to as Meenakshi temple or Meenakshi – Sundareswarar temple. this temple is devoted to Lord Meenakshi Devi (Parvathi Devi). this temple is made by Kulasekara Pandyan. Daily thousands of individuals are visiting this temple and Thirukalyanam is that the most famous festival at this temple.

Entry Fee: No fee

Meenakshi Amman Darshan Timings:

Day                    Morning Timings                    Evening Timings

Monday             5.00 AM to 12.30 PM          4.00 PM to 10.00 PM

Tuesday             5.00 AM to 12.30 PM          4.00 PM to 10.00 PM

Wednesday        5.00 AM to 12.30 PM          4.00 PM to 10.00 PM

Thursday           5.00 AM to 12.30 PM          4.00 PM to 10.00 PM

Friday                5.00 AM to 12.30 PM          4.00 PM to 10.00 PM

Saturday            5.00 AM to 12.30 PM           4.00 PM to 10.00 PM

Sunday              5.00 AM to 12.30 PM            4.00 PM to 10.00 PM

Madurai Meenakshi temple timings are

Weekdays:          5 AM to 12 PM & 4 PM to 10 PM

Weekends:          5 AM to 12 PM & 4 PM to 10 PM

Daily Pooja Timings:

Pooja Name Time

Thiruppanandal pooja      05 : 00 AM – 06 : 00 AM

Vizha pooja                   06:30 AM – 07 : 15 AM

Kalasandhi pooja           06:30 AM – 07 : 15 AM

Thrikala Sandhi pooja     10:30 AM – 11:15 AM

Uchi Kala Pooja (Noon Pooja) 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM

Maalai pooja                04:30 PM – 05:15 PM

Artha Jama Pooja (Night Pooja) 07 : 30 PM – 08 : 15 PM

Palliyarai pooja              09 : 30 PM – 10 : 00 PM

State: Tamil Nadu

Opening Time:                  5 AM

Closing Time:                   5  PM

Darshan Timings:            5 AM to 10 PM

Deity:                                Lord Meenakshi Devi

Entry Fee:                         Free

Best Time to Visit:            365 Days

Dress Code:                     Indian Traditional

HISTORY OF MEENAKSHI TEMPLE

The history of Meenakshi Temple dates back to the first century C.E with students claiming it to be as recent because the town itself. it's aforesaid that Kulasekara Pandyan, a king United Nations agency dominated over the Pandyan family line, designed the temple as per the directions given in his dream by Lord Shiva. many non secular texts that belong to the first to fourth century C.E state the temple and describe it because the central structure of the town. Texts chemical analysis back to the first sixth century, describe the temple as an area wherever students met to debate necessary topics. The temple because it stands these days, however, was restored throughout the sixteenth century because it was destroyed by the Muslim invaders. 

During the fourteenth century C.E, leader Kafur, a commander of Delhi state, semiconductor diode his army into most components of southern Asian country and empty several temples as well as the celebrated Meenakshi Temple. Valuables, like gold, silver and precious gems were taken to Delhi. Since temples in those days had abundance of valuables, most of the temples were destroyed and were left in ruins. once the Vijayanagar Empire took over Madurai once defeating the Muslim state, the temple was restored and reopened. The temple was more swollen throughout the late sixteenth century and early seventeenth century by Vishwanatha Nayak, a king of the Nayaka family line. in line with researchers, whereas reconstruction the temple, the rulers of Nayaka family line followed the style of architecture of ‘Shilpa Shastras.’ ‘Shilpa Shastras’ ar a group of beaux arts laws found within the ancient texts.

The temple was another time swollen by Thirumalai Nayak United Nations agency dominated over Madurai from 1623 to 1655. throughout his reign, several ‘Mandapams’ (pillared halls) were designed. The temple was then swollen by several later Nayaka rulers before the arrival of British East India Company. The temple was another time degraded and components of it were destroyed throughout British Rule. In 1959, the restoration work was started by Tamil Hindus by grouping donations and by collaborating with historians and engineers. The temple was utterly restored  in 1995.

ACCORDING HINDU MYTHOLOGY

According to a legend, Meenakshi emerged out of a ‘Yajna’ (sacred fire) as a three-year-old lady. The ‘Yajna’ was performed by a king named Malayadwaja Pandya in conjunction with his better half Kanchanamala. Since the royal couple had no kid, the King offered his prayers to Lord Shiva, requesting him to grant them a son. however to their dismay, a triple-breasted lady emerged from the sacred fireplace. once Malayadwaja and his better half expressed their concern over the girl’s abnormal look, a divine voice ordered them to not fret over the girl’s physical look. They were conjointly abreast of that the girl’s third breast can disappear as before long as she meets her future husband. The alleviated King named her Meenakshi and in due course topped her as his successor.

Meenakshi dominated over the traditional town of Madurai and conjointly went on to capture the neighboring kingdoms. Legend has it that she even captured Indralok, the abode of Lord Hindu deity, and was on her thanks to capture Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva, as well. once Shiva appeared before her, Meenakshi’s third breast disappeared and he or she knew that she had met her partner. Shiva and Meenakshi came back to Madurai wherever their wedding passed off. it's same that the marriage was attended by all the gods and goddesses. Since Annapurna herself had assumed the shape of Meenakshi, Lord Vishnu, Parvati’s brother, handed  her over to Lord Shiva. Even today, the marriage ceremony is widely known each year as ‘Chithirai Thiruvizha’ that is additionally called ‘Thirukalyanam’ (the grand wedding).

Temple Structure 

• The temple occupies a large space within the heart of Madurai because it spreads over fourteen acres. 
• The temple is empowered with Brobdingnagian walls, that were inbuilt response to the invasions. the complete structure, once viewed from on top of, represents a pattern. 
• A pattern may be a structure designed consistent with the laws of symmetry and loci. 
• There area unit varied shrines designed among the temple advanced. except for the 2 main shrines, that area unit dedicated to Sundareswarar and Meenakshi, the temple has shrines dedicated to varied alternative deities like Ganesa and Murugan. The temple conjointly homes goddesses Hindu deity, Rukmini, and Saraswati. 
• The temple conjointly includes a consecrated pool named ‘Potramarai Kulam.’ The term ‘Potramarai Kulam’ may be a literal translation of ‘pond with a golden lotus.’ 
• The structure of a golden lotus is placed at the middle of the pool. it's aforementioned that Lord Shiva blessed this pool and declared that no marine life would grow in it. within the Tamil lore, the pool is believed to be AN authority for reviewing the price of any new literature.
• The temple has four main soaring gateways (gopurams) that look a dead ringer for one another. except for the four ‘gopurams,’ the temple conjointly homes several alternative ‘gopurams’ that function gateways to variety of shrines. 
• The temple includes a total of fourteen soaring gateways. every one of them may be a multi-storey structure and displays thousands of mythological stories {and several|and a number of alternative|and several other} other sculptures. the key ‘gopurams’ of the temple area unit listed below:

Kadaka Gopuram – This soaring entrance ends up in the most shrine that homes divinity Meenakshi. The entrance was remodeled by Tumpichi Nayakkar throughout the mid-16th century. The ‘gopuram’ has 5 storeys.

Sundareswarar Shrine Gopuram – this is often the oldest ‘gopuram’ of the temple and was designed by Kulasekara Pandya. The ‘gopuram’ is a entrance to the Sundareswarar (Lord Shiva) shrine.

Chitra Gopuram – designed by Maravarman Sundara Pandyan II, the gopuram depicts the lay} and secular essence of Hinduism. 

Nadu Kattu Gopuram – conjointly referred to as because the ‘Idaikattur Gopuram,’ this entrance ends up in the Ganesa shrine. The entrance is placed right in between the 2 main shrines. 

Mottai Gopuram – This ‘gopuram’ has fewer stucco pictures when put next to the opposite gateways. curiously, ‘Mottai gopuram’ had no roof for nearly 3 centuries. 

Nayaka Gopuram – This ‘gopuram’ was designed by Visvappa Nayakkar around 1530. The ‘gopuram’ is amazingly almost like another entrance referred to as ‘Palahai Gopuram.’

The temple conjointly has varied columned halls referred to as ‘Mandapams.’ These halls were designed by varied kings and emperors and that they function resting places for pilgrims and devotees. a number of the foremost vital ‘mandapams’ area unit given below:

Ayirangal Mandapam – It virtually interprets to ‘hall with thousand pillars.’ The hall, that was designed by Ariyanatha Mudaliar, may be a true spectacle because it is supported by 985 pillars. every and each pillar is carved  magnificently and has pictures of Yali, a mythological creature.

Kili Koondu Mandapam – This ‘mandapam’ was originally designed to deal with many parrots. The parrots that were unbroken there in cages were trained to mention ‘Meenakshi’. The hall, that is next to the Meenakshi shrine, has sculptures of characters from religious text. 

Ashta Shakthi Mandapam – This hall homes the sculptures of eight goddesses. designed by 2 queens, the hall is placed in between the most ‘gopuram’ and therefore the entrance that ends up in the Meenakshi shrine.

Nayaka Mandapam – ‘Nayaka Mandapam’ was designed by Chinnappa Nayakkar. The hall is supported by one hundred pillars and homes a Nataraja sculpture.

Significance & Worship

Since Meenakshi is that the main immortal of the temple, the temple signifies the importance of girl in a very Tamil Hindu family. The temple additionally portrays the cordial relationship between Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism. The Sundareswarar shrine is understood united fifth of ‘Pancha Sabhai’ (five courts) wherever Lord Shiva is believed to possess performed the cosmic dance. Worship primarily involves rituals and processions. one in all the rituals involves inserting a picture of Sundareswarar within a palankeen that is then enraptured to the shrine of Meenakshi. The palankeen is taken into the shrine nightly and is brought back to the shrine of Sundareswarar each morning. The devotees typically worship Meenakshi before providing their prayers to Sundareswarar.

Festivals in temple

Apart from the most pageant, that is essentially the marriage ceremony of the deities, variety of alternative festivals area unit celebrated within the temple. a number of these embody ‘Vasantham pageant,’ ‘Unjal pageant,’ ‘Mulai-Kottu pageant,’ ‘Arudra Darshan pageant,’ ‘Thai utsavam,’ ‘Kolattam pageant,’ etc. every of those festivals has its own significance and is widely known throughout numerous months throughout the year. The temple additionally celebrates ‘Navratri pageant.’ throughout ‘Navarathri’ the temple displays colourful dolls that area unit jointly referred to as ‘gollum.’ ‘Gollum’ typically convey stories from mythological scenes.

HOW TO REACH

BY AIR

Madurai airport is simply 10 km far away from the most city and it's well connected to all or any major cities of India. Nearest international airport is Chennai. There are daily flights from Chennai, Trichy, Bengaluru and Coimbatore. Taxis are available from the airport to the town .

BY TRAIN 

Direct trains are available from many cities of India. From Chennai it takes seven hours to succeed in Madurai and trains run daily. The fastest train on the route is that the Vaigai Express, a super-fast day train between Chennai Egmore and Madurai.

BY ROAD

The city of Madurai is well connected by all southern parts of India. The bus terminus is at a distance of 6kms from the town . One can book AC also as Non AC buses as per the necessity . Good connectivity results in an honest frequency of transport facilities for the travellers. So distances shouldn't be a priority .

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