Meenakshi Amman Temple-Madurai’s Pride
The famous Meenakshi Amman temple situated on the southern bank of the River Vaigai in the temple city of Madurai, India, is the point where the city streets presume to emit out like rose petals. This temple holds great mythological and historical significance. Lord Shiva in the form of Sundarswarer married Parvati(Meenakshi) at this temple.
Architecture style of Meenakshi Amman Temple
The temple has 12 grand Gopuram and 33,000 sculptures of gods, demons, etc. portraying stories of ancient mythology. And because of this, the architectural allure of Madurai Meenakshi temple is an art of classic beauty.
Massive Structure has sparkling paintings and murals adorning its walls and ceilings. This represents the exquisite beauty of Princess Meenakshi and her wedding to Lord Shiva.
Thousand Pillar Hall – Meenakshi Amman Temple
The Thousand- Pillar Hall is an architectural wonder with two rows of richly carved pillars and columns made up of single pieces of grey granite rock. Interestingly, some pillars produce musical notes when gently tapped. These pillars were so skillfully installed and if you stand near the pillar at one end and gaze at the rows of pillars on your side, their perfect alignment from top to the bottom will take your breath away. There is an Art Museum for art lovers. The tickets cost Rs. 5 for Indians and Rs.50 for foreigners.
Golden Lotus Pond History of Meenakshi Amman Temple
A sacred pond with the golden lotus in the center situated within the temple complex, which appeared to be the site of many miracles. According to Tamil mythology, the lake used to assess the work of writers in ancient times. Well-written documents purported to float, whereas poorly written ones purported to submerge in water. As the legend says, here Lord Shiva fulfilled the desires of stork that this sacred pond devoid of fish or any other marine life that lives in water. It is still the same today.
Meenakshi Temple Darshan Tickets
As I entered inside the divine area, the crowd offering prayers were in full swing. The fragrance of the incense sticks flowed freely, soothing our mind and soul, as the crowd chanted prayers and made offerings to the deity. In the inner sanctum, only Hindus can see the idols of Lord Sundereshwarar and Goddess Meenakshi. We purchased special Darshan tickets to reduce our waiting time from three hours to one-half hours. These tickets cost Rs. 50/- for Darshan to Goddess Meenakshi and Rs. 100/- for both the deities.
Meenakshi Temple Night Ceremony
The Madurai Meenakshi temple, glowing with a beautiful lit up oil lamps all along its sides in the evening. The diamond nose-ring of the idol of goddess Meenakshi shimmering in the light emanating from the oil lamp fascinates me. One of the most beautiful sights to experience is the Going to Bed Ceremony. Every night the priests carry the image of Lord Sundareshwarar (Shiva) in a chariot from his shrine to Goddess Meenakshi (Parvati) shrine. Here, Lord Shiva spends the whole night in the chamber (made up of silver). This lively night ceremony starts along with horns, drums, and gathering of devotees. Every day the night ceremony Puja (Palliarai Puja) starts at 9:00 PM to 9:30 PM except Friday. On Friday, two different kinds of ceremonies were performed, one at (6:30 PM to 7:00 PM) and the other at (9:30 PM to 10:00 PM).
Chithirai Festival at Meenakshi Amman Temple
The Madurai city is famous for its fairs and festivals. One of the biggest festivals is the thirty days Chithirai Festival, which falls in the month of April-May. Every year the occurrence of the divine wedding of Goddess Meenakshi with Lord Sundareshwar(Shiva) attracts a large number of visitors. The festival begins on the second day of the Lunar month, which is just two days after the new moon. The Grand procession takes place on the Masi streets of Madurai. Beautifully decorated umbrellas and fans in authentic style and local artists performing skits in mythological scenes adds charm to the festival.
Street Food in Madurai
The city of Madurai is famous for its street food and has a lot to offer to the food lovers. We stroll down the city streets to explore a variety of food stalls.
Savoring a pipe hot and thin crispy golden dosa in one of the roadside stalls ‘Ayyappan Dosai Kadai’ is a haven feeling. It has a collection of forty different types of delicious dosas.
Another famous haunt ‘Murugan Idly Shop‘ where one can sit and watch people pouring hot tadka over the sambhar, serving hot fluffy idlis with tasty coconut chutney. The plates get vacant within seconds as the idlis melt in the mouth and leave you to crave more.
Madurai’s must-try signature drink ‘Jil Jil Jigarthanda‘ is a unique dessert. It is a very sweet flavorsome concoction of tree gum, fruit syrups, almond jellies, and thick milk. As the name suggests, it cools one heart and is available only in summers.
Meenakshi Amman Temple Timings
The best time to visit Meenakshi temple is the Morning and Evening hours. The temple is closed in the afternoon. Morning Timings are 5:00 AM to 12:30 PM and the Evening Timings are 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
Camera at Meenakshi Amman Temple
Nowadays, no cameras or mobile phones are allowed inside the temple. You have to submit it in the locker outside the temple.
Dress Code
There is no dress code in the Meenakshi Temple
How to Reach Madurai
The Madurai Airport(IXM) is 10 km from the city. With the help of a cab, you can reach there. You can take regular buses (AC and non-AC) from Bus Station Madurai, Madurai by Pass according to your schedule and budget. The Railway Station is centrally located and you can get regular trains from major cities of the country.
Railway Station: The nearest Railway station is Tirupparangundram (TDN), Madurai Junction (MDU), Kudalnagar (KON).
Best Time to Visit Madurai: The climate is hot and dry for most of the year. And therefore, the best time to visit is during the winter season (October to March).
