5 Most Famous Temples in Madurai
Madurai is known as the Athens of the East. One of
Tamil Nadu’s major cities, it is a famous tourism spot
and also a centre for religion. Madurai has a rich history
dating from the Mauryan times. One of the Greek
ambassadors to Chandragupta Maurya was so awestruck
by the city that he gave it the title of the Athens
of the East. Madurai was ruled by several dynasties
and rulers, switching hands from one ruler to the next.
For a while it was an autonomous state, with its own Sultan.
With such a cultural and historical significance, it became
a centre of religious worship. Here are five of the most
famous temples in Madurai.
1. Meenakshi Amman Temple
The city of Madurai is built around this massive temple complex. Arriving
at the city the first thing that should catch your eye are the 14 gateway
towers to this sprawling temple. The gateway towers are beautifully
designed and are very colourful. The original temple was supposedly
built during the 6th century BC, while the present buildings were built
between the 16th and 17thcenturies. Meenakshi Amman temple
contains around 33,000 sculptures. The central shrine has two
beautiful golden shrines to Meenakshi. The temple attracts thousands
of people every day so be prepared to go through a crowd. Be sure to
take your camera as there are numerous photo opportunities here as well.
2. Tirupparankunram Murugan Temple
One of the six abodes of lord Muruga on Earth, this
beautifully designed temple is sure to strike you with awe.
lord Muruga, also known as Kartikeya, is the Hindu God of
War and the son of lord Shiva. Just 8 kilometres away
from Madurai, this temple is carved in rock and is huge.
The main shrine is dedicated to lord Muruga with shrines
for lord Shiva, Vishnu, Vinayaka and Goddess Durga. This
is one of the only temples where lord Shiva and lord
Vishnu face each other. Tirupparankunram Murugan
temple is supposedly ancient and the original building
has stood in the place since the 7th century.
3. Alagar Kovil Temple
Alagar Kovil temple is an ancient temple just a few
kilometres from Madurai. There are historical scriptures
that have put this area under religious context for centuries.
Scriptures provide information about a refuge for monks
following Jainism and about a holy cow collapsing right
where the temple now stands. The temple itself is
made in the Dravidian style and has beautiful carvings
on its facade. There is a holy spring near the temple.
The golden canopy on the dome of the temple was made
during the 13th century by king Sundara Pandian. With
such immense history and lore behind it, this
temple is a must visit.
4. Koodal Azhagar Temple
An enclosed and ancient temple said to be built during
the 5th or 6th century CE, Koodal Azhagar temple is
dedicated to lord Vishnu. With a five-tiered gateway tower,
this temple is easy to spot. The main idol is meticulously
carved out of granite. There is also a panchloha
(five metals) idol of Vyuga, the temple’s festival deity.
It is said that the shadow of the main shrine does
not fall on the ground. With beautiful paintings this
temple has a glorious and ancient charm. There are
shrines to lord Krishna, Rama, Lakshmi Narayana,
and Lakshmi Narasimha located in the temple compound
as well. The Koodal Azhagar temple is one of the most
important temples to people who worship lord Vishnu
as their main deity. Be prepared for a crowd as many
people come here to worship daily.
5. Pazhamudircholai Murugan Temple
Legend has it that the great poet and saint Avvaiyar was
subjected to test from lord Muruga here. Avvaiyar found a
boy sitting under a tree in this location, who asked her if
she wanted ripe or unripe fruits. Too tired to argue with boy
she asked for unripe fruits. While the boy went up the tree
to fetch the fruits several fruits fell with sand on them.
After blowing away the sand the boy proclaimed that
Avvaiyar was blowing the ripe fruits as they were too hot.
The boy was none other than lord Muruga.
Pazhamudircholai Murugan temple is around
25 kilometres away from Madurai and is one of
the adobes of lord Muruga. The temple itself is small
but its history and culture is vast. It is a great place
to visit for those who want to learn more about
lore and culture.
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