मीनाक्षी अम्मन्
Madurai Meenakshi Amman
Madurai, Tamil Nadu· Goddess Meenakshi & Sundareshwarar
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History & Manyata
A masterpiece of Dravidian architecture with 14 towering gopurams and 33,000 sculptures, rebuilt by Nayak kings in the 16th century. The thousand-pillared hall and Golden Lotus Tank are wonders of devotion and craft. The temple complex spans 17 acres with 14 gopurams (the southern gopuram is 51.9 m tall) and over 33,000 sculptures. Reduced to ruins during the 1310 invasion by Malik Kafur, it was completely rebuilt between 1559 and 1655 by Nayak rulers Vishwanatha and Tirumalai. The Ayiram Kal Mandapam (Thousand Pillar Hall, actually 985 pillars) houses musical pillars that produce all seven swaras when struck. Goddess Meenakshi (born to King Malayadwaja Pandya from a yagna with three breasts, one of which vanished on meeting Lord Sundareshwarar) is the principal deity — unusually, the consort is given primacy here.
Belief / Manyata
Meenakshi, born of King Malayadwaja's tapasya, married Lord Shiva (Sundareshwarar) here — their celestial wedding is re-enacted every year.
Aarti Timings
- Suprabhata Pooja05:00 AM
- Kalashanthi06:30 AM
- Uchikalam10:30 AM
- Sayarakshai04:30 PM
- Palliyarai09:30 PM
Festivals not to miss
Divine wedding festival
Suggested Itinerary
- 1Suprabhata pooja
- 2Hall of Thousand Pillars
- 3Lunch at temple street
- 4Palliyarai aarti at night
Local Attractions
- Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace
- Gandhi Memorial Museum
- Alagar Koyil