Madurai

Mariyamman Water Tank :

Teppakulam in Tamil means a water tank. This water tank is located within Madurai about 4 kms from the Meenakshi Amman temple. There is a temple in the middle of this tank. The tank is usually dry and when we went there were lots of children playing in the dried up area all around the temple.

Meenakshi Amman Temple:

The Meenakshi Temple complex is literally a city – one of the largest of its kind in India and undoubtedly one of the oldest too. The temple grew with the contribution of each dynasty and victorious monarchs, into an enormous complex extending over an area of 65000 Sq m. The temple first came in to being 2000 years ago and was substantially expanded during the regime of Thirumalai Nayak(1623-55 AD).

Lord Siva in his incarnation as Sundareswarar and his fish-eyed spouse, Meenakshi, are enshrined in this twin temple. There are five massive gateways enclosing these two shrines. Even a casual visitor is fascinated by the many paintings and sculptures.

A striking feature of the temple is the astonishing structure know as “Ayiramkaal Mandapam” or the Hall of Thousand Pillars and each pillar features high, ornate, bold sculptures that look life like. View from any angle these pillars appear to be in a straight line, an architectural masterpiece indeed In the outermost corridors are situated the matchless musical pillars carved out of stones. When it is tapped, each pillar produces different musical note.

Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal:

Thirumalai Nayak Palace is a 17th-century palace erected in 1636 CE by King Tirumala Nayaka, a king of Madurai’s Nayaka dynasty who ruled Madurai from 1623 to 1659, in the city of Madurai, India. The building, which can be seen today, was the main palace, in which the king lived. The original palace complex was four times bigger than the present structure. In its heyday, the palace was considered to be one of the wonders of the South. The palace is located two kilometres (1.2 mi) south east of the Meenakshi Amman Temple.

Koodal Azhagar:

Koodal Aḻagar Temple in Madurai, a city in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Viyooga Sundarrajan, and his consort Lakshmi as Mathuravalli.

Azhagar Kovil:

Alagar Malai in Madurai is one such religious place that tops the itinerary of visitors coming to this stunning metropolis. The Alagar Kovil Temple dedicated to Vishnu (an important deity in Hinduism) and is considered as 108 Divyadesam (some of the important places mentioned in the doctrines of Alvar saints). Here the prime deity resides with his consort, Sri Lakshmi – the Hindu goddess of wealth and surplus.

Thiruparangundram Murugar:

Arulmigu Murugan Temple, Thiruparankundram is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Murugan (also known as Kartikeya) at Thiruparankundram, Tamilnadu, India. It is regarded as one of the “Six Houses of Murugan”. The temple is built in rock-cut architecture and believed to have been built by the Pandyas during the 6th century. According to the legend, Murugan slayed the demon Surapadman and married his consort Devasena here. Murugan is also said to have worshipped his father Shiva here as Parangirinathar.

Pazhamuthircholai Murugar: 

Arulmigu Solaimalai Murugan Temple is a Hindu temple, located about 25 kilometres north of Madurai, Tamilnadu, India atop a hill covered with dense forests. One of the six important abodes (Arupadaiveedu) of Lord Muruga of Madurai District Entrance of the temple come under Madurai And Entire Prahara Belong to Madurai District of Tamilnadu, it is close to the Vishnu temple of Azhagar Kovil.

Narasinga Perumal Temple:

Narasingam is a village located 8 km from Madurai on the road to Melur, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is named for the nearby cave temple dedicated to Yoga Narasimha Perumal, at the foot of the Yanaimalai hills. This temple was constructed in 770 A.D. by Madurakavi alias Marankaari who was the minister of the Madurai King Parantaka Nedunjadaiyan . There is a front mandapam (court). The sculpture of Narasinga Perumal is carved out of the hill itself. The temple is a good example of the cave sculpturing of the Pandya Kingdom. In front of this there is a stone temple for the goddess Narasingavalli. This place, though not a Divyadesam sanctified by Azhwars’ hymns, is situated between two holy places — Alagar Koyil in the north and Thirumohur in the east.