Spiritual Retreat to Magnificent Madurai temples Tamil Nadu
Enjoy a spiritual delight on your Madurai Temple tours with Top India Tour Operator offering best Madurai temple tour packages to take you around magnificent Meenakshi Temple In Madurai. Madurai travel guide offering best comprehensive packaged visit to Madurai, Tamil Nadu India taking you around Madurai temples in India. Grab best offers to witness architectural brilliance and spiritual solace with our temple tour to Meenakshi Temple In Madurai.
If you want to visit one of South India’s oldest cities, and one of India’s largest cities which is an ancient cultural center, then you need to visit Madurai. Located in the south Indian state Tamil Nadu, the city lies at over 400 feet sea level along the Vagai River. Today it is home to more than 1 million people, making it --after the capital Chennai and Coimbatore–is the third largest city of the state.
Madurai, one of the world’s most important religious, trade and cultural centers of the Tamil people, it shares more than 2500 years of rich cultural heritage. Built prior to pre-Christian time, for over 100 years Madurai was the capital of the Pandyas kingdom which had strong trade relations with Greeks, Romans and Chinese mostly of the rich spices grown around the city.
Madurai fell in the 10th century at the hands of the Chola king Parantaka. During the 13th century the Pandyas regained their dominance. But at the beginning of the 14th century Malik Kafur plundered and destroyed a large part of the city. Shortly after that, Madurai became an independent Sultanat. During 1364, Madurai joined the Hindu Vijayanagar Empire that was administered by the Nayaks who gained independence during 1565. Under their protection Madurai experienced a renaissance and was rebuilt.
Today you can still experience and admire the work the Nayaks completed during the 15th century. At the Meenakshi temple you will see the use of the Lotus flower in the artwork and carvings that decorate the monument. Parts of the palace of the Nayaks, the Thirumalai Palace built during 1623–1655, are still maintained in their original beauty. Until middle of the 18th century, Madurai remained under the control of the Nayaks until the British took over the city.
While in Madurai, you must find time to visit te other temples within the city. The Sri-Meenakshi-Temple of Madurai is one of the best examples of south Indian temple architecture. If you plan to visit the Sri-Meenakshi-temple, make sure you plan on almost a full day to explore the expansive temple. Located within a six-hectares-large enclosed compound, you will find the temples, in which Shiva and Meenakshi are worshipped. The temples lie together with twelve gopurams (temple towers) and many shrines. The temple towers (gopurams) are studded with 33,000 stone colorful figures of Gods and Goddesses, demons, ascetic, temple guard, animals and mythical creatures.
One of India’s main temples, more than 25,000 Hindu pilgrims visit the temple every day. Fifty priests work in the gigantic complex. And temple life is active and captivating with always-ongoing pujas (religious ceremonies), ceremonies, weddings and processions. So make sure you visit the temple several times as the energy and activities change every day!
Why Us? For Classic Holidays Services and Plus Points Click Here
For India Travel Tips and Details Click Here
