6 Popular Sightseeing In Madurai

Tamil Nadu’s cultural capital, Madurai, is one of India’s oldest continually inhabited cities. Ruled for the longest time in its history by Pandya kings, it is called the ‘ Lotus Area,’ as designed and constructed in the form of a lotus.

Madurai is known for her consort Meenakshi Amman Temple, dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi with a sanctum, Sundareshwarar. Throughout Madurai, there are many other ancient temples including the Thiruparankundram. It is one of the important ancient temples dedicated to Lord Muruga (Karthikeya) and is located on a hillock about 8 km from the town.

# Meenakshi Temple

The historic temple of Meenakshi Amman is located on the south bank of the River Vaigai, Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Constructed sometime between 1623 and 1655, the place’s magnificent architecture is renowned worldwide. Meenakshi Temple, known as Meenakshi, is mainly dedicated to Parvati and her husband, Shiva. What separates this temple from the others is the fact that they worship both God and Goddess.

The temple’s most striking feature is its elegant exterior, which incorporates extremely minute details with great pieces of art embedded in the walls and pillars. Meenakshi Amman temple complex is built by the Shilpa Shastra and has 14 gateway towers or’ gopurams,’ golden’ vimanas,’ sacred sanctuaries, and shrines dedicated to the revered Goddess Meenakshi and many others. It is a major tourist attraction, with frequent visiting of the shrine by thousands of devotees.

# Vaigai Dam

Vaigai Dam, a magnificent human-made dam, is constructed over the river Vaigai near Andipatti, Theni district, Tamil Nadu, South Indian state. Andipatti is about 70 kilometers from Madurai and travelers frequently visit this massive and majestic dam on their way to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. The site has become a favorite picnic spot over the years as it gets beautifully lit in the evenings, especially on weekends, and you can spend hours admiring the beautiful view. The reservoir’s soft and warm sunrises are worth experiencing too.

Completed in 1959, the huge dam is often referred to as the region’s lifeline, as the areas have benefited from its waters by leaps and bounds. Vaigai Dam is Madurai’s main source of water for drinking and irrigation purposes and is therefore of great strategic and political significance.

# Alagar Kovil

Alagar Kovil is an exquisite temple in the northeastern part of Madurai. The temple is Lord Vishnu’s rest spot and is the sacred place in the area for several Lord Vishnu followers.

It is situated in the hills of Alagar and is also known as Azhagarkovil. The lord’s statue is made entirely of stone and is a magnificent creation built from Kallalgar. Some statues in different Lord’s postures are all held under the same roof in the temple and are the best form of distinct temples in southern India.

# Meghamalai

Often known as the “Big Wavy Mountains,” Meghamalai is a tiny but beautiful place in Tamil Nadu state, in the Western Ghats. This place is a great getaway at an elevation of 1500 meters to beat the heat and enjoy some quiet relaxing time amidst nature. This spot, nestled between the evergreen trees, is filled with the fresh fragrance of cardamom, cinnamon, and pepper. The lush green tea plantations will give you the chance to drink fresh piping tea and enjoy a relaxing walk amid nature full of fauna and flora.

# Samanar Hills

Located in the village of Keelakuyilkudi, near Madurai, Samanar Hills or Samanar Malai is a beautiful hill rock complex, originally home to Tamil Jain monks. The hill caves are a popular tourist destination with intricate monk carvings and drawings on the inside walls. The place also has a nice lotus temple on the premises.

# Mariamman Teppakulam

Built-in memory of Lord Vigneshwara, this holy temple is located approximately 5 km from the temple of Meenakshi. It has a huge tank in the temple compound and holds the record as the biggest tank in the Tamil Nadu region.

During the whole year, the tank is filled with water. Legend has it that the temple idol was also retrieved from the bottom of the tank, while it was sunk in ancient times. So the tank has since gained popularity and the temple has been built in its memory too. The temple holds many different kinds of festivals and all the ceremonies are done with great pomp and joy, and the people have a wonderful time while they are in the temple.