History of Madurai and its important Places

Madurai

Madurai Meenakshi Temple

History Of Madurai 

Madurai is one of the ancient cities of South India with a glorious history. It is famous for its world acclaimed Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple. The city of Madurai has been constructed in the form of a lotus and is built around the temple. It is situated on the banks of the river Vaigai. Owing to its rich cultural heritage and architectural splendor, the city is often referred to as the 'Athens of the East'. The origin of Madurai dates back to the Sangam period, the golden period of Tamil Literature.

According to mythology Madurai was earlier a forest called Kadambavanam. Once a merchant passing through the forest saw Indran, the King of Gods worshipping a Swayambhulingam under a Kadam tree. This was immediately reported to King Kulsekarer Pandayan. The king cleared the forest and built a splendid temple, known as the Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarer Temple, around the holy Lingam and later built a beautiful lotus-shaped city surrounding the temple. 

Lord Siva appeared on the naming ceremony of the city and blessed it. The divine nectar (madhu) from the tangled locks of Siva fell on the blessed city and so, the city came to be known as "Madhurapuri". It is also said that centuries ago Lord Siva himself performed sixty-four wonders, called "Thiruvilaiyadals", in Madurai. Thus, the holy city finds reference in the great Indian epics - Ramayana, Kautilyas and Arthasastra. Madurai also served as the capital of Pandayan Kings.

In 302 BC, Megasthanes visited Madurai and was followed by Marcopolo and Ibn Batuta, all of whom mentioned about their visit in their travelogues. There were many others travelers, from countries like Rome and Greece, who visited the city and established trade with the Pandya Kings. Madurai was captured by the Cholas in the 10th century AD and was ruled till the end of the 13th century. In 1223 AD, Pandyas came to power again and patronized the Tamil language. The city became prosperous during the reign of the Pandya Kings.

Many master-pieces or "Silapathikaram" were created during that time. The great Tamil epic was also written during this time. It is based on the story of Kannagi, who burnt Madurai in lieu of injustice caused to her husband Kovalan. In April 1311, Malik Kafur, the general of Alauddin Khilji, the then ruler of Delhi, raided and robbed Madurai for precious stones, jewels, and other rare treasures. This was followed by subsequent raids by other Muslim Sultans. Finally, in 1323, the Pandya kingdom came under the Delhi Empire ruled by the Tughlaks. 

The year 1371 saw the downfall of the Tughlaks and Madurai came under the reign of the Vijayanagar dynasty of Hampi. Kings of this dynasty left the captured land to governors called Nayaks, for the efficient management of their empire. After the death of Krishna Deva Raya (King of Vijayanagar Empire) in 1530 AD, the Nayaks became independent and started ruling the territories autonomously. Among Nayaks, Thirumalai Nayak (1623-1659) was the most popular one.

He is remembered by the people of Madurai even today, for his immense contribution to the city. He created many magnificent structures in and around Madurai. The Raja Gopuram of the Meenakshi Amman Temple, the Pudu Mandapam and the Thirumalai Nayakar's Palace are living examples of his passion for art. Later, Madurai slipped into the hands of the British's East India Company. In 1781, British appointed George Procter to look after the city. He was the first collector of Madurai. 

After independence, Madurai became one of the major commercial districts of Tamil Nadu. It is surrounded by several hills, mainly Annamalai, Pasumalai and Nagamalai, named after their resemblance to an Elephant, a Cow and a Snake respectively. The city is a major exporter of Jasmine flowers. Due to its historical background, the temple city of Madurai attracts thousands of pilgrims and visitors every year from India and abroad.

Meenakshi Amman Temple

Meenakshi Amman Temple is a historic Tamil Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city , Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Parvati, known as Meenakshi, and her consort, Shiva, here named Sundareswarar. The temple forms the heart and lifeline of the 2,500-year-old city of Madurai. It is said that the temple was originally built in the 6th century BC by survivors of the Kumari Kandam. The original temple was built by Kulasekara Pandya, but the entire credit for making the temple as splendid as it is today goes to the Nayaks. The Nayaks ruled Madurai from the 16th to the 18th century and left a majestic imprint of their rule in the Meenakshi - Sundareswarar Temple.

Temple Towers

There are 12 temple  gateway towers(Gopurams). The outer towers are the landmarks of Madurai. They are:
East Tower (Nine Storeys). Height 161'3". This Gopura has 1011 sudhai figures
South Tower (Nine Storeys). Height 170'6". This Tower has 1511 sudhai figures
West Tower (Nine Storeys). Height 163'3". This Tower has 1124 sudhai figures
North Tower (Nine Storeys). Height 160'6". This Tower has lesser figures of sudhai than other outer towers

Thirumalai Nayak Palace

Thirumalainayak Palace

Thirumalai Nayakar Palace was erected in 1636 AD in the city of Madurai, by King Thirumalai Nayak. The palace depicts the perfect blend of Dravidian and Rajput styles. After Independence, this palace was declared as a national monument and till date continues to be one of the spectacular monuments of Southern India. The magnificent palace is located in the vicinity of the very famous Meenakshi Amman Temple. Depicting the Saracenic style of architecture, it was constructed during the rule of Nayak Dynasty and is widely considered as the most illustrious monument built by the Madurai Nayak Dynasty. 

The Thirumalai Nayak Palace was the residence of King Thirumalai Nayak and was approximately four times bigger than what is seen today. The exterior, as well as the interiors of this palace, have been richly adorned. One can notice the excellent stucco work done on the arches and domes of the palace. It showcases an array of architectural wonders ranging from the massive pillars to the over-all daunting structure. There are a total of 248 pillars in this grand palace. Visitors can also enjoy a magnificent sound and light show at Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal. 

The main palace is divided into two sections, namely Swargavilasa and Rangavilasa. In these two parts, there are various sections of the royal residence, theatre, shrine, apartments, armoury, royal bandstand, pond and garden. This glorious palace is widely considered as the most illustrious monument constructed by the Madurai Nayak Dynasty. Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal was built to mark the shift of the capital of King Thirumalai Nayak from Tiruchi to Madurai, which was done for strategic and administrative reasons.

Lourdes Shrine, K Pudhur, Madurai

Lady of Lourdes Shrine Madurai

As a sizable population of Catholics were living in Kosakulam Pudur, which was in the territory of Our Lady of Dolours Parish, Fr. Endaline S.J. bought a piece of land in K. Pudur, on the very site where the present church stands, and built a small church of Our Lady of Lourdes, in 1920. In 1931 Fr. Gabriel Gomez, S.J. enlarged the church and brought the C.I.C. sisters to start a Primary School When in 1938 Madurai diocese was born and the Bishop’s house was built in K. Pudur, this church of Our Lady of Lourdes became important. The city expanded; transport facilities increased; more Catholic families came to settle down in K. Pudur. Fr. Pudumai who was in the Bishop’s House regularly went to cater to the spiritual needs of K. Pudur Catholics.

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