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Madurai
Brief
Madurai or Madhurapuri grew and prospered, to become the capital of the Pandayan Kingdom. It is referred toin the Ramayana and Arthashastra of Kautilya.. Megashenes (302 BC), Pliny (77AD) and Ptolemy (140 AD) wrote of Madura, the kingdom of the Pandian. Macro Polo visited Madurai in 1293 AD and Ibn Batuta in 1333 AD. Madurai lies on the banks of the River Vaigai. The temple and the old city are on the southern bank, while modern Madurai with its textile mills, engineering industries and large university sprawls around.
History
Madurai, probably over 2,500 years old, is the oldest city in Tamil Nadu.
Its origin and name emerge from a misty and lovely legend. In a forest
near a lotus pond, Indra, King of Gods, worshipped Lord Siva as a Swayambu
Lingam. At this hallowed spot, the Pandyan monarch Kulasekhara built a
great temple and clearing the forest, he created a lotus-shaped city around
the temple. On the day the city was to be named, Lord Shiva appeared at
the ceremony. As he blessed the land and its people, divine nectar (Mathuram)
was showered on the city from his matted locks. The city was henceforth
known as Madhurapuri.Culture Climate & Geogaphical Location
The climate of Madurai is warm throughout, even during the winters. Madurai is located on the Vaigai River.
How to Reach
Rail, road and air connect Madurai. Although it does not have any major airport, Madurai has its own airport connecting to cities like Chennai, Bangalore and Tiruchirappalli that have connecting flights to destinations across the nation. By rail, Madurai is one of the major railway junctions of South India. It is connected with all the main as well as religious places in Tamil Nadu. And though there are not many trains which connect the city with major cities of India, Madurai is easily accessible from any part of the nation. There are good motorable roads connecting Madurai with other parts of the state as well as other places in India. Madurai has five bus stands to cater to the needs of the people.
Tourist Places
Kodaikanal
One of the best hill stations in India, Kodaikanal or Kodai, is a very beautiful place in the western ghats. This hill station, is surrounded by lush green forest and dotted with numerous walks, where one can have a pleasant morning stroll. The wooded hills, pleasant walks, pictureque waterfalls and a magnificent lake, where you can spend the evening watching the sun go beyond the hills, add to the attraction of the place. An ideal place for trekking, Kodai can be visited any time of the year.
Thekkady
The forest of this beautiful sanctuary slopes down to a man made lake.
On motor launches from this lake, one can view wildlife in its natural
habitat. Elephant, Gaur, Sambhar, Bear, even Tigers and Leopards come
down to drink waters of the lake.Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple
The temple dominates the old city, which evolved around it. One of the holiest places of worship in South India, this temple is dedicated to Meenakshi, the lovely consort of Lord Siva and to the Lord himself (Sundareswarar). The original temple was probably a modest structure, built to Agamic guidelines. However, it has grown with the graceful additions of Puissant dynasties and victorious monarchs into an enormous complex. The temple is dominated by four enormous towers (gopurams), over the entrance gates. While the oldest tower is the 13th century Eastern Gopuram, the Southern Gopuram is the tallest and was built in the 16th century. From the top of the tower, one can get a panoramic view, of Madurai and the 11 other gopurams of the temple. This temple has also been the centre of Tamil culture, sponsoring literature, art, music and dance over the centuries.
Thirumalai Nayak Mahal
The Thiumalai Nayaks palace, is the most imposing remnant with a huge Audience Hall, opening into a courtyard with elaborately ornamented arches. A sound and light show, depicting the story of Thirumalai Nayak and Silappathikaram (a Tamil Epic) can be seen here daily.
Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam
This enormous temple tank is fed by water, brought from the Vaigai, though an ingenious system of underground channels. The tank has a Mandapam at the centre, enshrining Lord Vigneshwara.In January-February, the Teppakulam is the venue of a float festival which attracts thousands of tourists
Others
ALAGAR KOIL - Located 21 kms northwest of Madurai, Alagar Koil is a Vishnu
Temple, on a picturesque wooded hill. Here Vishnu presides as Meenakshis
brother, Azhagar. The Chithirai festival is celebrated in April / May,
GANDHI MUSEUM - This institution, housed in a 300-year-old place is dedicated to Gandhiji and promotes study and appreciation of the Mahatmas teachings. There is a picture gallery, personal memorabilia of the Mahatma, a library
KOODAL ALAGAR TEMPLE - This ancient shrine has Vishnu is sitting, standing and reclining postures, one above the other. It has elegantly carved ornamental
MEGAMALI - Megamali, 30 kms from Madurai, lies 1500 m above sea level. One has to climb up from Chinnamanur side. There are many cardomon estates and tea plantations in the hills. Wild animals like Sambhar, Elephant,
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