MADURAI MEENAKSHI AMMAN TEMPLE
Location in Tamil Nadu
Coordinates:
9°55′10″N 78°07′10″ECoordinates: 9°55′10″N 78°07′10″E
Other names:
Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple
Proper name:
Tiru-aalayam
Location
Country:
India State:
Tamil Nadu District:
Madurai Location:
Madurai
Temple Details
Primary Deity:
Meenakshi
Consort:
Sundareswarar
Temple Tank:
Potramarai Kulam
Poets:Sundarar-
Appar-Manikkavacakar-Thirugnanasambandar
Important festivals:
Chithirai Thiruvizha
Architectural styles:
Dravidian architecture
History
Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple or Meenakshi Amman Temple or Tiru-alavai[1][2] (IAST mīnākṣi
Amman Kovil, Tamil: மீனாட்சி அம்மன் கோவில்/திருஆலவாய்) is a historic Hindu temple located in the south side of river Vaigai in the temple city[4] of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Parvati who is known as Meenakshi and her consort, Shiva named here as Sundareswarar(beautiful deity). The temple forms the heart and lifeline of the 2500 year old city of Madurai. The complex houses 14
gopurams (gateway towers) ranging from 45-50m in height, the tallest being the southern tower, 51.9
metres (170 ft) high, and two golden sculptured vimana (shrine) over sanctum of the main deities. The
temple is a significant symbol for the Tamil people, and has been mentioned since antiquity in Tamil
literature, though the present structure is built during 1623 to 1655 The temple attracts 15,000 visitors
a day, around 25,000 during Fridays and gets an annual revenue of sixty million INR. There is an
estimated 33,000 sculptures in the temple and it was in the list of top 30 nominees of the "New
Seven Wonders of the World". The annual 10 day Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival celebrated during
April–May attracts 1 million visitors.
Deity of Meenakshi in the temple
Meenakashi (IAST mīnākṣi, Tamil மீனாட்சி) is an Avatar of the Hindu goddess Parvati - the consort of
Shiva. She is also one of the few Hindu female deities to have a major temple devoted to her. The
name Mīnachchi (meaning fish eyed) is derived from the words mīna (meaning fish) and akṣi (meaning
eyes). Meenakshi(the lady goddess) is the principal deity of the temple, but not Sundareswarar - this
is unlike most Shiva temples in South India where Shiva is the principal deity. According to Hindu
legend, in order to answer the prayers of the second Pandya king Malayadwaja Pandya and his wife
Kanchanamalai, Goddess Parvati appeared out of the Holy Fire of the Putra Kameshti Yagna(sacrifice
for childhood) performed by the king. According to another legend, the goddess herself gave a boon to
Kanchanamalai in one of her previous births that she would have the privilege of mothering the
goddess. This girl, who came out of the holy fire had three breasts. A voice from the heavens told the
king not to worry and added that the third breast would vanish soon the girl meets her future husband.
The happy king named the girl as Tadaatagai and being the heir to the throne, Tadaatagai was trained
carefully in all the 64 sastras(fields of science). As the time came when Tadaatagai was to be
coronated, she had to wage war on the three worlds across eight directions. After conquering
Sathyaloka(Brahma's Abode), Vaikunta(Sanskrit वैकुण्ठ, vaikuntha meaning Vishnu's Abode) and
Amaravati(the abode of the Devas), she advanced to Kailasha(Shiva's Abode). She very easily
defeated the bhoota ganas(IAST: Bhūtagana, meaning Shiva's army) and Nandi(the celestial bull of
Shiva) and headed to attack and conquer Shiva. The moment she looked at Shiva, she was unable to
fight and bowed her head down due to shyness; the third breast vanished immediately. Tadaatagai
realized that Shiva was her destined husband. She also realized that she was the incarnation of
Goddess Parvati. Both Shiva and Tadaathagai returned to Madurai and the king arranged the
coronation ceremony of his daughter, followed by her marriage with Shiva.
Vishnu hands over his sister Meenakshi to Shiva
The marriage was supposed to be the biggest event on earth, with the whole earth gathering near
Madurai. Vishnu, the brother of Meenakshi, prepared to travel from his holy abode at Vaikuntam to
preside over the marriage . Due to a divine play, he was tricked by the Deva, Indra and delayed on
the way. The marriage was presided over by a local god from Thirupparankundram Pavalaakanivaai
Perumal, an incarnation of Vishnu. After the marriage, the pair ruled over Madurai for a long time and
then assumed divine forms as Sundareswarar and Meenakshi who are presiding deities of the temple.
Following the tradition, every evening, before closing the temple, a ritual procession led by drummers
and a brass ensemble carries the image of Sundareswarar to Meenakshi's bedroom to consummate
the union, to be taken back to his day setting the next morning in dawn.The marriage is celebrated
annually as Chithirai Thiruvizha(Tamil:சித்திரை திருவிழா meaning Chittirai festival) in Madurai. During
the period of Nayakar rule in Madurai, the ruler Thirumalai Nayakar linked the Azhakar Thiruvizha
(Tamil: அழகர் திருவிழா, meaning Azhagar festival) and the Meenakshi wedding ceremony.
People of this region believe that the Goddess Sellandiyamman miraculously built the adjoining
Madukkarai wall which marks the boundary of the Chera, Chola and Pandya kingdoms and ends at the
Meenakshi Amman temple. Madurai Meenakshi Temple was Nominated for World Wonder, But due to
some infrastructure problem it was not selected.
Location of Meenakshi temple in Madurai
The temple is the geographic and ritual center of the ancient city of Madurai and one of the largest
temple complexes in Tamil Nadu. The temple complex is divided into a number of concentric
quadrangular enclosures contained by high masonary walls. It is one of the few temples in Tamil Nadu
to have four entrances facing four directions. Vishwantha Nayaka allegedly redesigned the city of
Madurai in accordance with the principles laid down by Shilpa Shastras(Sanskrit: śilpa śāstra, also
anglicized as silpa sastra meaning rules of architecture) relevant to urban planning. The city was laid
out in the shape of square with a series of concentric streets culminating from the temple. These
squares continue to retain their traditional names, Aadi, Chittirai, Avani-moola and Masi streets,
corresponding to Tamil month names.Ancient Tamil classics mention that the temple was the center of
the city and the streets happened to be radiating out like lotus and its petals. The temple prakarams
(outer precincts of a temple) and streets accommodate an elobrate festival calendar in which dramatic
processions circumabulate the shrines at varying distances from the centre. The vehicles used in
processions are progressively more massive the further they travel from the centre.The complex is in
around 45 acres (180,000 m2) and the temple is a massive structure measuring 254 by .Southern
PagodaThe temple is surrounded by 'gopurams(gateway tower),the tallest of which, the famous
southern tower, rises to over 170 ft (52 m) and was built in the year 1559. The oldest gopuram is the
eastern one, built by Maravarman Sundara Pandyan during 1216-1238 Each gopuram is a multi-storeyed
structure, covered with thousands of stone figures of animals, gods and demons painted in bright
hues.The outer gopuram presents steeply pyramidal tower encrusted with plastic figures, while the
inner gopuram serves as the entrance to the inner enclosure of Sundareswarar shrine.The central
shrine of Meenakshi and her consort Sundareswarar are surrounded by three enclosures and each of
these are protected by four minor towers at the four points of the compass, the outer tower growing
larger and reaching higher to the corresponding inner one. The Meenakshi shrine has the emerald-
hued black stone image of Meenakshi. The Sundareswarar shrine lies at the centre of the complex,
suggesting that the ritual dominance of the goddess developed later. Both the Meenakshi and
Sundareswarar shrines have gold plated Vimanam (tower over sanctum). The golden top can be seen
from a great distance in the west through the apertures of two successive towers. The area covered
by the shrine of Sundareswarar is exactly one fourth of the area of the temple and that of Meenakshi
is one fourth that of Sundareswarar.The tall sculpture of Ganesh carved of single stone located outside
the Sundareswarar shrine in the path from Meenashi shrine is called the Mukuruny Vinayakar. A large
measure of rice measuring 3 kurini (a measure) is shaped into a big ball of sacrifice and hence the
Ganesh is called Mukkurni Vinayagar(three kurinis).This deity is believed to be found during a 17th
century excavation process to dig the Mariamman temple tank.
The Porthamarai Kulam
The sacred temple tank Porthamarai Kulam ("Pond with the golden lotus"), is 165 ft (50 m) by 120 ft
(37 m) in size. According to legend, Shiva promised a stork that no fish or other marine life would
grow here and thus no marine animals are found in the lake. In the Tamil legends, the lake is
supposed to judge the worth of a new piece of literature. Authors place their works here and the
poorly written works are supposed to sink and the scholastic ones are supposed to float, Tirukkural by
Tiruvalluvar was one such work.Only a fraction of 17th and 18th century paintings of Nayak period
survives and one such portion is found in the small portico on the western side of the tank. It depicts
the marriage of Sundareswarar and Meenkashi attended by Vijayaranga Chokkanatha and Rani
Mangammal. The painting is executed on a vivid red background, with delicate black linework and
large areas of white, green and ochre. The celestial couple is seated inside an architectural frame with
a flowering tree in the background.
Halls
The corridor surrounding the sanctum of Meenakshi is called kilikoondu Mandapam ("parrot cage
corridor"). The space was once used to keep green parrots that were trained to utter the name of
Meenakshi. There are two large cages full of squawking green parrots.The Kambatadi Mandapam ("Hall
of temple tree") with its seated Nandi (sacred bull) has various manifestations of Shiva carved and
also contains the famous "Marriage of Meenakshi" sculpture.Sculptures of Shiva and Kali trying to out
-dance one another are pelted with balls of ghee by devotees. A golden flagstaff with 32 sections
symbolizes the human backbone and is surrounded by various gods, including Durga and Siddar.
The Meenakshi Nayakkar Mandapam ("Hall of 100 pillars") has two rows of pillars carved with images
of yali (mythological beast with body of lion and head of an elephant), commonly used as the symbol
of Nayak power. It is situated to the north of Sundareswarar flag staff hall.
Sculptures inside the temple
The Puthu Mandapam ("new hall") constructed by Tirumala Nayak contains large number of
sculptures.It is situated opposite to the east gopuram.
The Ashta Shakthi Mandapam ("Hall of eight goddess") is the first hall in the entrance of Meenakshi
shrine tower near to East Tower. Ashta indicates eight and Shakthi refers to goddess - the hall has
statues of eight goddesses. The gopurams(towers) can be viewed from this hall.The passage was
named for eight forms of goddess Sakthi carved on its pillars. Other sculptures and paintings depict
the Tiruvilayadal (holy games of Shiva).The sculptures of heroes of Mahabharata, the Pancha
pandavas can be seen in the Pancha Pandava Mandapam (Hall of Pandavas).
The Viravasantharaya Mandapam is a large hall with huge corridors.To the south of this hall is the
kalyana mandapam, to the south of the pillared hall, is where the marriage of Shiva and Parvati is
celebrated every year during the Chithirai Festival in mid-April. The golden images of Meenakshi and
Sundareswarar are carried into the 16th century oonjal mandapam (swing corridor) and placed on the
swing every Friday at 5:30 p.m. The shrine has a 3-storied gopuram guarded by two stern
dwarapalakas (guardians) and supported by golden, rectangular columns that bear lotus markings.
Along the perimeter of the chamber, granite panels of the divine couple are present.The hall is
situated in the western bank of the temple tank.
The Mudali Pillai Mandapam or Iruttu Mandapam (Dark hall) is a wide and long hall built by Muthu
Pillai during 1613. On the pillars of the halls, there are fine sculptures depicting the story of Shiva
taking the form of Bikshadanar to teach the sages a lesson.
The Mangayarkarasi mandapam is a newly built hall situated opposite to the marriage halls and bears
the name of saindy queen, Mangayarkarasi who contributed to Saivism and Tamil language.To the
south of Mangayarkarasi mandapam lies the Servaikarar Mandapam, a hall built by Marudu brothers in
1795.The Nagara mandapam (Hall of beating drums) lies opposite to Sundareswarar shrine was built by
Achaya Rayar, the minister of Rani Mangammal in 1635.The Kolu Mandapam is a hall for displaying
dolls during the Navarathri festival celebrated during September–October.This hall is situated in the
second corridor of the Meenakshi shrine at the western side.
Hall of Thousand Pillars
A section of the Thousand Pillar Hall
The "Aayiram Kaal Mandapam" or Thousand Pillar Hall contains 985(instead of 1000) carved pillars.The
hall was built by Ariyanatha Mudaliar in 1569 and it is a structure where the engineering skill and
artistic vision are blended.Ariyanatha Mudaliar was the prime minister and general of Viswanatha
Nayak, the first Nayaka of Madurai (1559–1600). He was also the founder of Poligar System, the quasi
-feudal organization of the country, which was divided into multiple palayams or small provinces and
each palayam was ruled by a palayakkarar or a petty chief.At the entrance of the hall the statue of
Ariyanatha Mudaliar seated on a horse-back is present, which flanks one side of the entrance to the
temple. The statue is periodically garlanded by worshippers.Each pillar in the hall is a carved
monument of the Dravidian sculpture. The more prominent among the carved figures are those of Rati
(wife of Cupid), Karthikeya, Ganesha, Shiva as a wandering mendicant and endless number of yalis
(mythical figures of lions).There is a Temple Art Museum in the hall where icons, photographs,
drawings, and other exhibits of the 1200 years old history of the temple is displayed.Just outside this
hall, towards the west, are the Musical Pillars. Each pillar, when struck, produces a different musical
note.
Pancha Sabhai
"Pancha Sabhai" refers to the five royal courts of Nataraja(dancing form of Shiva) where he performed
cosmic dance.The Tamil word velli means silver and ambalam means stage or altar. This massive
Nataraja sculpture is enclosed in a huge silver altar and hence called "Velli Ambalam" (silver abode).
This is a special figure of Natarja which usually differs from Chola bronzes; in the Chola images,
Nataraja is shown dancing with his left leg raised, but this sculpture has the right leg raised.According
to the Tiruvilayaadal Puranam (Shiva's sacred games), this is on the request of Rajasekara Pandya,
who was a sincere devotee of Shiva. He requested the deity to change his position, as he felt that
keeping the same foot raised would put enormous strain and got a graceful acquiescence from the
divine master.
Rituals
Worship
There are close to 50 priests in the temple who perform the pooja(rituals) during festivals and on a
daily basis. Like other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to Shivaite to the Adishaivas,
a Brahmin sub-caste. The priests live in a closed area north of the temple.The temple has a six time
pooja calendar everyday, each comprising four rituals namely abhisheka (sacred bath), alangaram
(decoration), neivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai(waving of lamps) for both Meenakshi and
Sundareswarar.Thepuja(worship) ceremonies are held amidst music with nagaswaram (pipe instrument)
and tavil (percussion instrument), religious instructions in the Vedas by priests and prostration by
worshippers in front of the temple mast.The common practise is to worship Meenakshi before
Sundareswarar. Margazhi (December–January) ritual is prominent one for winning a perfect, god-like
husband - it is Meenakshi's ennai kappu festival.Aligned with the cardinal points, the street plans
forms a giant mandala (group) whose sacred properties are believed to be activated during the mass
clockwise cicumambulations of the central temple.
Festivals
The most important festival associated with the temple is the "Meenakshi Thirukalyanam" (The divine
marriage of Meenakshi) that is celebrated in April every year.The marriage of the divine couple is
regarded as a classic instance of south Indian female-dominated marriage, an arrangement referred as
"Madurai marriage". The male dominated marriage is called "Chidambaram marriage", referring to
Shiva's uncontested dominance, ritual and mythic, at the famous Shiva temple of Chidhambaram.The
marriage brings together rural and urban people, deities and mortals, Saivas (those who worship Shiva)
and Vaishnavas (those who worship Vishnu) in order to celebrate Meenakshi as the royal monarch.
During the one month period, there are a number of events including the "Ther Thiruvizhah" (chariot
festival) and "Theppa Thiruvizhah" (float festival). Major Hindu festivals like Navrathri and Shivrathri
are celebrated in the temple. Like most Shakti temples in Tamil Nadu, the Fridays during the Tamil
months of Aadi (July–August) and Thai (January - February) are celebrated in the temple by thousands
of devotees. "Avani Moola Utsavam" is a 10-day festival mainly devoted to Sundareswarar describes
his various Thiruvilayadal(Tamil: திருவிளையாடல் meaning Shiva's sacred games).
Literary Mentions
Down the centuries, the temple has been centre of academy of learning of Tamil culture, literature, art,
music and dance.All three assemblies of Tamil language, the Tamil Sangam (about the 3rd century
BCE to the 3rd century CE), were held at Madurai.Great Tamil poets of different epochs participated in
these assemblies and their composition is called Sangam literature. During the third Tamil sangam, the
comparative merits of the poets was decided by letting the works float in the lotus tank of the temple.
It was believed that a divine force would cause the work of superior merit to float on the surface
while the inferior literary work would sink.Tevaram, the 7th-8th century Tamil compositions on Shiva
are works by the three prominent Nayanars (Saivites) namely appar,Sundarar and
Thirugnanasambandar.The temple has been glorified by the hymns of Tevaram by all the three poets.
Different hymns of Sambandar on the temple mention the queen of Pandya Nadu, his desire to defeat
Jains in debate, the miracle of him curing the king's fever, the Jains' provocation of Sambandar by
burning his house and challenging him to debate, and Sambandar's eventual victory over them.There
are few poets in Tamil history who sang about goddess Parvati, the notable among them is
Kumaraguruparar, a 17th century Tamil poet who composed Meenakshi Pillaitamil on Meenakshi of this
temple. In pillaitamil (a genre of Tamil literature) history, the king Tirumalai Nayak's most crucial act
of patronage was his link with Kumaraguruparar. Kumaraguruparar visited lot of temples and when he
visited this temple, he composed pillaitamil on Meenakshi.Legend has it that goddess appeared in the
dreams of Nayakka directing him to arrange the recital of Kumaraguruparar before learned assembly.
The king made elobrate arrangements for the event. Goddess was enjoying the recital and she
impersonated in the form of a small girl. As Kumaraguruparar was explaining the 61st verse, the
goddess appreciated by garlanding the poet with a string of pearls and disappeared.
.JPG)
