East Tower
Meenakshi Amman Temple (also called: Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Tiru-aalavaai and Meenakshi Amman Kovil) is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city[4] of 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 and is a significant symbol for the Tamil people, mentioned since antiquity in Tamil literature though the present structure was built between 1623 and 1655 CE It houses 14 gopurams(gateway towers), ranging from 45–50m in height. The tallest is the southern tower, 51.9 metres (170 ft) high, and two golden sculptured vimanas, the shrines over the garbhagrihas (sanctums) of the main deities. The temple attracts 15,000 visitors a day, around 25,000 on Fridays, and receives an annual revenue of sixty million.There are an estimated 33,000 sculptures in the temple. It was on the list of top 30 nominees for the "New Seven Wonders of the World". The temple is the most prominent landmark and most visited tourist attraction in the city.[10] The annual 10-day Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival, celebrated during April and May, attracts 1 million visitors.

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Wedding of Meenakshi with Sundareswarar, East Tower

The temple is surrounded by gopurams (gateway tower), - There are 14 gopuram the tallest of which, the famous southern tower, rises to over 170 ft (52 m) and was built in 1559. The oldestgopuram 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 plaster figures, while the inner gopuram serves as the entrance to the inner enclosure of Sundareswarar shrine.

Tags:   Madurai India Temples Architecture heritage culture custom Tamil Meenakshi Sundarareswararar Thevaram Sambandhar Tower Gopuram EastGoporam RiverVagai Hinduism LordSiva Canon60D

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Meenakshi Amman Temple (also called: Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Tiru-aalavaai and Meenakshi Amman Kovil) is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city[4] of 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 and is a significant symbol for the Tamil people, mentioned since antiquity in Tamil literature though the present structure was built between 1623 and 1655 CE It houses 14 gopurams(gateway towers), ranging from 45–50m in height. The tallest is the southern tower, 51.9 metres (170 ft) high, and two golden sculptured vimanas, the shrines over the garbhagrihas (sanctums) of the main deities. The temple attracts 15,000 visitors a day, around 25,000 on Fridays, and receives an annual revenue of sixty million. There are an estimated 33,000 sculptures in the temple. It was on the list of top 30 nominees for the "New Seven Wonders of the World". The temple is the most prominent landmark and most visited tourist attraction in the city.[10] The annual 10-day Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival, celebrated during April and May, attracts 1 million visitors.

Tags:   Madurai India Temples Architecture heritage culture custom Tamil Meenakshi Sundarareswararar Thevaram Sambandhar Tower Gopuram EastGoporam RiverVagai Hinduism LordSiva Canon60D

© All Rights Reserved

Meenakshi Amman Temple (also called: Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Tiru-aalavaai and Meenakshi Amman Kovil) is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city[4] of Madurai, Tamil Nadu,India. It is dedicated to Parvati, known as Meenakshi, and her consort, Shiva, here named Sundareswarar.
A poem from the Third Tirumurai by Sambandar is as under :

மானினேர் விழி மாதராய் வழு திக்கு மாபெருந் தேவி கேள்
பானல் வாயொரு பாலனீங்கிவ னென்று நீ பரி வெய்திடேல்
ஆனைமாமலை யாதியாய இடங்களிற் பல அல்லல்சேர்
ஈனர்கட்கெளி யேனலேன் திரு வாலவாயர னிற்கவே.


"Lady who has eyes that are comparable to the startled eyes of the deer!
the great chief queen of the Vaḻuti! . Listen to what I say. Do not feel distressed that I am such a young boy from whose mouth milk is flowing. when the god in Tiruvālavāy stands by my side as help, I can not be easily defeated by the low people who inflict many sufferings on others and who live in hills beginning with great Āṉaimalai."

Tags:   Madurai India Temples Architecture heritage culture custom Tamil Meenakshi Sundarareswararar Thevaram Sambandhar Tower Gopuram EastGoporam RiverVagai Hinduism LordSiva Canon60D

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Meenakshi Amman Temple (also called: Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Tiru-aalavaai and Meenakshi Amman Kovil) is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city[4] of 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 and is a significant symbol for the Tamil people, mentioned since antiquity in Tamil literature though the present structure was built between 1623 and 1655 CE It houses 14 gopurams(gateway towers), ranging from 45–50m in height. The tallest is the southern tower, 51.9 metres (170 ft) high, and two golden sculptured vimanas, the shrines over the garbhagrihas (sanctums) of the main deities. The temple attracts 15,000 visitors a day, around 25,000 on Fridays, and receives an annual revenue of sixty million. There are an estimated 33,000 sculptures in the temple. It was on the list of top 30 nominees for the "New Seven Wonders of the World". The temple is the most prominent landmark and most visited tourist attraction in the city.[10] The annual 10-day Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival, celebrated during April and May, attracts 1 million visitors.

Tags:   Madurai India Temples Architecture heritage culture custom Tamil Meenakshi Sundarareswararar Thevaram Sambandhar Tower Gopuram EastGoporam RiverVagai Hinduism LordSiva Canon60D yali

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