Meenakshi Temple facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Meenakshi Temple Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple
Aerial view of the temple complex as seen from the southern gopuram
Geography
Coordinates	9°55′11″N 78°7′10″E / 9.91972°N 78.11944°E / 9.91972; 78.11944
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Madurai
Elevation	144 m (472 ft)
Architecture
Architectural styles	Tamil architecture
Inscriptions	40+
History and governance
Governing body	Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department

The Meenakshi Temple, also known as Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, is a very old and famous Hindu temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It sits on the southern bank of the Vaigai River. This beautiful temple is dedicated to Meenakshi, who is a form of the goddess Parvati, and her husband Shiva, known here as Sundareswarar. It's a special place because it brings together different beliefs within Hinduism, like those who worship Shiva, those who worship goddesses, and those who worship Vishnu.

People have talked about the city of Madurai for a very long time, even in ancient writings. The temple itself is first mentioned in Tamil texts from the 6th century CE. It's one of the important Shiva temples praised in old poems called Tevaram, written by poets called Nayanars between the 6th and 11th centuries. The first parts of the temple were built by the Pandyas between the 12th and 13th centuries. Later, after some damage by invaders in the 14th century, it was rebuilt by the Vijayanagara Empire. The temple complex grew much larger thanks to the Madurai Nayaks in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Even though some improvements were made in the 18th and 19th centuries, the temple wasn't always well-cared for during the time of British rule. After India became independent in the mid-20th century, people donated money to restore it. The temple has been carefully restored and blessed in special ceremonies in 1974, 1995, and 2009.

This huge temple complex covers about 5.7 hectares (about 14 acres). It has many buildings inside several layers of walls. The outer walls have four tall, decorated gateways called gopurams, one facing each main direction. There are also 10 smaller gopurams. The tallest one is the southern tower, built in the 16th century, which stands about 170 feet (52 meters) high. The main shrines for Meenakshi and Sundareswarar are in the very center. The complex also has many halls called mandapas, including a famous one with a thousand pillars. These halls are used for statues, festivals, and as resting places for visitors. Inside the temple, you can find images of many Hindu gods. The "Golden Lotus Pond" (Potramarai Kulam) is a sacred pool right within the temple grounds.

The temple is managed by the government department that looks after Hindu religious places in Tamil Nadu. It's a very important landmark in Madurai, attracting thousands of visitors every day. This makes it a key part of Madurai's economy. The official symbol of Tamil Nadu state even features the west gopuram of this temple. In October 2017, the temple was recognized as the best 'Swachh Iconic Place' in India for its cleanliness efforts.

What's in a Name?

Sculpture showing the wedding of Meenakshi and Shiva, with Vishnu on the left.

Meenakshi, a form of the goddess Parvati, is the main deity of this temple. Her name, Meenakshi, means "fish-eyed" in the Tamil language. It comes from the words mina (fish) and akshi (eyes). She was once known as Thadadakai, which also means "fish-eyed one." Later, she became known as Meenakshi. The name might also mean "rule of the fish," because the ancient Pandyas kings, who ruled this area, used a fish symbol on their flag.

Old texts from the 7th and 8th centuries mention Meenakshi's husband, Shiva, by a special name: Angayarkanni udanurai Alavai Annal. This means "One who is with Angayarkanni," where Angayarkanni means "the mother with the beautiful fish eyes." Inscriptions from the 13th century show that Shiva and Parvati were known by other names too. The name Meenakshi became very popular from the 17th century onwards.

The Story of Meenakshi

A temple painting showing the story of how the temple was founded.

According to an old Tamil story from the 16th century called Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam, there was a king named Malayadhwaja Pandya and his wife Kanchanamalai. They performed a special ceremony called a yajna because they wanted a son to rule after the king. Instead, a three-year-old daughter appeared from the sacred fire. When the parents prayed to Lord Shiva, a divine voice told them to raise the child.

The girl grew up in the palace, and the king made her his successor. When she finally met Shiva, who appeared as Sundareswarar, she became her true self, Meenakshi, an incarnation of Parvati. The wedding of Meenakshi and Shiva, called Meenakshi Tirukalyanam, was a huge and grand event. Many Hindu gods and other beings attended this special celebration.

This story shows how important women were in the culture of South India at that time. It also highlights the belief that spiritual power often rests with women. The wedding itself is seen as a symbolic example for human marriages.

Why This Temple is Special

The Meenakshi Temple shows a special connection between different Hindu traditions. It presents Shiva as Meenakshi's husband and Vishnu as her brother. This family relationship is very important in South Indian culture. Meenakshi herself is a central figure in the Shaktism tradition, where goddesses are highly revered. In this temple, she is often seen as the more powerful of the divine couple. So, the temple beautifully celebrates all three major traditions: Shaivism (worship of Shiva), Shaktism (worship of goddesses), and Vaishnavism (worship of Vishnu).

According to the Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam, this temple is one of the four most important pilgrimage sites for followers of Shaivism. It is considered a place where Shiva performed his cosmic dance. This particular spot is known as "Velli Ambalam" (silver abode), and a beautiful Nataraja (Shiva as the cosmic dancer) sculpture stands on a large silver altar here.

For many years, the temple has been a hub for Tamil culture and Tamil literature. It is one of the 276 temples praised in the ancient Tevaram hymns, which are part of the Tamil Shaiva holy books. These hymns were composed by the Nayanars, poets who lived between the 6th and 11th centuries. The temple is sometimes called "Mathura in the South" in Vaishnavite texts. Many famous Tamil poets have written songs and poems praising Meenakshi and this temple.

A Journey Through Time

Early Days (Before the 12th Century)

The city of Madurai is mentioned in very old texts from the 1st to 4th centuries CE. These ancient Tamil writings suggest that a temple already existed in Madurai by the mid-6th century. They describe Madurai as a temple town where all the streets spread out from the central temple, like petals from a lotus. In the Teveram texts, the temple and its deity are called by many different names. Sometimes, it was known as Kadambavanam because the area was once covered with Kadamba trees.

During the rule of the Pandya dynasty, Goddess Meenakshi was seen as the divine ruler of Madurai. She and Shiva were worshipped as the main deities. The oldest parts of the Meenakshi temple that we can still see today were built during the time of the Pandya emperor Sadayavarman Kulasekaran I (who ruled from 1190 to 1216). He built the gateway to the Sundareswarar shrine and the central part of the Meenakshi shrine. He also added smaller shrines for other gods around the complex. The temple was expanded further by later Pandya kings, who added more gateways and halls.

Rebuilding and Growth (14th to 17th Century)

A hall with many pillars inside the temple, added during the Nayak period.

In the early 14th century, after a period of conflict among the Pandya rulers, armies from the north attacked many towns in South India. They damaged Hindu temples, including the Meenakshi temple, and took away many treasures. This period brought a temporary halt to the support for Hindu temples. For a while, a Muslim governor ruled Madurai, and this led to more challenges for the temples.

However, the Vijayanagara Empire rose in the 14th century and eventually took control of Madurai in 1378 CE. A queen named Gangadevi encouraged her husband, Kumara Kampana, to free Madurai and reopen the Meenakshi temple. After his victory, Kampana rebuilt the temple structure and added strong defensive walls around it. The temple idols, which had been hidden for safety, were brought back and re-blessed. Most of the temple structures we see today were rebuilt and added after the 14th century.

The tall southern gopuram, built in the 16th century.

The Nayak commanders, who served the Vijayanagara empire, continued to expand the temple. In the mid-15th century, Lakana Nayak added more walls and renovated some halls and the Meenakshi shrine. He also built a special "bed chamber" where the gods' statues would symbolically spend the night. Many other kings and leaders contributed to the temple's growth. The Nataraja shrine was added in the late 15th century. A sacred pool called Ezhukadal (seven seas) was built in 1516 CE.

The temple saw even more renovations and expansions in the 16th and 17th centuries under the Madurai Nayaks. During the rule of Vishwanatha Nayak (1529-1564), the temple complex was made stronger, and the roof above the Meenakshi shrine was covered with gold. His prime minister, Ariyanatha Mudaliar, added more towers and many sculpted halls, including the famous thousand-pillared hall. The tallest tower, the south gopuram, was built in the late 16th century. Many other halls and shrines were added during this busy period of construction.

Recent History (18th Century to Today)

Sculptures in the temple from 1895.

In the 18th century, the British East India Company sometimes supported the temple and joined in its festivals to gain local acceptance. However, by 1820, they stopped being patrons. During British rule, the temple's condition suffered due to neglect.

For a long time, some people were not allowed to enter the temple. But on July 8, 1939, a group of leaders, including A. Vaidyanatha Iyer and Kakkan, helped people from these communities enter the temple. This important event helped lead to new laws that removed such unfair practices.

After India gained independence in 1947, the temple was restored with donations from many people. Today, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu manages and maintains the temple. Major restorations and special blessing ceremonies were held in 1974, 1995, and 2009, ensuring the temple remains beautiful and strong for future generations.

Exploring the Temple's Design

A map showing the temple and the streets around it.

The Meenakshi temple is right in the middle of Madurai, on the south bank of the Vaigai River. The Nayak rulers designed both the temple and the city using ancient Indian architectural rules called Shilpa Shastras. The roads around the temple spread out in a circular pattern, like ripples in water. The streets are even named after months in the Tamil Calendar, because temple parades used to start from these spots during those months. The temple and city were built to face east, towards the rising sun. Old Tamil texts say the temple was the heart of the city, with streets branching out like a lotus flower. The city was planned with different communities living in specific areas.

A plan of the temple from 1911.

The main shrines are in the center of the temple complex. They are surrounded by many other buildings within several layers of walls, called prakarams. These walls are very strong, and the outer ones have four huge, decorated gateways called gopurams. These gopurams allow people to enter the complex from all four main directions. The temple's wide corridors and streets are perfect for grand processions during festivals. The temple cars used in these parades get bigger the further they travel from the center. Shops and traditional markets line the streets around the temple.

The entire temple complex covers about 14 acres (5.7 hectares). The main courtyard is roughly 800 feet (244 meters) on each side. The most important shrines are those of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar, which are next to each other in the innermost courtyard. The "Golden Lotus Pond" (Potramarai Kulam) is in front of the Meenakshi shrine. The "Thousand-Pillared Hall" (Ayiram Kaal Mandapam), filled with amazing sculptures, is in the northeastern part of the complex. The temple also has many other halls, shrines for different Hindu gods, sculptures of ancient scholars, and other buildings like schools and offices.

This temple complex has been used continuously for centuries, except for about 60 years after it was damaged in the 14th century. The temple has its own traditional stories, called Thiruvilayadal (sacred games of Shiva). Sixty-four of these stories are painted as murals on the temple walls. They tell the history of the temple, including its destruction and its rise from the ruins.

Amazing Towers: The Gopurams

The temple has 14 gopurams (towers).

The main shrines are surrounded by three sets of walls, and each wall has four gateways. The temple has 14 gopurams, which are tall, ornate towers. The towers on the outer walls are larger than the inner ones. There are 4 nine-story towers, 1 seven-story tower, 5 five-story towers, and 2 three-story gopurams. There are also two gold-covered towers over the main shrines. These towers are covered with colorful stucco images of Hindu gods, saints, and figures from myths. Panels on each level often show stories from legends. The four gopurams on the outer walls alone depict nearly 4,000 mythological stories!

The gopurams feature beautiful paintings and sculptures.

The tallest gopuram is the southern tower, built in the late 16th century, standing about 170 feet (52 meters) high. This tower is famous for its detailed artwork, with over 1,500 mythological characters telling stories from Hindu texts. The oldest gopuram is the eastern tower, built in the early 13th century. Many of these gopurams were damaged in the 14th century and later rebuilt.

The Nayaka gopuram and Palahai gopuram, built in the early 16th century, have similar styles, suggesting they were built by the same artists. The five-story Kadaka Gopuram is in Meenakshi's shrine and was renovated in the early 1960s. The Mottai gopuram (meaning "bald" gateway) was started in the 16th century but wasn't finished until the 19th century. It has fewer stucco images, which gives it its unique name.

Sacred Shrines

The gold-covered roof (vimana) of the main shrine for Meenakshi.

The separate shrines for Meenakshi and Sundareswarar are in the inner part of the temple and face east. The Meenakshi shrine is more centrally located and to the right of the Sundareswarar shrine. This central position shows that the goddess is the main deity of the temple. The main room (garbagriha) has a green stone statue of Meenakshi standing with her legs slightly bent. Her right hand holds a lotus with a green parrot on it, and her left hand hangs down. The parrot is a special feature of her statue. A metal copy of Meenakshi is also kept in the temple for festival parades.

The Sundareswarar shrine, located north of the Meenakshi shrine, is the largest in the complex. Its entrance lines up with the eastern gopuram. Inside, there is a lingam (a symbol of Shiva) shaded by a stone cobra. In the northeast corner, there is a stone image of his wife, Meenakshi. During festivals, Sundareswarar is represented by a human-like statue called Somaskandar. Every evening, a pair of metal footprints, representing Shiva, are carried to Meenakshi's chamber so the divine couple can symbolically spend the night together. In the morning, priests perform a ceremony to wake them up, and the footprints are carried back to Shiva's shrine.

Outside the Sundareswarar shrine, there is a large sculpture of Vinayakar carved from a single stone. This deity is called Mukkuruni Vinayakar because a large amount of rice (three kurini) is shaped into a ball and offered to him. The temple also has other shrines dedicated to Murugan, Perumal (Vishnu), Kali, and other Hindu gods in the outer areas.

The Golden Lotus Pond

Potramarai Kulam (Golden lotus pond).

The sacred temple pond is called Porthamarai Kulam, which means "Golden lotus pond." It's also known by other names like Adhi Theertham. The pool is about 165 feet (50 meters) long and 120 feet (37 meters) wide, with a gold-covered lotus image in the middle.

The walls around the pool were painted with beautiful pictures in the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, only a small part of these paintings remains on the western side. These paintings, with their red background and delicate black lines, show the wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar.

Grand Halls: The Mandapas

The temple complex has many halls, or mandapas, built by kings and other supporters over hundreds of years. They are used to display sculptures and as resting places for pilgrims.

The Ayiram Kaal Mandapa (thousand-pillared hall) has 985 carved pillars.

The Ayiram Kaal Mandapa (thousand-pillared hall) has 985 beautifully carved pillars. At the entrance of this hall is a statue of Ariyanatha Mudaliar, who supervised its construction, seated on a horse. The pillars in the hall feature many sculptures of figures from Hindu mythology. Two rows of pillars are carved with images of Yali, a mythical creature. This hall also houses an art museum with various statues, photos, and drawings about the temple. Outside the hall, to the west, are "musical pillars" that make a musical note when tapped.

The hundred-pillared Mandapa Nayaka mandapa is in the northeastern part of the second area and holds a statue of Nataraja. This Nataraja statue is unique because Shiva is shown dancing with his right leg raised, instead of the usual left leg. The six-pillared Unjal Mandapa (swing mandapa) is on the western side of the golden lotus pond. It has a three-story gateway and is guarded by two Dvarapala statues. This hall houses granite panels of the divine couple and a model of the entire temple complex. Every Friday evening, statues of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar are placed on a swing in this mandapa. The Kambathadi Mandapa has detailed sculptures of eight forms of Shiva. It also features a statue of a seated Nandi (Shiva's bull) and a sculpture of Meenakshi's wedding. Other sculptures include Shiva and Kali in a dance competition, a golden flagstaff, and Durga.

The Pudu Mandapa, located outside the east gate of the Meenakshi temple.

The Ashta Shakthi Mandapa (hall of eight goddesses) is near the east gopuram. It's named after the eight forms of goddess Shakti carved on its pillars. Other sculptures and paintings here show stories from Shiva's holy games and characters from the Mahabharata. This hall also has four sculptures of Shiva scholars and a statue of Mahatma Gandhi added in 1923. The Kilikoondu Mandapa (parrot cage) is near the Meenakshi shrine. In the past, it was used to keep parrots. Today, it's used for the kolattam dance, where dancers use sticks and form chains with ropes hanging from the ceiling. This gave it the name Sangili Mandapa, meaning "chain hall." It also has sculptures of Mahabharata characters and a yali sculpture with a freely rotating stone ball in its mouth. The Vasantha Mandapa (or Pudu Mandapa) is outside the main temple complex, in front of the eastern gopura. It has 124 pillars with sculptures showing Meenakshi's wedding and images of Hindu gods. The Golu Mandapa is used during the Navaratri festival each year. During this time, Goddess Meenakshi is decorated in nine different forms over nine days.

The smaller halls in the temple are used as resting places for visitors.

The Vira Vasantha Mandapa has a large Nandi statue facing the Sundareswarar shrine. South of this hall is the Kalyana Mandapa (wedding hall), where the marriage of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar is celebrated every year. The Nagara Mandapa (hall of beating drums) is opposite the Sundareswarar shrine. Other halls include the Urchava Nayanar Mandapa, Dvarapala Mandapa, Iruttu Mandapa (a long hall with sculptures of Shiva as Bhikshatana), and the Mangayarkarasi Mandapa.

Worship and Practices

A Rath yatra (chariot procession) during a festival.

Priests perform many special ceremonies called pujas every day and during festivals. Temple staff also help with daily rituals, like moving the statue of Sundareswarar between chambers. The temple holds six pujas daily, each with four parts: abhisheka (sacred bath), alankaram (decoration), naivedanam (food offerings, which are always vegetarian), and deepa aradanai (lamp ceremony) for both Meenakshi and Sundareswarar. These rituals and festivals include music from instruments like the nadhaswaram and tavil, often with chanting of the Vedas. People walk around the shrines clockwise before entering for a darshana (sacred viewing). Visitors usually go to the Meenakshi shrine before the Sundareswarar shrine, as she is considered the main deity.

During festivals, a special temple car (ratha) is taken in a parade through the streets around the temple. It carries metal statues of the gods made just for this purpose. The temple car is decorated with colorful clothes and flowers, and volunteers pull it around the temple complex. These parades show Meenakshi's role as a ruler and her presence among the people. They also reflect old cultural values where the goddess is highly respected.

Exciting Festivals

Meenakshi temple illuminated during the Navaratri festival.

The Meenakshi temple celebrates a festival every month of the Tamil calendar. The Meenakshi Tirukalyanam, which celebrates the wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar, is the most popular festival. It lasts for 15 days. This festival, held in the month of Chithirai, is part of the Chithirai Thiruvizha. The celebrations include events like the Ther Thiruvizha (temple car festival) and Theppa Thiruvizha (float festival). The divine wedding is seen as a special South Indian wedding, where Vishnu gives his sister Meenakshi to Shiva in marriage. A grand procession follows, with the statues of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar carried in a temple car pulled by devotees.

In most Shakti temples in Tamil Nadu, Fridays during the Tamil months of Aadi (July–August) and Thai (January–February) are considered very lucky days. The Avani Moola Utsavam, celebrated in Avani, is a 10-day festival for Sundareswarar. It celebrates his many Thiruvilayadal (sacred games). Navaratri is celebrated in the month of Purattasi. During this festival, the temple complex lights up at night with colorful lights, and special displays called golu are set up in the Golu Mandapa. These displays, showing scenes from Hindu myths, are very popular with children and attract many visitors. Other festivals include the Vasantham festival in Vaikasi, Unjal Festival in Aani, Mulai-Kottu festival in Aadi, Kolattam festival in Aipasi and Karthigai, Thiruvathira in Margazhi, Thai Utsavam in Thai, Masi Utsavam in Masi, and Vasantha Utsavam in Panguni.