The Meenakshi Temple is one of the most sacred of Hindu devotees, located in the Southern part of India. The Meenakshi Temple is an important pilgrimage for the devotees of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parwati.
Meenakshi Temple has an interesting history and amazing architecture which makes you fall for the temple. Every year millions of devotees visit this beautiful holy temple to get the blessings of their cherished God, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parwati.
The Meenakshi Temple has many tourist places for Indian and foreign tourists. This article will discuss the history, timing, Significance, and how to reach the Meenakshi Temple.
Significance of Meenakshi Temple
The Meenakshi Temple is a very holy temple for Hindus. Every year millions of Hindu and non-Hindu devotees come to visit this temple from all over the world.
The Meenakshi Temple is dedicated to Meenakshi Amman who is one of the forms of Goddess Parvati and to Sundareshwara who is one of the forms of Lord Shiva. The Word Meenakshi is made with two words “Meena” And “Akshi”.
Where “Meena “ means fish and “Akshi” means eyes, which means fish-eyed. Earlier, people called it by the Tamil name “Tadadkai” and later named it Meenakshi Devi. The world recognizes the temple for its beautiful architecture and history.
History of Meenakshi Temple:
Meenakshi Temple is one of the oldest and most beautiful temples in India. The temple was constructed by the Pandyan emperor, Kulasekara Pandya, in the 6th century.
According to some historians, King Kulasekera and his wife were childless for a long time, then he prayed to Lord Shiva to fulfil his desire to have a child. Then Lord Shiva blessed him with a daughter who was said to be the deity of Goddess Parvati.
The daughter of the king was named Meenakshi. She was renowned for her beauty and intelligence. At the age of 21, she was entrusted with the entire empire. She began to administer justice and contribute to the growth of the empire through her wisdom.
Later she met Sundareswara, one of the forms of Lord Shiva, and fell in love. Then they got married in a grand ceremony which was attended by many Gods and Goddesses to be the witness of holy marriage.
The Meenakshi Temple was built to celebrate their marriage and to honour Goddess Meenakshi.
And later worshipped by local people as Goddess Meenakshi was their ruler and protector.
Where is Meenakshi Temple?
The Meenakshi Temple is situated in the southern part of India. The temple has significance for the people of the southern region. The Meenakshi Temple is located on the bank of the Vaigai River in the historical city of Madurai.
Madurai City is called the Muthura of Southern India due to the many temples and pilgrim spots in the city. The Madurai City is fully covered with greenery and a pleasing environment, also the whole surrounding of the temple is covered with greenery and blossom.
This is because of the Kadambavanamṣ forest which is spread widely. The exact location of Meenakshi Temple is Madurai Main, Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
Architecture Of Meenakshi Temple:
The Meenakshi Temple Madurai is a mesmerizing piece of architecture. The beautiful architecture of the temple is designed in Dravidian style. The Meenakshi Temple has four gathering towers called Gopurams.
When the city was destroyed in the 14th Century, the King of Vishwanath Nayaka rebuilt it on the principle of Slip Shastra. The temple area is spread over about 14 acres of land. There is also a scaredGolden Lotus pool for the pilgrim to bathe
The temple features two distinct shrines: one dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi and the other to Lord Shiva. The shrine, walls, and pillars of the temple are richly decorated with intricate carvings that depict various gods and goddesses involved in a range of activities.
The temple has several Mandaps, some important Mandaps are Ayyirakal Mandapam, Kilikoondu Mandapam, Astha Shakti Mandapam, and Nayaka Mandapam. The Mandapas pillars are carved with the painting of God and divine animals.
People generally used the Mandaps for religious rituals, dancing, and musical events. These activities allowed the audience to interact with the King. The Mandaps have direct entry to the Garbhagriha.
Festivals Celebrations In Meenakshi Temple:
The Meenakshi Temple celebrates almost all Hindu festivals, including Holi, Diwali, Shivratri, and Navratri. The main festival at the temple is Chithirai, also known as Meenakshi ThiruKalyanam.
The Chithirai festival occurs once a year and is celebrated with great pomp and grandeur by the Tamil Hindu community in the temple city of Madurai. The Chithirai festival celebration is a 12-day program.
The festival lasts 12 days and celebrates the wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar. This 12-day festival is organised for the wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar.
The Chithirai festival starts with the flag hoisting on the Meenakshi Temple on the first day.
On the eighth day of the festival, there is a coronation of Goddess Meenakshi. The next day, the priests take the idols of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareshwara out of the Garbhagriha.
On the tenth day, the wedding ceremony, or Thirukalyanam, of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar is performed. On the 12th day, the Idols of both Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareshwara go through the whole city as Rath Yatra.
Timing of Meenakshi Temple:
The Menakshi Temple is always open for a true devotee of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Shiva. However, the temple has a different schedule for Pooja, Arti, and other rituals. The temple is mostly open for all seven days of the week.
The Meenakshi Temple’s Darshan timing is from morning 5 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 9:30 pm night.
The temple may alter its Darshan timings during special occasions or festivals. It’s a good idea to check the timing with the temple officials before you leave home. The Temple entry is free but sometimes during heavy rush on any special day, The temple entrance can charge you 50 rs per head and 100- 200 for special darshan. For foreigners, the cost is 50 on normal days and 250 to 300 on special days.
Best time to visit Meenakshi Temple:
There is nothing like the best time to visit Menakshi Temple, a true devotee of Goddess Menakshi can visit the temple anytime or any season to get the blessing of Meenakshi Devi and Lord Shiva.
We recommend visiting the temple between October and March because the weather and temperature are moderate during this period. The climate during this is so pleasing and mesmerizing that will add a charm and make your visit to the temple remarkable.
How to reach Meenakshi Temple?
The Menakshi temple is located in the Southern area of India which is quite convenient for the People southern region and a little harder for the people in the northern region.
Here is the guide for you to reach Menakshi Temple:
- By Air: Madurai city has an airport that is connected to many major cities in India. After reaching the Madurai Airport you can hire a taxi or can go with a local bus direct to the Menakshi Temple.
- By Train: The Madurai Junction is connected to many small and big cities from north to south. If you love to travel by train it can be a great option. After reaching the Madurai Junction you can hire a taxi or cab to reach the Meenakshi Temple.
- By Road: If you are living in the Northern region of India, it is easy for you to locate a bus to Madurai to reach the temple. For Northern devotees, there are fewer buses to the destination due to the large distance but you can join any pilgrim touring bus to reach Madurai indirectly.
Nearby Attraction Of Meenakshi Temple:
People call Madurai city the Mathura of South India due to its many sacred temples and pilgrim spots. The city has many locations for devotees to visit after having the darshan of Goddess Menakshi temple. You can also visit the following places in the Madurai city:
The Gandhi Museum is a historical museum that was built in 1670 AD. The Museum has a visual Biography of Mahatma Gandhi.
- Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace: Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace is a historical building built in 1636 AD by the Ruler of Thirumalai. The Architecture of the palace has a fusion of both Islamic and Dravidian styles.
- Samanar Hill: Samanar Hill is a beautiful hill that has scripture and illustrations of Jain Monks. There are also a few caves in Samanar Hill.
- The Koodal Azhagar Temple honours Lord Vishnu. This Temple is one of the 108 holy temples of Lord Vishnu.
Conclusion:
The Meenakshi temple is one of the most sacred temples of the South Indian region. The temple holds great significance for the devotees of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva, who worship them in the forms of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareshwarar at the Menakshi Temple.
The Menakshi temple has an interesting history that deepens our devotion to Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar. The temple architecture is so mesmerizing that it makes you wonder how one could build such great and architecturally difficult buildings in ancient times.
The Menakshi Temple celebrates the Chithirai festival as its most important festival, which lasts for 12 consecutive days.
We have mentioned everything related to the Meenakshi temple in Madurai like its history, architecture, festival, timing, best time to visit, how to reach, and nearby attractions to the Meenakshi temple.
Hope this article helps you regarding the Menakshi Temple in Madurai. If You want to book a skilled pandit for any Hindu rituals or Pooja, you can easily book it from 99panditji.
Frequently Asked Questions
Goddess Parwati as Meenakshi and Lord Shiva as Sundareswarar are worshiped in the Meenakshi Temple.
The Meenakshi Temple is situated in Madurai city, Tamil Nadu, India.
The main festival of Meenakshi temple is the Chithirai festival which is celebrated annually in Madurai city. The temple timing may change according to any special occasion or celebration.
The Darshan timing of Meenakshi Temple is from 5:00 am to noon and 4:00 pm to 9:30 pm in the night.
The best time to visit Meenakshi temple is from October to March as the weather conditions are favorable during these months.
The main attractions near the Meenakshi Temple are the Gandhi Museum, Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace, Samanar Hill, and Koodal Azhagar Temple.
The Meenakshi Temple was built by the Pandayan emperor, Kulasekera Pandya in the 6th century.