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THE AXES OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH AND THE EAST AND
WEST GOPURAS INTERSECT AT THE PLACE WERE THE
SHRINE OF THE PRINCIPAL DEITY IS LOCATED
A BRIEF HISTORY…
The Sri Meenakshi Sundareswara temple and Madurai city originated together.
According to tradition, Indra once committed a sin when he killed a demon, who was then performing
penance
While passing through a forest of Kadamba trees in Pandya land, he felt relieved of his burden
.
He was told that there was a Shivalinga under a Kadamba tree and beside a lake.
Certain that it was the Linga that had helped him; he worshipped it and built a small temple around it.
It is believed that it is this Linga, which is still under worship in the Madurai temple.
The shrine is called the "Indra Vimana".
THE MUDALI PILLAI MANDAPA FOLLOWS THE CHITRA GOPURA.ADDED IN 1613 IT IS 183M LONG AND 7-6M
WIDE
ON ITS WALLS ARE MANY PURANIC SCENES.IT USED TO BE WITHOUT ANY NATURAL LIGHT BUT WINDOWS
WERE ADDED IN THE LAST RENOVATION.
PASSING THRU THE MUDALI MANDAPA YOU COME TO THE POTRAMARAIKULAM OR THE GOLDEN LOTUS TANK
THE GOLDEN LOTUS TANK
THIS TANK IS 165 FEET LONG AND 120 FEET WIDE.THERE ARE STONE
STEPS ON ALL FOUR SIDES.THE NORTHERN CORRIDOR LEADS DIRECTLY
TO THE SHRINE OF THE GODDESS.
THE CORRIDORS AROUND THE TANK ARE RIGHTLY CALLED THE CHITRA
MANDAPA,FOR THE WALLS CARRY PAINTINGS OF THE DIVINE SPORTS
OF THE LORD.
THE OONJAL AND KILLIKATTI MANDAPAS
THESE MANDAPAS ARE ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE GOLDEN LOTUS TANK.
TO THE WEST OF THE KILLIKATTI MANDAPA THERE IS A THREE TIERED GOPURA
THRU WHICH YOU CAN ENTER THE MEENAKSHI SHRINE
SUNDARESHWARA SHRINE
OVER THE ENTRANCE INTO THE SHRINE STANDS A
GOPURA OF FIVE STORIES.
FLANKING THE ENTRANCE ARE HUGE
DWARPALIKAS.
PUDHUMANDAPA
WESTERN GOPURA
BUILT BY THE PANDYAS.
48M HIGH RESTING ON A BASE THAT IS 31M X14M.
HAS NINE TIERS
SOUTHERN GOPURA
MOST ARTISTIC OF THE FOUR ALSO THE TALLEST
MEASURING 49M IN HEIGHT.UNLIKE THE OTHERS IT
IS A CURVILINEAR GOPURA
NORTHERN GOPURA