Tamil Nadu Temples

Kumari Amman temple is 3000 years old and is for Devi Kanyakumari. She is the virgin goddess who stands strong protecting her devotees. She is “Devi” or “Bhagavathy” that refers to “Durga” or “Parvati”. Devotees also worship Devi as Bhadrakali.  The temple is on the seashore of Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.

According to popular beliefs, the Goddess removes the rigidity of our mind. Devotees actually feel the emotions in their mind when they pray to the goddess in devotion and contemplation.

What is the history of Kumari Amman Temple?

According to history, worship of Devi goes back to Vedic times and monotheism to Advaita times. Devi Kanyakumari finds mention in Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Sangam work Manimekalai. Devi Kanyakumari has a mysterious story that once Banusura, the demon king got power over Devas and gave cruel punishment to them.

The Devas performed a Yagna seaking to punish and remove the evils.  So Devi Parasakthi came to Kumari in the form of a virgin girl and began her penance. Meanwhile Lord Shiva fell in love with her and made arrangements for the marriage in the midnight on a particular day.

Now the Narada realised that their marriage would destroy the chances of castrating Banusura because only a virgin could kill him. When Lord Shiva was on his way to Kanyakumari, Sage Narada assumed the form of a cock and crowed falsely heralding the break of dawn. Thinking that the auspicious time for the marriage was past, Lord Shiva returned disappointed. The Goddess too decided to remain virgin after that. Then, when Banusura attempted to win the Goddess by force, she killed him with her Chakragudha, and relieved the sufferings of Devas. Then she resumed her penance and remained virgin.

What is the significance of Kumari Amman Temple?

Significance of Kumari Amman Temple is that it is one of the 51 Shaktipeethams – or divine abode of Goddess Shakti. One of the hundred and eight “Durga Alayas”, this Temple is for  Goddess Durga. Swami Vivekananda visited this Temple in December 1892, as told by Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

The nose ring of Devi Kanyakumari is designed with rubies. They are so bright that it could be seen even from the far at night.

It is said that some ships sailing in the sea, mistook the brightness of the rubies as the light from the Lighthouse and got wrecked, hitting against the rocks nearby. Due to this reason, the eastern side gate of the Kumari Amman Temple is kept closed.

The eastern door of the Temple is opened on new moon days in the months of Edavam, Karkkidakam (Capricorn and Cancer), during Navaratri and in the month of Vrischikam.

Walking around the outer corridor and crossing the Navaratri Mandapam, the pathway leads to the second corridor encircling the shrine. At the entrance here, is the Kala Bhairava Shrine and the well “Patal Ganga Teerth” which provides water for the Devi’s Abhisegham. After this is the Dhwajastambha (flag mast).

What are the Timings of Kumari Amman Temple?

Here are the timings of Kumari Amman Temple: 

Timings	From	To
Morning Darshan	6:00 a.m.	12:30 p.m
Evening Darshan	4:00 p.m.	8:00 p.m.

Which festivals are celebrated at Kumari Amman Temple?

Some of the festivals celebrated at Kumari Amman Temple are:

• The Chaitry Purnima Festival occurs on the Full moon day in May.
• The Navarathri festival occurs in the month of September–October. On the 10th day of the Navarathri, the Vijaya Dasami, devotees celebrate the destruction of Banasura.
• The Vaisakha festival which is a 10 day festival in the Tamil Month of Vaikasi (May–June). Devotees take the image of the Devi around the town in procession, both in the morning and evening.
• The Kalabham festival is celebrated in the Tamil month of Aadi (Karkkidakam) that is in July – August. The priest covers the idold with Sandal paste on the last Friday of the Tamil month (Aadi).

How to reach Kumari Amman Temple?

Here’s how to reach Kumar Amman Temple:

• Road: visitors can reach the temple by taking taxis and auto-rickshaws . City buses also are regularly accessible. The temple is 1km away from Kanyakumari bus stop.
• Rail: the temple is 1km away from the rail station.
• Air: the temple also connects well to Chennai, Madurai, and Thiruvanathapuram.

Where to stay near Kumari Amman Temple?

Some of the places where one can stay near Kumari Amman Temple are:

• Hotel Sangam is at Beach road, provides guests with a peaceful retreat that feels like a home away from home.
• Singaar International Hotel at Main road, Kanyakumari is famous for it’s multi cuisine restaurant and well suited rooms.
• Hotel Shivas Residency located 1 km away from the Kanyakumari Rail station is a good place to relax and enjoy the locale around.

What are some temples near Kumari Amman Temple?

Some temples near Kumari Amman Temple are:

• You should definitely visit the Olakaruvi Falls once you have visited the temple. It has magnificent beauty and its surroundings are splendid to look at.
• The Lord Subhramanya Temple is 34 km away from Kanyakumari and is for Lord Murugan who is the God of warfare and victory.
• The Thanumaayan Temple is another temple famous for its architectural splendour. It is a 17th century Hindu shrine in the Suchindrum town of Kanyakumari. It is also famous as the Suchindrum Temple and Sthanumalayan Temple.

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Madurai Meenakshi Temple is located on the banks of the legendary River Vaigai in Tamil Nadu. The presiding deity of the Temple is Goddess Meenakshi (Goddess Parvati) and her consort Lord Sundareshwara (Lord Shiva). Initially, Lord Sundareshwara was worshiped as the primary deity. However, in time, the importance shifted to worshiping Meenakshi as the primary deity.

Such is the love and devotion of people towards the Goddess that no one who visits the city even thinks about leaving it without seeking her blessings.

Madurai Meenakshi Temple Facts-

Deity	Goddess Meenakshi (Goddess Parvati)
Location	Madurai City, Tamil Nadu
Darshan Timings	5:00 AM to 12:30 PM || 4:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Entry Fee	General Darshan: Free.
Significance	One of the oldest and the largest temples of India
Architecture	Dravidian style
Dress Code	Traditional wear
Best Time to Visit	September to February
Photography	Not Allowed
Parking	Free
Festivals	Avanimoola festival, Masi Mandala festival, Chitra festival, Navarathri cultural festival and Float festival

Madurai Meenakshi Temple Timings

Darshan Schedule	Timings
Morning Timings	5:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Evening Timings	4:00 PM to 9:30 PM

• The devotees can choose to have a free darshan or a paid darshan depending on the crowd. Special darshan tickets are available at Rupees Fifty and Rupees Hundred.
• Persons with disabilities and their one companion will be allowed to have darshan through a special entrance.

Timings of Daily Poojas and Rituals of Madurai Meenakshi Temple

Poojas and Rituals	Timings
Thiruvanandal Pooja	05:00 AM – 06:00 AM
Vizha Pooja	06:30 AM – 07: 15 AM
Kalasandhi Pooja	06:30 AM – 07: 15 AM
Thrikalasandhi Pooja	10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
Uchikkala Pooja (Noon Pooja)	10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
Maalai Pooja	04:30 PM – 05:15 PM
Ardhajama Pooja (Night Pooja)	07:30 PM – 08:15 PM
Palliarai Pooja	09:30 PM – 10:00 PM

Details of different Poojas and Rituals of Madurai Meenakshi Temple

• The daily ritual of worship includes Pooja eight times a day. Each Pooja consists of Abhishekam of the deities, Alangaram (decoration with ornaments), Naivedyam (offering of food) and Deepa Aradanai (Aarti with lamps).
• Thiruvanandal Pooja – This is the first Pooja of the day and begins at 5 AM. The deities are bathed as per ritual and then dressed up in decorative ornaments. The morning Aarti is performed.
• Vizha Pooja and the Kalasandhi Pooja – These Poojas comprising of Abhishekam and Aarti takes place between 6:30 AM to 7:15 AM.
• Thrikalasandhi Pooja and the Uchikkala Pooja – These Poojas begin at 10:30 AM and continue till 11:15 AM.
• Maalai Pooja (Evening Aarti) – This ritual can be observed between 4:30 PM till 5:15 PM.
• Ardhajama Pooja – The night Aarti takes place at 7:30 PM and the Naivedyam ends at 8:15 PM.
• Palliarai Pooja – The last Pooja of the day starts at 9:15 PM. This is a special Pooja where the idol of Lord Shiva is taken around in a palanquin to the sanctum of Goddess Meenakshi and both are put to rest for the day.
• Annadanam – The Madurai Meenakshi Temple authorities allow Annadanam to be conducted on request of the devotees at the rate of Rupees Four Thousand per two hundred persons.

Madurai Meenakshi  Temple Dress Code

Men and women with exposed shoulders and legs are not allowed to enter the Madurai Meenakshi Temple premises. The main sanctums of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareshwara are open to only Hindus. However, visitors can view the Mandapams and the other architectural features of the Temple.

Significance of Madurai Meenakshi Temple

The idol of Shri Meenakshi Amman is made of greenish-black stone. The Linga of Lord Sundareshwara is believed to be one of the 68 Swayambhu Lingas worshiped in India. The Swayambhu Lingas are believed to be the representations of Lord Shiva. The Linga is supported by 64 Bhootaganas, 32 Lions, and 8 Elephants.

The Madurai Meenakshi Temple is one of the Pancha Sabhai Sthalangal of Lord Nataraja, a form of Lord Shiva. Lord Nataraja is referred to as the form of Lord Shiva when he performs the different forms of Cosmic Dance. These five Sthalas or places represent the different forms of cosmic dance performed by Lord Nataraja.

• They are symbolized in sculptures depicting the respective postures and made out of precious elements. The sculpture of Lord Nataraja worshiped at the Madurai Meenakshi Temple is called “Velli Ambalam Natarajar” and it is made of “Velli” meaning “Silver”.
• The uniqueness of this representation is that Lord Nataraja is shown with his right leg raised instead of the usual left leg as represented in the other depictions.
• The name Meenakshi can be split into “Meen” meaning Fish and “Akshi” meaning Eyes, thus giving the meaning as the “Lady with the Eyes of a Fish”.
• The other four Temples with such unique sculptures are located in Chidambaram (Gold), Thiruvalangadu (Emerald), Tirunelveli (Copper) and Coutrallam (Art).
• The Porthamarai Kulam, meaning the “Pond with the Golden Lotus” is the name given to the sacred Madurai Meenakshi Temple Tank. It is also called as Adi Theertham, Shiva Ganga, Utthama Theertham, Gnana Theertham, and Mukthi Theertham.
• It was believed in ancient times that the worthiness of any new literature can be judged by placing the book on the surface of the tank. The poor quality literature would sink while the scholastic ones would remain afloat.
• Madurai Meenakshi Temple forms a part of the new top 30 wonders of the World and was a nominee for the “New Seven Wonders of the World”.
• A huge Ganapathi idol is worshiped just outside the sanctum of Goddess Meenakshi. This idol is supposed to be at least 1500 years ago.
• As one comes out of the sanctum of Goddess Meenakshi, one must look up to the ceiling to see a recently painted 3-Dimensional image of Lord Shiva’s Linga.

Madurai Meenakshi Temple History

The present structure of the Madurai Meenakshi Temple Complex was built by the Nayakars of Madurai, especially during the reign of King Thirumalai Nayakar in the 15th century. The original Madurai Meenakshi Temple is believed to have been constructed sometime during the late 6th to an early 7th century by the Pandya King Kulashekhara.

• This is evident by the works of the Tamil Saint Thirugnanasambandar who has sung praises of the deity and the Madurai Meenakshi Temple in his work that dates back to the seventh century.

In the 14th century, there arose an internal disharmony over the succession to the throne after the downfall of the Pandyas dynasty. Taking advantage of the dispute, Ala-ud-din Khilji of the Delhi Sultanate sent his general Malik Kafur in 1310 to invade Madurai.

When he reached Madurai, he pulled down the Temple towers and destroyed several sculptures and historical records. However, the main shrine of Meenakshi Amman and Sundareshwara were left intact. This incident led to the beginning of the spread of Islam in southern India, especially in Tamil Nadu.

The Madurai Meenakshi Temple was then expanded into its current state under the reign of Thirumalai Nayak during 1623 – 1655.

• He was responsible for the construction of several mandapams inside the Madurai Meenakshi Temple complex, especially the Vasantha Mandapam and the Kilikoondu Mandapam (Corridor of Parrots).

• The corridors of the pristine Madurai Meenakshi Temple tank, as well as the Meenakshi Nayakar Mandapam, were built by the famous and brave Rani Mangammal, one of the very few Women rulers of Ancient India.

Madurai Meenakshi Temple Legends

According to the legends, the Pandyan King Malayadhwaja, and his queen Kanchanamala were childless and performed “Putra Kameshti Yagna” for a child. Lord Shiva was appeased and requested Goddess Parvati to be born to them. She obliged and arose from the sacrificial fire as a little girl with three breasts.

The king was worried but was assured by the Lord that the third breast will disappear once she meets her match. The girl was named Taadanthagai and was brought up as a princess. At the time of her coronation, she waged war against the three holy kingdoms of Sathyaloka (Brahma’s abode), Vaikunta (Vishnu’s abode) and Amravati (Devas’s abode).

After defeating them all, when she reached Kailash to defeat Lord Shiva, she stopped as she realized that Lord Shiva was her divine companion. Her third breast disappeared at the spot. She realized that she was the avatar of Goddess Parvati. It was decided that they will marry and rule the city of Madurai together.

On the day of the marriage, Lord Shiva came to the wedding ceremony without anyone accompanying him except a dwarf named Gundodara. Meenakshi was surprised and haughtily remarked that all the wedding arrangements will be wasted as there were not many attendees on behalf of the bridegroom.

Lord Shiva challenged them to fulfill the needs of the dwarf. The king fed the dwarf everything from the wedding kitchen as well as every dish prepared in the city that day, but the dwarf could not be satisfied. When there was nothing else left to eat, he demanded water to quench his thirst. The city’s water supply was exhausted.

• Goddess Annapoorneshwari recommended that only Ganga would satisfy his thirst. Lord Shiva summoned River Ganga to flow and directed the river to flow through the city. The river was eventually named as Vaigai.

The marriage was a divine occurrence and was attended by all the Gods and the Goddesses. Lord Vishnu was supposed to attend the event but was delayed by Indra. Angered, he left to Alagar Kovil but was eventually convinced by Lord Shiva. The event is described as Alagar Thiruvila and is still celebrated.

• After the marriage, both Lord Shiva and Goddess Meenakshi ruled Madurai for a period of time before returning to Kailash.

As per another legend, a Lotus-shaped city was built by the Pandyan King Kulasekhara around the Shiva Linga (Sundareshwara) worshiped by Lord Indra. It is believed that Lord Shiva was impressed by his devotion and blessed him.

• During the blessing, nectar dripped from his locks of hair and fell on the Earth. As a result, the city came to be known as Madhurapuri, Madhu meaning Honey. With the passage of time, the name became Madurai.

Madurai Meenakshi Temple Architecture

Madurai Meenakshi Temple is one of the epitomes of the Dravidian style of architecture. Madurai Meenakshi Temple is considered as the city center of the 2500-year-old ancient city. Ancient records show that the Madurai Meenakshi Temple was the center of the city from which the streets arose and spread in all directions. 

• The Madurai Meenakshi Temple has been glorified in the revered Tevaram, a 7th-century work by the three Saivite Nayanars, Appar, Sundarar, and Thirugnanasambandar.

A unique fact that can be observed about the placement of shrines is that the shrine of Lord Sundareshwara is exactly one-fourth of the total area of the Madurai Meenakshi Temple. The shrine of Goddess Meenakshi is exactly one-fourth of the area of Lord Sundareshwara’s shrine. This might indicate that in the earlier times, Lord Shiva was given ritualistic importance over Goddess Meenakshi.

Madurai Meenakshi Temple Temple has four main entrances, one in each cardinal direction. The four Gopurams of each of the main entrances are intricately carved depiction sculptures of several Gods and Goddesses, holy animals and even demons.

• The tallest Gopuram among them is the South Tower (built-in 1559)at a height of 170 feet (52 m).
• The oldest among them is the East tower built-in 1238. The shrines of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareshwara are covered on top by a golden Vimanam or a Shikhara.
• The ceilings of the inner corridors are colorfully painted and provide a beautiful visual experience. It is estimated that around 33,000 exquisite sculptures are found in the Madurai Meenakshi Temple complex.
• Goddess Meenakshi can be distinctly identified because she is always represented as a graceful lady wearing a green saree holding a Parrot in her right hand.

Festivals celebrated at Madurai Meenakshi Temple

Chitthirai Brahmotsavam or Arulmigu Thirukalyanam – The grand festival of the wedding between Lord Sundareshwara and Goddess Meenakshi is celebrated for a period of 12 days in the month of Chitthirai (April).

• The festival begins with the flag hoisting on the Dhwajasthamba as an invitation to all the Gods and Goddesses to attend the celebrations.
• The Pattabhishekam (Coronation) of Goddess Meenakshi takes place on the 8th day of the festival.
• The Dikvijayam procession begins on the 9th day signifying the victories of the Goddess until she reached Kailash.
• The tenth day is celebrated as the Meenakshi Thirukalyanam. Thousands of pilgrims gather at the temple premises to witness the divine moment.
• The Ther or the Rath Yatra of the deities begins on the next day. The gigantic and decorated chariots are pulled by thousands of ardent devotees and taken around the streets of the temple.
• Lord Alagar is also worshiped on the banks of the Vaigai river where he halted to bestow gifts to the deities.

Aavani festival – The important festival is celebrated for 18 days during the month of Aavani (August). This marks the event of the coronation of Lord Sundareshwara as the King of Madurai.

• The first six days of the festival are dedicated to Lord Chandrashekhar.
• The coronation takes place on the seventh day.
• The ritual of Tirupparakundram Subramanya and Thiruvadhavur Manickavasaka Perumal bidding farewell takes place on a ninth day.

Navarathri – The festival dedicated to Goddess Amman is celebrated in a grand manner for ten days. The idol of the Amman deity is decorated in a different manner on all the nine days and her blessings are sought by thousands of pilgrims.

• The “Kolu” is arranged in the “Kolu Mandapam”. Kolu is the unique way of celebrating Navarathri, especially in Tamil Nadu in which several idols of the Gods, Goddesses, and their creations are kept in several steps and worshiped.
• Kalpa Pooja and Laksharchana are performed for the Goddess every day. The Madurai Meenakshi Temple premises are lit with lamps throughout. Several cultural festivals are held in the temple premises.

Teppotsavam – The float festival is annually held in the city during the Tamil month of “Thai” which happens in January. The idols of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareshwara are taken around in a grand procession in the waters of the famous Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam.

• On this special day, the idols are taken to the banks of the Teppakulam and kept on the Mandap near its banks. The devotee’s queue in miles to have a darshan.
• The idols are then kept on a raft and pulled by hundreds of men and women, who pull the raft amidst cheers to the deities.
• The Gopurams of the temples are lit up in the evening followed by the fireworks display which marks the end of the day’s proceedings.
• The idols of the deities are then taken back to the Madurai Meenakshi Temple with great enthusiasm.

Some of the other major festivals celebrated at the Madurai Meenakshi Temple are the Maasi Mandala festival in February, Kanda Shashti in November, Deepavali, Oonjal festival, Aadi Moolaikottu festival, Vasanthotsavam, Arudhra Darshanam, Thiruvenbavai, and Thiruppavai festival.

How to reach Madurai Meenakshi Temple

• By Air – The nearest airport is the Madurai International Airport. The city is well serviced by flights connecting major cities like Chennai, New Delhi, Mumbai, Tiruchirapalli, Coimbatore, and Bengaluru. The airport also connects flights internationally to cities like Dubai, Singapore, and Colombo.
• By Train – The Madurai Junction is well connected to several important cities in India like Chennai, Trivandrum, Cochin, New Delhi, Mumbai, Patna, Kolkata, Bhopal, Bengaluru, Goa and many more. Several trains connect Madurai internally to other major towns like Tiruchi, Kanyakumari, Nagercoil, Tuticorin, Karaikudi, Rameswaram, Tirunelveli, Tanjore and Coimbatore.
• By Road – The city is well connected to all major cities in Tamil Nadu as well as the neighboring states. Several private bus operators also operate regular buses to the holy city until late midnight. The roads are clean and well-constructed.

Where to stay in Madurai

• The city provides a large number of options for stay ranging from five-star accommodation to low-cost lodges and hotels.
• The Germanus Hotel, Supreme Hotel, and the Meenakshi Inn are some of the hotels preferred by the visiting tourists.

Where to eat in Madurai

The city of Madurai is called “Thoonganagaram” meaning “the City that never sleeps”. It is a fact that the city offers unparalleled culinary delights to everyone who visits the city throughout the day and the night.

• Some of the must-tries among the food items are the roadside Kotthu Parathas, Jigarthanda drink, Badam Halwa, Curry Dosa, Idly, and Biryani.
• Some of the popular hotels that one must visit according to the locals are Amma Mess, Muniyandi Vilas, Simmakal Konar Kadai, and Murugan Idly Kadai.

Temples near Madurai Meenakshi-

• Thirupparakunram Murugan Temple – It is considered as the first among the six abodes of Lord Murugan, also known as Lord Karthikeya. The Temple Complex consists of several rock-cut caves that house the deities, Lord Karthikeya, Lord Vishnu. Lord Shiva, Goddess Durga, and Lord Vinayaka.

• Pazhamudircholai Murugan Temple – The sacred shrine dedicated to Lord Murugan is located 25 km away from Madurai city. This Temple is one of the holy six abodes of Lord Murugan. The main shrine is located beside a stream called “Nupura Gangai”. Several popular local legends are associated with the Temple.

• Alagar Kovil – The sacred temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is located just 20 km away from the Madurai city. The temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams of Lord Vishnu mentioned in the Divya Prabandha, a work by the Azhwar Saints in the 6th to 9th centuries.

• Vandiyur Mariamman Temple – This unique but mesmerizing temple is situated about 3 km away from the Meenakshi Amman Temple. The Temple is dedicated to Goddess Mariamman and Goddess Durga who merge together into a single form and worshiped here as Goddess Ambika – Durga or popularly as Durga-Mariamman.

• Yoga Narasimha Perumal Temple – The Temple has located 8 km from the city of Madurai in Otthakadai. The village of Narasingam is home to the ancient temple situated at the foot of the Yanaimalai hills. The Temple is more than 1300 years old as the date of construction around the main deity is believed to be 770 AD.

• Thirumohoor Chakrathalvar Temple – This legendary temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is 12 km away from Madurai city towards Melur. This Temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams that is glorified in the Divya Prabandha composed by the Tamil Saints Alwars from the 6th to the 8th century. The deity is worshiped as Neelamegha Perumal and Lakshmi as Tirukannapura Nayaki.

Other famous temples in Tamil Nadu are:

• Nagercoil Nagaraja Temple: Situated nearby Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, this Hindu temple is famous for its worshipping of the King of Serpents or Nagaraja – Vasuki. Also, Nagercoil town derives its name from this very temple. This temple also has a huge number of naga statues from all over India.
• Thirunageswaram Temple: Sri Naganathaswamy Temple or Rahu Sthalam in Tamil Nadu is one of the 9 Navagraha Temples and is dedicated to Rahu. The presiding deity is Lord Naganathaswamy. The shrine is adjacent to Naganathaswamy’s shrine and GiriGujambika with Lakshmi and Saraswathy by her side has a separate temple.

Frequently Asked Questions