Nicknamed City of Nectar, Madurai is the oldest and the second largest city in the state of Tamil Nadu.


Situated on the banks of the Vaighar river, it was the capital of the Pandyan rulers till the last part of the 14th century. Flourished as a center of learning in the ancient days the city dates back to about 2500 years.


The city is also endowed with the title of the Athens of the East due to the bloody battles that took place on its soil and the war myths that hound the city. Its ancient name was Madhupuram as it was believed that honey or madhu dripped from the long locks of Lord Shiva. In the present days it has become a prime destination for the Hindu pilgrimage destination with the ever imposing temples with grand architecture. The Meenaakshi temple exemplifies the Nayaka Temple structure. Madurai was even the seat of power of all the major South Indian Empires from the Cholas to the Pandyas, the Vijayanagara Kings and finally to the Nayaks.


Major Attractions
» Meenakshi Temple
The Meenakshi temple showcases the combination of the architectural style of the Vijayanagara and the Nayaka dynasties. The temple dedicated to the highly beautiful Devi Meenakshi, the consort of Lord Shiva. The Temple in its origin was constructed by the Kulasekara Pandya of the Pandya dynasty but the real credit for up liftment and bringing the temple in to the focus of the world goes to the great Tirumalai Nayak of the Nayakas, who brought back the lost glory of the magnificent structure. Nestled in the center of the city , the temple popular as Meenakshi-Sundareshwar temple is today of utmost importance as a Hindu pilgrimage. The whole city wakes up to the chant of the priest and the hymns that are sung in praise of the deities kept in the temple from the wee hours in the morning.
» Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam
Teppakulam tank, a large water tank just 5 kms east of the temple of Meenakshi was created for the pilgrims to rest by its surrounding,. Once in a year the deities are brought to the temple for a holy bath to the tank. The huge tank was discovered during the excavation to built the Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal, a palace but later on the site was sanctified and converted to this tank. The tank waters are brought from the Vagai river through underground channels. The tank is decorated with bright colours during the float festival.

» Thirumalai Nayak Mahal
The Thirumalai palace vividly describes the grand architectural style of the Nayaka rulers. It was the palace of Tirumalai Nayak, one of the rulers of the Nayaks Dynasty and situated close to the Sundeswara temple. The Indo saracenic Mansion was given its final shape in the year 1523 and larger by four times than its present size. Divided in to mainly two parts, Swargavilasa and Rangavilasa,. The swargavilasa is of special attraction as it has the towering dome which lies beyond the courtyard. It picturises the magnificent skill of the builders of that times. The dome rises to a height of 20 meters without any kind of help and support.

» Annamalai and Nagamalai
Annamalai and Nagamalai, the two rock formation are home to the ascetics of the Jain and the Hindu religion. On the high altitude caves in a rocky surface that are difficult to access, there are inscriptions carved on Tamil Brahmi scripts. The caves are chiseled out by the sages who go there for meditation as place for rest for reclusion days.


Nearby Attractions
» Manalur
Manalur came to the limelight by the chance discovery of the13th century idol of Lord Krishna in his child form along with Bikshadanur. Situated just 20 kms from the place of Madurai,there is preserved a coonch and an ancient lamp. The discovery has thrown light on the fact that Manalur was a historical important place in the older times. On the side of the Vaiger river, innumerable brick kilns and sand quarries are today seen which once boast of being the capital of the Pandyas in the early history.


Shopping
Madurai is known for the cotton and batiks which are of special interest to the visitors. The Prithu Mandapam Market is a famous market of Madurai to buy these products. Also available are the hand loom and the handicraft of the state displayed at the West Tower Street, Handloom House, Khadi Krafts.


Accommodation
The few best hotels in Madurai that offer exclusive comfort and luxury are the 5 star Taj Garden retreat, the 4 star hotel sangam, the Pandyan hotel . All these hotels provide 24 hr doctor call facilities, room service and deposit locker and laundry services.

How to Reach
» By Air
Daily flights available from Madurai Airport to Tiruchirapalli, Madras and Bangalore. From Bangalore International flights can be taken to any place of the world.

» By Rail
The railway station at Madurai connects it to Madras, which takes eight hours via Trichy and six hours from Rameshwaram. The journey to Madurai from Kerala can be interesting with lovely scenes of the Western Ghats.

» By Road
Good road networks connects Madurai to most of the major cities in the state. State run or private buses commute at regular intervals to all prime locations of the state.