Ruling Deity Of Madurai The Great Meenakshi Amman

Meenakshi Amman temple construction started in the year 1150.

The House of Ruling Deity, Shri Meenakshi Amman was constructed fully using granite slabs right from the year 1150.

The Eastern tower was completed In 1238. Western tower in 1323 and Southern tower in 1530.

In all, GRANITES were fully used in construction works.

All Pillars, beams and roof slabs in stone sheets, floorings and Gopurams all constructed with granite stones available in and around Madurai,

Mostly Rawsilk, Madura Gold were mainly used in all the construction works.

The temple is the geographic and ritual center of the ancient city of Madurai and one of the largest temple complexes in Tamil Nadu. The temple complex is divided into a number of concentric quadrangular enclosures contained by high masonry walls. It is one of the few temples in Tamil Nadu to have four entrances facing four directions. Vishwantha Nayaka allegedly redesigned the city of Madurai in accordance with the principles laid down by Shilpa Shastras (Sanskrit: śilpa śāstra, also anglicized as silpa sastra meaning rules of architecture) relevant to urban planning. The city was laid out in the shape of square with a series of concentric streets culminating from the temple. These squares continue to retain their traditional names, Aadi, Chittirai, Avani-moola and Masi streets, corresponding to Tamil month names. Ancient Tamil classics mention that the temple was the center of the city and the streets happened to be radiating out like lotus and its petals. The temple (outer precincts of a temple) and streets accommodate an elobrate festival calendar in which dramatic processions circumabulate the shrines at varying distances from the centre. The vehicles used in processions are progressively more massive the further they travel from the centre. The complex is in around 45 acres (180,000 m2)

Plan of Meenakshi Amman Temple

.A Shrine of God Sundareshwar.AA Pudu mandapam (Timmalas Choultry).B Slirine of Goddess Mindksbt-devl.C Small shrine of Ganera.D Small shrini; of Siibrahmanya.E Vcdi or Altar.F Nandi Pavilion.U Javandijvara mandapam.H Navagraha or nine planets.I Large Gancja.jl Shrines of Natervar.K Poets College.L Tank of Golden Lilies.M Mudali Pillai mandapam.O Ashta 5akti hall.P i6 pillar mandapam.Q Thousand pillar mandapam.R Viravasantaraya mandapam, S Kaiyana Sundara mandapam. T Servaikaran mandapam. U Lingam. W Chitra mandapam. Y I. llamvatta-siddha. Z Madura Nayaka temple.I-I\ Four outer Gopurams. V Tiruvachi Gopuram. \*I. VIII. L\ Three Gopurams of the second Prakar^.X, XI. Gates to the Minakshl prakdrant.^I^, Gate between the temples.XII, .^shta-Jakti mandapam.

Gopurams[edit]

 

Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple North Tower

 

Close up of gopurum figures

The temple is surrounded by Gopurams (gateway tower)- There are 14 gopuram the tallest of which, the famous southern tower, rises to over 170 ft (52 m) and was built in 1559. The oldest gopuram is the eastern one, built by Maravarman Sundra Pandyan during 1216-1238 Each gopuram is a multi-storeyed structure, covered with thousands of stone figures of animals, gods and demons painted in bright hues. The outer gopuram presents steeply pyramidal tower encrusted with plaster figures, while the inner gopuram serves as the entrance to the inner enclosure of Sundareswarar shrine.

Shrines

The golden shrine over the sanctum of Meenakshi

Inside the shrine of Meenakshi

The Golden Lotus Temple Tank

Sculptures inside the temple

 

Hall of Thousand Pillars:

The Meenakshi Nayakkar Mandapam (“Hall of 1000 pillars”) has two rows of pillars carved with images of Yali (mythological beast with body of lion and head of an elephant), commonly used as the symbol of Nayak power. It is situated to the north of Sundareswarar flag staff hall. The Thousand Pillar Hall contains 985 (instead of 1000) carved pillars. The hall was built by Ariyanatha Mudaliar in 1569 and blends engineering skill and artistic vision. Ariyanatha Mudaliar was prime minister and general of Viswanatha Navak, the first Nayaka of Madurai (1559–1600). He was also the founder of Poligar System, the quasi-feudal organization of the country dividing it into multiple palayams or small provinces in which each palayam was ruled by a palayakkarar or a petty chief. At the entrance of the hall is the statue of Ariyanatha Mudaliar seated on a horse-back, flanking one side of the entrance to the temple. The statue is periodically garlanded by worshippers. Each pillar in the hall is a carved monument of the Dravidian sculpture. The more prominent among the carved figures are those of Rati (wife of Kama), Karthikeya Ganesha, Shiva as a wandering mendicant and endless number of yalis (mythical figures of lions). There is a Temple Art Museum in the hall where icons, photographs, drawings, and other exhibits of the 1200 years old history of the temple are displayed. Just outside this hall, towards the west, are the Musical Pillars. Each pillar, when struck, produces a different musical note.

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