Madurai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the second largest city of Tamil Nadu and has a population in excess of 1.1 million. It is well known for the Meenakshi temple situated at the heart of the town which attracts tourists as well as pilgrims. Madurai has a rich cultural heritage passed on from the great Tamil era more than 2500 years old, and has been an important commercial centre even as early as 550 AD. Madurai was the capital city of the Pandya kings of South India. Madurai is the headquarters of Madurai district

Madurai has a rich cultural heritage passed on from the great Tamil era more than 2500 years old, and has been an important commercial centre even as early as 550 AD. Madurai was the capital city of the Pandya kings of South India. Madurai is the headquarters of Madurai district

History

The Pandya King Kulasekaran built a temple, which would later be known as the Meenakshi Temple, and created a lotus shaped city around the temple. Legend has it that on the day the city was to be named, as Lord Shiva blessed the land and its people, divine nectar was showered on the city from his matted locks. This city was henceforth known as Madhurapuri, meaning "The Land of Divine Nectar". According to a different theory, the name Madurai is actually a transformation of the Tamil word "Marudhai" (மருதை), which means a fertile agricultural land with alluvial soil. Many natives continue to refer to the city as Marudhai. Madurai is also referred to as 'Then Madurai' or south Mathura, 'Vada Madurai' being Mathura in North India.


Meenakshi Amman Temple Gopuram at dusk

Temple gopuram in MaduraiThe city has been called the "Athens of the East" because of its great architecture and meticulous planning, comparable to that of the Greek capital. Madurai is Tamil Nadu's oldest city and one of India's oldest cities, with a history dating back to the Sangam period of the pre-Christian era. It was home to the ancient Tamil Sangam (The Academy of Tamil Learning), the literary conclave that produced the first Tamil epic Silappathikaaram and other masterpieces of Tamil literature. Megasthenes, the ancient Greek diplomat and envoy to India in 3rd century BC, had written in glowing terms about it in Indica, his celebrated account on India. But Madurai was to reach its heights of glory in the hands of the Cholas, and finally the Pandyas in the 13th century. After all, the Pandyas were the ones that made the city their capital, and built the Meenakshi Amman Temple, which has always been the greatest attraction of the city. The city flourished under Pandya rule when it was a major trading hub with trading contacts with Greece, Rome, and Middle Eastern countries.

People and culture

The people of Madurai are amicable, hospitable, and deeply respect and value their tradition. They lead a relaxed and casual lifestyle, and are not seen as very ambitious. Though Salwar Kameez, a North-Indian ethnic wear for women, has made deep inroads into the city's populace, most Tradition-lovers still prefer Thavani or Dhavani, also called as Half Saree, and Saree , a traditional Indian wear.

Maduraiites like to entertain themselves by watching movies and visiting amusement parks. The city has plenty of either, with the Movie Halls numbering about 50—a large number for a city Madurai's size. In the recent past, many Movie Halls have either closed down due to Tamil Cinema's continuing poor performance and lack of patronage, or are turning to dubbed English and Hindi movies.

Madurai is famous for the Jigarthanda and Paruthi Pal, and carumbu (sugarcane) juice. Jigarthanda is a delicious drink made of algae, milk and sugar. Paruthi pal is yet another drink made of cotton seeds, flour of raw rice, coconut and jaggery. There is also a special 'fruit mixture' drink that is sold here, mostly near the Meenakshi amman temple. Some of the famous restaurants in Madurai are the Modern Restaurant (since 1956), Arya Bhavan and the latest Madurai Meenakshi Bhavan. The Modern Restaurant is the scrumptious chili parotha, which is spicy shredded bits of parotha garnished with green chilies, lemon, and cilantro. Also competing with the new Café Coffee Day is the very old Visalam coffee shop in Goripalayam. Another favorite joint is Murugan Idli Shop that serves steaming hot idlis and a variety of chutneys to go with it. One great distinction about Madurai's road side food joints is that they are available almost all the time, including nights.

Madurai is also well known for its fragrant Jasmine flowers. Jasmine is known as Malli or Malligai in Tamil. Madurai Malli is an important horticultural produce. The buds are transported everyday to major cities in India.


City architecture and planning

The City of Madurai, was originally built around the Meenakshi temple [4] [5] [6]. Rectangular streets named after the Tamil months of Aadi, Chithirai and Maasi surround the temple, symbolizing the structure of the cosmos. Though there are numerous other temples in Madurai, which is why it is known as the "Temple City", the Meenakshi temple's architectural splendor outdoes all of them. The Temple Complex in itself is breathtaking, given the fort-like walls pierced with lofty Gopurams (Towers), over an area of 640,000 square feet (60,000 m˛). The gopurams are adorned with figures of Hindu Gods, animals and mythological creatures. Upon entering the temple, one gets to view the spectacular "Potraamaraikkulam", meaning the Golden Lotus Pond, surrounded by corridors depicting murals from the "Thiruvilaiyaadal Puraanam". The "Ayirangaal Mandapam" (Thousand Pillared Hall) is another exhibit of impressive craftsmanship whose pillars feature sculptural work beyond comparison. Madurai has many other famous temples. Some of them are: Thirupparankundram, Pazhamuthircholai, two of the six temple shrines of Lord Murugan (son of Lord Shiva according to Tamil Mythology); Azhagarkovil , a prominent Vaishnavaite shrine; and, Aappudaiyaar temple and Koodalazhagar temple.

Present-day Madurai is a sprawling Metropolis, extending on both sides of the Vaigai. The parts of the city adjoining the temple in the southern banks of vaigai are bustling commercial hubs where one can find everything from basic necessities to electronic gadgets. As a result, they are congested and offer little scope for further expansion. However, across the river, is where one would find the chic, modern and young face of Madurai with its relatively spacious roads and structures with plenty of room for expansion and development. The Madurai Collectorate, Madurai District Court, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai Corporation Building, Madurai Race Course, Government Offices, Schools, Colleges and Companies are located in the northern part of the city.

Madurai is well connected by air, rail and road. The railway station is the busiest in South India, with trains from every major city in India, and has computerized reservation counters. Madurai Division has repeatedly got the award for best maintained station in Southern Railway.

Madurai has five bus stands, which cater to the needs of the people: Centralized Bus terminus at Maattuthavani (North), Palanganatham (South), Arapalayam (West), Periyar (Central) and Anna Bus stand (East). The major bus stand is at Maattuthavani, from which many interstate buses and tourist buses operate round the clock.

Madurai Airport is approximately 13 kilometers from Madurai Railway station,which has connectivity to Bangalore,Chennai and Mumbai. Jet Airways, Air Deccan,Paramount airways and Indian Airlines are the major operators.
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