Madurai Information

Location : In the south Indian State of Kerala, on the high ranges of the western ghats.
Tourist Attractions : Meenakshi Temple, Azhagar Kovil, Thirumalai Nayak Palace, Tirupatrankundram, Vandiyur Mariammam Teppakulam, The Gandhi Museum.
Best Buys : Handloom sarees, brassware, wood carvings, jewelry.
Best Activity : Visit the temples in Madurai
Nearby Tourist Destinations : Kodaikanal, Thanjore, Rameshwaram, Pondicherry.
When to Visit : September to May

About Madurai
Madurai happens to be the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu besides being the second largest city in the state. Also know as the temple city, the 2500 years old ancient city of Madurai is situated on the banks of the River Vaigai. Madurai is believed to have been built by the Pandyan King Kulasekara. Legend has it that drops of Maduram (nectar) fell from Lord Shiva's locks when he came to bless its people for constructing a temple for him.

Madurai's history can be divided into four periods, beginning over 2000 years ago, when it was the capital of the Pandyan Kings. Apart from a brief period it fell to the Cholas, Madurai remain with Pandyan till the decline of the empire. The 200 year old reign of the Natakas marked the golden era when art, architecture and learning scaled new heights.

Major Tourist Attractions in Madurai
Meenakshi Temple
Meenakshi Temple is the city's main attraction. This temple is nearly 2000 years old placed in the heart of the old town - an awesome example of Dravidian architecture. The Meenakshi-Sundareswarar temple has long been the focus of both Indian and international tourist attraction. It is one of the most revered places of Hindu pilgrimage. The excellent work of Dravidian architecture can be seen in its gopurams (large gateways) and mandapams (multi-pillared halls) covered from top to bottom in an abundance of multi-coloured images of gods, goddesses, animals and mythical figures.

Tirumalai Nayak Mahal
This Indo-Saracenic building was constructed in 1523. Sound and light show on the life of the Tirumalai Nayak and the story of the Silapathikaram are conduced daily, which are worth seeing.

Gandhi Museum
The 300-year-old palace now converted into Museum has a picture gallery, a library of personal memorable of the Mahatma Gandhi and an exhibit of South Indian handicrafts and village industries.

Vaniyur Mariamman Teppakulam
This enormous temple tank is fed by water from the Vaigai river. The tank has a mandapam at the center enshrining Lord Vigneshwara. A colorful float festival is held in this tank every year.

Getting There
Air : Madurai is well connected with Chennai, Bangalore and Tiruchirapalli. Madurai airport is about 15 km from the city center.
Rail : Madurai is connected to all major centers in the country by express trains.
Road : Madurai is connected to other parts of south India by road with regular bus services plying to Chennai, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, Rameshwaram, Pondichery, etc.

Accommodation
For accommodation in Madurai you won't have to worry, as there are many in & around the city. The accommodation ranges between luxury to budget, you can pick the one which ever best meets your travel needs.