Meenakshi Amman Temple the form of a small kid in response to the unusual sculpture of the Hindu god number of events including the Ther From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia great penance of Malayadwaja Pandya, the Nataraja. This famous Hindu marquee and Thiruvizhah(Chariot festival) and Theppa (Redirected from Meenakshi temple) ruler of Madurai.[6] After growing up she a dancing form of Shiva that normally has Thiruvizhah (Float festival) are celebrated. Jump to: navigation, search starts ruleing the city and the Lord appears his left foot raised, has his right foot raised Apart from this, major Hindu festivals like Meenakshi Amman koil on earth and proposes to marry her. in this temple. According to the legend, Navrathri, Shivrathri are celebrated in a According to Hindu mythology, the this is on the request of the Rajasekara grand manner. Like most Shakti temples marriage was supposed to be the biggest Pandya king who asked the Lord to in Tamilnadu, the fridays during the Tamil Name: Meenakshi Amman koil event on earth, with the whole earth change His position, as he felt that always months of Aadi (July 15 - Aug 17) and Creator: Pandya Kings gathering near Madurai. Lord Vishnu the keeping a single foot raised will pose Thai (Jan 15 to Feb 15) are popularly Date built: recent construction around 17th divine brother of Meenakshi was traveling enormous stress on that, based on his celebrated with thousands of devotees century AD to preside over the marriage from his holy personal experiments in dancing.[10] This thronging to the temple. A detailed Primary deity: Sundareshwara(Shiva) and abode at Vaikuntam. Due to a divine play, massive Nataraja sculpture is enclosed in a description of the festivals at this temple Meenakshi(Parvati) He was tricked by god Indra and delayed huge silver altar and hence called Velli can be found here. Architecture: South Indian, Kovil on the way and the in the meanwhile Ambalam (Silver abode). Outside the Location: Madurai marriage is presided over by a local god Shrine, lies huge scultptures carved of The Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple or Koodal Azhaghar. This angers Lord single stone and there is a shrine for a [edit] References Meenakshi Amman Temple is one of the Vishnu very much and he swears never to giant Ganesh temple, called the Mukuruny ^ India heritage - Meenakshi temple, most famous Hindu temples dedicated to enter the city and settles in the outskirts at Vinayakar. This idol is believed to have Madurai. Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati located in the beautiful hill of Alagar Koil. He was been found during an excavation process ^ The top 77 nominees. the holy city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, later convinced by other gods and he to dig the temple lake.[9] The Meenkashi ^ Meenakshi temple a world wonder?. India. It is commonly referred to as the proceeded to bless the divine couple - shrine is on the left of the Shiva shrine and ^ South India promotes temple as a living Meenakshi temple. Shiva and Parvati. is of scultpturally less valuable than the ‘wonder’. Shiva shrine. ^ Popular demand: Meenakshi temple in The main deity Sundareswarar means the Both the marriage and the Vishnu's the race for 7 wonders. Beautiful Lord and His divine wife passification are still celebrated as the ^ a b c MAKING OF THE Meenakshi means One who rules the biggest festival in Madurai, name Azhakar [edit] The lake Potramarai MAGNIFICENT TEMPLE DEDICATED world through her eyesight[citation Thiruvizha (the festival for the beautiful Potramarai Kulam, the sacred pond TO MEENAKSHI SUNDERESWARAR. needed] and Koil means temple in Tamil. lord).[7] A detailed article on the divine measuring 165 ft * 120 ft,[6] inside the ^ "Madurai - Chitrai festival. The temple forms the heart and lifeline for marriage can be found here. temple is a very holy site for the devotees ^ a b Official temple site. the 2500 year old city of Madurai[1] that and people go around the lake before ^ a b Madurai.com - The meenakshi is believed to be the home for the classical The divine couple are believed to have entering the main shrine. The etymology temple. language of Tamil language|Tamil. ruled the region for a long time and it is for the word means, the Pond with the ^ Velliambalam. According to the Hindu legends, Lord not clear what happened to the place after Golden Lily and as the Lily that grows in ^ Temple theertham. Shiva with his divine group of followers they left. Another legend says that the it has a golden color. According to the ^ Sanga Thamizh. appeared here in this city of Madurai, to Shiva's deity in the form of Linga was legend, Lord Shiva promised to a stork marry the daughter of the Pandya ruler, discovered by the god of heaven, Indra that no fish or other marine life would Meenakshi, who is believed to be a form who built the original temple. This grow here and thus no marine animals are According to legend, the sacred of Hindu goddess Parvati. This temple is tradition is still followed in the temple found in the lake.[11] In the Tamil Suyambulingam discovered by the king of one of the most sacred abodes of Parvathi, with the deity is accompanied by a model legends, the lake is supposed to be a judge Gods `Indiran' at Kadambavanam, was others being Kamakshi of Kanchipuram, of Indra's vehicle, during festive for judging a worth of a new literature. later enshrined by him in Madurai. The Akilandeswari of Thiruvanaikaval and processions. Thus, authors place their works here and fact that the Lord is seen on the vehicle of Vishalakshi of Varanasi. the poorly written works are supposed to `Indira' in this temple is said to be proof sunk and the scholastic ones are supposed for this. The temple has a stunning architecture and Meenakshi deity at the temple to float.[12][6] was a frontrunner in the election for the [edit] Modern History Many historical evidences of the temple modern seven wonders of the world for its The history of the original structure is not have been found dating back from early architectural importance.[2][3][4][5] The properly known, while the Tamil literature [edit] Thousand Pillar Hall A.D complex houses 12 magnificent gopurams speaks about temple for the last couple of The Aiyaram Kaal Mandapam or thousand or towers that are elaborately scultptured millennia. Thirugnanasambandar, the pillar hall is of very high sculptural Thirugnanasambandar the Hindu Saint has and painted. The temple is a significant famous Hindu saint of Shaiva philosophy importance that contains 985 (instead of mentioned the temple in his songs which symbol for Tamil people, and has been has mentioned this temple as early as the 1000) magnificiently carved pillars and go back to early 7th century. The lord has mentioned since antiquity in Tamil seventh century and describes the Lord as maintained by the Archaelogical Survey of been described as `Aalavai Iraivan' in his literature, though the present structure is Aalavai Iraivan.[8] The temple was India. The thousand pillar hall is supposed songs. believed to have been built only in the believed to have been sacked by the to have been built by Arya Natha early 17th century. infamous Muslim invader Malik Kafur in Mudaliyar, the Prime Minister of the first The temple was almost completely the 1310[8] and all the ancient elements Nayaka of Madurai (1559-1600 A.D.), the destroyed in the year 1310 following the Contents [hide] were destroyed. The initiative to rebuild founder of 'Poligar System'. An equestrian invasion of the Islamic coqueror 1 History the structure was taken by Arya Natha statue of the Mudaliyar flanks one side of Malikkapur. As kings who were followers 1.1 Mythology Mudaliyar , the Prime Minister of the first the steps leading to the 'mandapam'. Each of Islam were noted for their intolerance 1.2 Modern History Nayak of Madurai (1559-1600 A.D.), the pillar is sculptured and is a monument of towards other religions, the invaders 2 The temple structure founder of 'Poligar System'. Then came the Dravidan sculpture. There is a Temple destroyed most of the ancient sculputures 2.1 Shrines the most valuable contributions of Art Museum in this 1000 pillars hall of the temple. 2.2 The lake Potramarai Thirumalai Nayak around the year 1623 to where you can see icons, photographs, 2.3 Thousand Pillar Hall 1659. He took considerable interest in drawings, etc., exhibiting the 1200 years The temple was restored to its pristine 3 Festivals erecting the Vasantha Mandapa of the old history. Just outside this mandapam glory in the late 14th century when the 4 References temple complex. ,towards the west, are the Musical Pillars. Hindu Kings came back to power in 5 External links Each pillar when stuck, produces a Madurai. This can also be termed as a new different musical note. The kalyana beginning of a new era in the history of [edit] The temple structure mandapa, to the south of the pillared hall, the temple, when it was almost rebuilt. The temple is a massive structure is where the marriage of Shiva and Parvati [edit] History measuring 254 by 237 meters. The temple is celebrated every year during the Chitirai The King Thirumalai Naicker played an is surrounded by 12 towers the tallest of Festival in mid- April. important role in the construction of the [edit] Mythology which, the famous Southern tower, rises to new form of the temple. over 170 ft high.[9] The divine marriage where brother Vishnu [edit] Festivals hands his sister Parvati to Shiva (from left, The most important festival associated The enormous temple complex is Vishnu, Meenkashi, Shiva)According to Meenakshi Temple Gopuram at dusk with the temple is the Meenakshi dedicated to Shiva, known here as Hindu legend, the Lord Shiva came down [edit] Shrines Thirukalyanam (The divine marriage of Sundareshvara and his consort Parvati or to earth in the form of Sundareswarar to The Shiva shrine lies at the centre of the Meenkashi) that is celebrated in April Meenakshi.