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Meenakshi Temple in Madurai |
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Introduction: Meenakshi Temple in Madurai
The Meenakshi Temple in Madurai is a gigantic complex featuring the statues which are life size in appearance. The legends have it that Madurai was witness to the marriage of Lord Shiva and Meenakshi. The Meenakshi temple is actually enclosed amidst the soaring towers which are exquisitely carved to perfection. The twin temples of Shiva and Meenakshi are located to the southern gateway. This temple to the south gateway is known to be approximately 9 storeys high.
Origin of Meenakshi Temple in Madurai
In fact the Sri Meenakshi Sundareswara temple and the city of Madurai, both originating together have a range of mythological beliefs attached with them. Legends state that Indra after committing a sin came down to earth and found relief in the Kadamba forest in Pandya land and built the temple around the Shiva Lingam which helped him get rid of his sin. Again in the 14th century with the invasion of Malik Kafur the temple authorities closed the sanctum and kept the lingam under cover only to unearth it after almost 50 years and find out that the flower garlands and the sandalwood paste on the lingam remained as fresh as the day the sanctum was closed.
Structure: Meenakshi Temple in Madurai
Ashta Sakthi
The normal convention of this temple states that the devotees offer prayers first to Goddess Meenakshi and hence its mandatory to enter the temple through a Mandapa and not through the other 4 entrances having huge Gopuras over head in 4 primal directions. This Mandapa is 14m long and 5.5m wide The Mandapa derived its name, the 'Ashta Sakthi' due to the reason that this Mandapa has sculptures of the 8 Sakthis.
Samagam Meenakshi Naicker Mandapa
Samagam Meenakshi Naicker Mandapa is a smaller Mandapa in the Meenakshi Temple which connects the large halls with one another. This mandapa derived its name from a minister of Vijayaranga Chokkanatha who was also its builder. This mandapa is a hall which is 42.9m long and 33.5m wide and has 10 stone columns.
Mudali Pillai Mandapa
The Mudali Pillai Mandapa is 183m long and 7.6m wide and has many puranic scenes. This Mandapa following the Chitra Gopura was added in 1613. The Golden Lily Tank offers the most picturesque views of the temple which features the outer Gopura to the south. The northern corridor leads to the Goddess's shrine. Chitra Mandapa are the corridors around the tank.
Unjal And Kilikatti Mandapas
The Unjal And Kilikatti Mandapas are the twin Mandapas located farther way leading to the shrine. One of the murals opposite to the entrance depicts Goddess Meenakshi's marriage to Shiva. One comes across a 3 tiered Gopura over the entrance from the Mandapa to the shrine. While on a visit to the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai one comes across the historic shrines in the Prakaras.
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