The city of temples, Madurai is also known as the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu. Madurai is rich in holding monuments in its limit and so it does in upholding cultural and traditional values. It is one of southern India's oldest cities, and has been a center of learning and pilgrimage for centuries. Madurai's main attraction is the famous Sri Meenakshi Temple in the heart of the old town, a riotously baroque example of Dravidian architecture with gopurams covered from top to bottom in a breathless profusion of multicoloured images of gods, goddesses, animals and mythical figures.

Legends, myths and the reality of thousands of pilgrims swarming to the city everyday along with its burgeoning industrial set-up have interwoven to give Madurai its unique character and ambience.

Sri Meenakshi Temple
The temple is covered with brightly painted sculptures and statues, and the effect is practically outstanding. You can climb a couple of the towers for a good view of the entire complex. Its enormous gopurams, covered with gaily-coloured statues, dominate the landscape and are visible from many of the rooftops in Madurai.

Mythology
The temple is named after the daughter of a Pandyan king who, according to legend, was born with three breasts. At the time of her birth, the king was told that the extra breast would disappear when she met the man she was to marry, and this duly happened when she met Siva on Mt Kailasa. Siva told her to return to Madurai and, eight days later, arrived there himself in the form of Lord Sundareshwara to marry her.

Tirumalai Nayak Palace
About 1.5km from the Meenakshi Temple, this Indo -Saracenic palace was built in 1636 by the ruler whose name it bears. Much of it has fallen into ruin, and the pleasure gardens and surrounding defensive wall have disappeared. Today, only the entrance gate, main hall and dance hall remain.

Gandhi Museum
Housed in the old palace of the Rani Mangammal, this oddly moving museum provides some little-known facts about the Mahatma, although the only real piece of Gandhi memorabilia is the blood-stained dhoti from the assassination, displayed behind a bulletproof screen. The museum also has an excellent History of India display with some fine old photographs.

Festivals
Madurai celebrates 11 big annual temple festivals with only the monsoon month, called Ani in Tamil, devoid of festivities. Another festival which attracts pilgrims from all over India is the 12-day Teppam (Float) Festival held in January or early Meenakshi and Sundareshwara are mounted on floats and taken to the Mariamman Teppakkulam Tank.

Shopping
Madurai is a great place to buy locally manufactured cottons as well as the batiks loved by many travelers. Here you'll find lines of textile stalls opposite rows of tailors, each busily treading away and capable of whipping up a good replica of whatever you're wearing in an hour or two.

Accomodation in Madurai
» Taj Garden Retreat