Madurai Travel Guide
Madurai is a temple town of India located in Tamilnadu. People from several different religions and cultures coexist in this town. Many different types of festivals are celebrated here in unison. Madurai is situated on the banks of river Vaigai. This town was the kingdom of Pandya kings in the past century. The place has a great cultural heritage and strong mythological history to be passed on to the next coming generations.
Madurai is constructed in the form of a lotus and is known as lotus city too. There is a beautiful temple constructed by the Pandyan kings and Lord Shiva is worshiped here. As per sayings, divine nectar was showered at that place and due to it the Jasmine flowers blooms all around. In the 16th century, it was ruled by Nayal emperors and also Christianity has been cultivated in these regions too. The Tamil dynasty too had its footings long back in the pre-Christian era and it developed an association with Christianity in the place.
Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple is the single most master piece of the area. The temples are surrounded by concentric circles all around giving the essence of the cosmos, henceforth it is also known as the cosmos city. It has several small temples all around, rather there is a temple on every cross road of the city. It is aptly known as the temple city of India.
How to Reach Madurai
- Air – Madurai airport is at a distance of 15 km from city center. You can either take a taxi to the city or catch bus no 10 A to reach the city.
- Rail – Madurai is a major railway junction. It is well connected with all the major cities of India. Regular trains are available from Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Coimbatore.
- Road – NH 47 connects Madurai via road to other major cities. NH 7, NH45B and NH 49 are other highways that are connecting the town to the rest of India. Regular buses are available to different cities of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.
Distance of Madurai from Below Places:
| Place | Distance (KM) |
|---|---|
|
Coimbatore |
237 |
|
Kochi |
272 |
|
Rameshwaram |
172 |
|
Thiruvananthapuram |
312 |
|
Chennai |
464 |
|
Bangalore |
437 |
Weather
Madurai Temperature
- Summer (Mar to May) – Temperatures are high and range between (23°C) to (38°C)
- Monsoon – (Jun to Oct) – With heavy rainfall happening at regular basis, this is not a good season for tourists
- Winter – (Nov to Feb) – Temperatures are mild and range between (21°C) to (32°C)
- Best Time to Visit – Nov to Feb is the best season for tourism
What to See In Madurai
Meenakshi Amman Temple
Meenakshi Amman Temple is the holy temple of Hindus located in the city of Madurai in southern India. It is a vast temple of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Unique thing of the temple is that here both God and Goddess are worshiped together.
It has its foundation way back in the 2500 AD. According to the mythology, Lord Shiva visited Madurai to marry Parvati and it has been the sacred abode of Goddess Parvarti since her birth. The wonderful architecture of the place is amongst the Seven Wonders of the World. The construction is highly minute with great art pieces incorporated on the walls and pillars of the temple.
Thirumalai Nayak Mahal was constructed way back in the 17th century. Kings of Muslim dynasty which covered several regions of Coimbatore, Madurai districts and other few places in southern Tamil Nadu built the Thirumalai Nayak Mahal. It is a great piece of art and all of the sculptures are engraved in the Madurai style. Several old temples too have been renovated in this new style and the whole city seems to have the construction of the similar make, which is a good feature of the place.
This is a temple made in the memory of Lord Vigneshwara. It is situated about 5 km from the Meenakshi temple. It has a huge tank in the compound of the temple. This is the biggest tank in the region. The tank is filled with water all year long. As per the sayings, when the tank was being dug, the idol of the temple was found from the bottom of the tank. Hence the temple was constructed at that place itself. Several different kinds of festivals are celebrated in the temple and all rituals are done with great enthusiasm.
Tirupparankundram Murugan temple is one of the pilgrimage places in the southern India. The temple is an excellent master piece of art and is devoted to mother earth for all the benedictions it has bestowed on the holy earth. The region is hilly and is also known as southern Himalayas of India. It is a beautiful place where the sun and moon can be seen together at several instances of the day.
It is considered to be the holy place for marriages and most of the marriages in the suburbs take place in this temple itself. The marriage of Lord Subhrahmanya was celebrated in this temple. Since then scores of people did their marital bonds in front of the god here.
The hillock named Samarmalai is situated 12 km west of Madurai. It is an exquisite spot that speaks of the rich cultural heritage of Madurai. The caves inside the hills and the carvings bring us closer to the prehistoric period. There is also a cavern in the temple that is believed to have acted like an abode for the followers of Jainism in the 19th century.
This is an ancient beautiful temple of the Vaishnavite genre. The word Vaishnav refers to the followers of Vishnu. It is situated towards the west of Madurai. Lord Vishnu has been depicted in three postures i.e sitting, standing and reclining. The statues are very intricately carved and are positioned one above the other.
It is one of the six temples of the state dedicated to Lord Murgan. Lord Murgan or Kartikeya is the son of Lord Shiva and also leader of the army of the Devtas. The temple is positioned upon a hilltop. It is elegant, holy and one of the main attractions of Madurai.
Other Details
What to Do
- Foodies can have a day out in Madurai.
- Chitrai Festival: Mid of April-May is the time for the Chitrai Festival in Madurai. April 14 is the day which marks the official beginning of the festival. It is a 12 day long festival of which the main events are as follows:
- 1st Day — marks the official beginning of the festival.
- 8th Day – Meenakshi Amman is coronated
- 9th Day — A procession of the Goddess is taken out in the city
- 10th Day — Thiyukalyanam or wedding of the gods
- 11th Day — Ther Thiruvizhah or Chariot Procession
- 12th Day — Theppa Thiruvizhah or Float procession
- Jallikattu: This is the other name for the yearly Bull Run, coinciding with the Pongal Festival In the month of January.
Where to Eat
- Modern Restaurant, West Avani street—they serve the most authentic South Indian Food.
- Taj Garden Retreat— Street 40 TPK Rd. Perched in the gardens lying just above the city, this indoor-outdoor restaurant, has stunning views. Spag and salads are their specialty.
- Anna Meenakshi Restaurant— West Perumal Maistry St, locality Old Town. Decent restaurant with decent food, where South Indian Thalis are served at very economical rate.
What to Buy
Sungidi Sarees are the biggest attractions of Madurai. Tanjore Paintings, Brass Works, Handicrafts and Antiques come in next in the list. Handicrafts and bronze items in the quaint also come in as good shopping options.
Get Around
- Bus—buses can be taken to move around the city.
- Car—you can always rent your own car to avoid the rush and the problems.
- Auto-rickshaw—Auto-rickshaws are usually metered and they ply all over the city, also being found all over the city.
Top Destinations - Tamil Nadu
– Chennai
– Kanyakumari
– Kodaikanal
– Madurai
– Ooty
– Rameswaram
Popular Tour Plans - Tamil Nadu
1-3 Days
1. Ooty (2N/3D)
2. Kodaikanal (2N/3D)
4-6 Days
1. Ooty-Kodaikanal-Munnar (6N/7D)
2. Bangalore-Mysore-Ooty (6N/7D)
7-10 Days
1. Alleppey-Kovalam-Kanyakumari-Thiruvananthapuram (7N/8D)
2. Munnar-Alleppey-Periyar Sanctuary-Kovalam-Kanyakumari (10N/11D)
>10 Days
1. Chennai-Pondicherry-Kodaikanal-Madurai-Rameswaram-Kanyakumari (12N/13D)
2. Chennai-Pondicherry-Madurai-Rameswaram-Kanyakumari-Kovalam (12N/13D)