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The Hall of Thousand Pillars is magnificently sculptured.In the Velliambalam,Lord Nataraja is seen in the dancing pose with his right foot raised.Usually Nataraja is depicted as dancing with his left foot raised.It is believed that here he did so in order to please his devotee,King Raja Sekhara Pandya.The dance is known as Gnanasundara Thandavam.

The 985 pillars appear in a straight line from whichever angle one views them.An exhibition of many antiques,idols and interesting pieces of art is arranged here.The Vasanta Mandapam,where the deities are placed during festivals,contains rare stone images.The Nayak rulers are immortalised in wonderful statues.

Festivals
Madurai is a city of festivals.The most important festival is the Meenakshi-Sundareswarar wedding on Chitra Poornima day (Apr-May).The 64 Leelas of the Lord are commemorated round the year during different festivals.The illuminated Float festival on Thai Poosam day (Jan-Feb) attracts a large number of pilgrims.On the outskirts of the city is the finely constructed Vandiyoor Mariamman Theppakulam.In the middle of the tank,there is a beautiful mandapam.

Access
Madurai is air,rail and road-linked with all cities.Chennai 460km,Kanniyakumari 245km,Trivandrum 330km,Bangalore 435km.

Temple City
Times have changed,but the temple city of Madurai has retained the essentials of culture of yore.The history of Madurai dates back to the 6th century BC.It was the capital of the Pandyan empire till the 14th century AD.Madurai was the seat of Tamil learning.The last of the three Tamil Sangams (Academies) fluorished here nearly 2,000 years ago.

Pandya rulers lavished their skill and resources on the architecture of Madurai temple.It is a twin temple dedicated to Sundareswarar and his consort Meenakshi.There are 11 gopurams,the most attractive of them being the one at the southern entrance rising to a height of 160 feet with a parabolic curve.

Madurai is one of the 51 Shakti Peetams and the temple is the seat of Bhudha.The Golden Lotus Tank inside the temple is surrounded by spacious corridors,the walls of which are covered with paintings depicting the Lord's miracles.Adjacent to the tank are the Unjal Mandapam and the Kilikoottu Mandapam.The long rows of pillars here contain delicately-carved figures.

There is a special Peetam in a six-pillared mandapam,where the coronation of all Nayak kings took place.The coronation of Meenakshi is also performed on this Peetam every year during the Chitrai festival.Goddess Meenakshi is believed to have been born as the daughter of a Pandya king,and Siva as Sundareswarar,married her.

Meenakshi Shrine
In the sanctum,the Goddess stands with a parrot and bouquet,radiating love and compassion.Meenakshi is conceived as Mother in her loving mood.

Sundareswarar Shrine
A large image of Ganesha greets the pilgrims as they proceed to the Sundareswarar shrine.In front of the shrine is the famous Kampathadi Mandapam.This contains many finely sculptured pillars,including one depicting the wedding of Meenakshi.The beautiful figures of Siva,incarnations of Vishnu and other statues are striking illustrations of excellence of Dravidian art.