Madurai Sightseeing places
Thiruparankundram :
Thiruparankundram is 7km (4.5 miles) from the center of Madurai city.Thiruparakundram has become a symbol of the religious harmony among the people of Madurai An is located at the top of the hill.The traditional legend is that Murugan married Deivanai at Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple, which also is the first among the Six Holy [Abode]s of Murugan (Arupadai Veedu, literally "Six Ba|title=Tirupparankundram | accessdate The first Aru Padai Veedu|accessdate This evocative cave temple is much older and has a more sacred atmosphere than the Meenakshi temple, particularly on Fridays, when women place candles or sit around the temple floor and create ''kolams'' or ''rangoli''
Thirumalai Nayakar palace :
The Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal palace complex was constructed in the Indo-Saracen style by Tirumalai Nayak|Thirumalai Nayakar in 1636. It is a national monument and is now under the care of the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department. The original palace complex was four times bigger than the present structure. It was divided into two parts, Swarga-vilasa and Ranga-vilasa. In each of these there are royal residences, theater, shrines, apartments, armory, palanquin place, royal bandstand, quarters, pond and garden. The ceilings are decorated with large paintings showing Shaivite and Vaishnavite themes.The portico known as Swarga Vilasam is an arcaded octagon wholly constructed of bricks and mortar without the support of a single rafter or girder. The stucco work on its domes and arches is remarkable. The gigantic pillars and structures represent architectural mastery. The courtyard and the dancing hall are central attractions for visitors. There are 248 pillars, each {{convert|58|ft|m}} tall and {{convert|5|ft|m}} in diameter.Furniture and utensils used by the kings is on exhibit inside the palace. The palace is equipped to perform "Light and Sound" shows depicting the story of "Silappathikaram", in both Tamil and English languages. The palace is in Indian films such as ''Bombay'', ''Iruvar'', ''Guru.
Gandhi Museum :
Rani Mangamma's palace has been renewed and converted to Gandhi museum. The museum displays information about Mahatma Gandhi, and most importantly it showcases the original blood-stained garment of Gandhi when he was assassinated by Nathuram Godse. The other piece of the garment is kept at the Gandhi Museum in Delhi. This museum, is one of the 5 museums in India others in Mumbai, Barrackpore, Sabarmati and Patna known as Gandhi Sanghralayas. Also lot of pictures taken during the Life time of Gandhi with various leaders all around the world and also during various incidents of freedom struggle is kept. Martin Luther King Jr. visited the museum during his tour of India in 1959 and is said to have got his inspiration to launch a series of peaceful agitations against racial.
Meenakshi Amman temple:
Madurai's Meenakshi Amman temple, which stands today as one of the India's greatest cultural and architectural landmarks, was originally built by the early Pandya King Kulasekara. It is also one of the greatest [[Shiva Temples of Tamil Nadu]]. The labyrinthine Meenakshi Temple, celebrating the love of the Meenakshi and her groom Sundareswarar(The ''Handsome Eswaran'') The ancient city of Madurai was supposedly laid out in a lotus-like formation, with the temple at the center and the streets and main thoroughfares layered one after the other concentrically, outward from the center. One legend says that on the day the city was to be named, Shiva blessed the land and its people while divine nectar showered on the city from his matted locks. The city hence came to be known as ''Madhurapuri'' meaning ''The City of Divine sNectar''. The legend is likely a late tale attempting to Sanskritise the otherwise-Dravidian derivative of ''Madurai''. This is the place where Natarajar performed the dance raising his right leg. (Kal maariya Aadiya natarajar). Shiva was very happy with the temple construction and performed a different dance. This is the temple which is believed to be survived after [Kannagi] burnt the complete city. All of the towers are currently draped in scaffolding and opaque coverings obscuring the sculptures at least until the end of 2009.The sthalaviriksham is the kadambu tree,few temple in tamilnadu is having the same tree as sthalavriksham are kadambandurai, Madurai acts as a tourism hub of south Tamil Nadu because of its strategic location. There are various tourist visiting places around Madurai.
Azhagar Kovil
Is located about 25 km from the city, is a Vishnu shrine. The location is surrounded by hills. The principal temple is that of Kallazhagar. The [Tamil New Year Tamil] festival called Criteria Thiruvizha has been celebrated for centuries in this temple. The Kallalagar is said to visit the temple on the eve of the Chittirai festival, one of the famous festivals in Tamil Nadu. He starts the journey from the Alagar Koil, on the eastern outskirts of Madurai. It is believed that he realizes he is too late for his sister's wedding, so refuses to cross the river, and returns disappointed to Alagar Koil.
Pazhamudircholai:
AlagarKovil On the top of the hills is a shrine of Murugan, popularly known as [Pazhamudircholai]. This is the last of Murugan's Arupadai Veedu and he is seen along with his consorts, Deivanai and Valli
Mariamman Theppakkulam (temple tank)
There is a temple pool called Theppakulam belonging to Vandiyur Mariyamman temple. It has become quite a picnic spot now. There is an artificial island at the centre, made of stone. It is was built sometime around 1500 AD. The Thepporchavam festival celebrated in the month of January, on the full moon day of Tamil Month Thai. The ornamented icons of the Meenakshi and her consort are taken out in a colourful procession from the Meenakshi Temple to the Huge Mariamman Teppakulam. The icons are floated in the tank on a raft decked with flowers and flickering lamps. and kadambathur.
Thiruparankundram :
Thiruparankundram is 7km (4.5 miles) from the center of Madurai city.Thiruparakundram has become a symbol of the religious harmony among the people of Madurai An is located at the top of the hill.The traditional legend is that Murugan married Deivanai at Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple, which also is the first among the Six Holy [Abode]s of Murugan (Arupadai Veedu, literally "Six Ba|title=Tirupparankundram | accessdate The first Aru Padai Veedu|accessdate This evocative cave temple is much older and has a more sacred atmosphere than the Meenakshi temple, particularly on Fridays, when women place candles or sit around the temple floor and create ''kolams'' or ''rangoli''
Thirumalai Nayakar palace :
The Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal palace complex was constructed in the Indo-Saracen style by Tirumalai Nayak|Thirumalai Nayakar in 1636. It is a national monument and is now under the care of the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department. The original palace complex was four times bigger than the present structure. It was divided into two parts, Swarga-vilasa and Ranga-vilasa. In each of these there are royal residences, theater, shrines, apartments, armory, palanquin place, royal bandstand, quarters, pond and garden. The ceilings are decorated with large paintings showing Shaivite and Vaishnavite themes.The portico known as Swarga Vilasam is an arcaded octagon wholly constructed of bricks and mortar without the support of a single rafter or girder. The stucco work on its domes and arches is remarkable. The gigantic pillars and structures represent architectural mastery. The courtyard and the dancing hall are central attractions for visitors. There are 248 pillars, each {{convert|58|ft|m}} tall and {{convert|5|ft|m}} in diameter.Furniture and utensils used by the kings is on exhibit inside the palace. The palace is equipped to perform "Light and Sound" shows depicting the story of "Silappathikaram", in both Tamil and English languages. The palace is in Indian films such as ''Bombay'', ''Iruvar'', ''Guru.
Gandhi Museum :
Rani Mangamma's palace has been renewed and converted to Gandhi museum. The museum displays information about Mahatma Gandhi, and most importantly it showcases the original blood-stained garment of Gandhi when he was assassinated by Nathuram Godse. The other piece of the garment is kept at the Gandhi Museum in Delhi. This museum, is one of the 5 museums in India others in Mumbai, Barrackpore, Sabarmati and Patna known as Gandhi Sanghralayas. Also lot of pictures taken during the Life time of Gandhi with various leaders all around the world and also during various incidents of freedom struggle is kept. Martin Luther King Jr. visited the museum during his tour of India in 1959 and is said to have got his inspiration to launch a series of peaceful agitations against racial.
Meenakshi Amman temple:
Madurai's Meenakshi Amman temple, which stands today as one of the India's greatest cultural and architectural landmarks, was originally built by the early Pandya King Kulasekara. It is also one of the greatest [[Shiva Temples of Tamil Nadu]]. The labyrinthine Meenakshi Temple, celebrating the love of the Meenakshi and her groom Sundareswarar(The ''Handsome Eswaran'') The ancient city of Madurai was supposedly laid out in a lotus-like formation, with the temple at the center and the streets and main thoroughfares layered one after the other concentrically, outward from the center. One legend says that on the day the city was to be named, Shiva blessed the land and its people while divine nectar showered on the city from his matted locks. The city hence came to be known as ''Madhurapuri'' meaning ''The City of Divine sNectar''. The legend is likely a late tale attempting to Sanskritise the otherwise-Dravidian derivative of ''Madurai''. This is the place where Natarajar performed the dance raising his right leg. (Kal maariya Aadiya natarajar). Shiva was very happy with the temple construction and performed a different dance. This is the temple which is believed to be survived after [Kannagi] burnt the complete city. All of the towers are currently draped in scaffolding and opaque coverings obscuring the sculptures at least until the end of 2009.The sthalaviriksham is the kadambu tree,few temple in tamilnadu is having the same tree as sthalavriksham are kadambandurai, Madurai acts as a tourism hub of south Tamil Nadu because of its strategic location. There are various tourist visiting places around Madurai.
Azhagar Kovil
Is located about 25 km from the city, is a Vishnu shrine. The location is surrounded by hills. The principal temple is that of Kallazhagar. The [Tamil New Year Tamil] festival called Criteria Thiruvizha has been celebrated for centuries in this temple. The Kallalagar is said to visit the temple on the eve of the Chittirai festival, one of the famous festivals in Tamil Nadu. He starts the journey from the Alagar Koil, on the eastern outskirts of Madurai. It is believed that he realizes he is too late for his sister's wedding, so refuses to cross the river, and returns disappointed to Alagar Koil.
Pazhamudircholai:
AlagarKovil On the top of the hills is a shrine of Murugan, popularly known as [Pazhamudircholai]. This is the last of Murugan's Arupadai Veedu and he is seen along with his consorts, Deivanai and Valli
Mariamman Theppakkulam (temple tank)
There is a temple pool called Theppakulam belonging to Vandiyur Mariyamman temple. It has become quite a picnic spot now. There is an artificial island at the centre, made of stone. It is was built sometime around 1500 AD. The Thepporchavam festival celebrated in the month of January, on the full moon day of Tamil Month Thai. The ornamented icons of the Meenakshi and her consort are taken out in a colourful procession from the Meenakshi Temple to the Huge Mariamman Teppakulam. The icons are floated in the tank on a raft decked with flowers and flickering lamps. and kadambathur.