Description of the attraction
The Meenakshi Temple, or as it is also called Meenakshi Sundaresvarar, is located on the left bank of the Wagai River, in the city of Madurai, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The temple was erected in honor of the Goddess Parvati, also known as Meenakshi, and her consort Shiva, who is also called Sundaresvarar in this part of the country.
Meenakshi Temple is a huge complex of buildings that occupies a vast area right in the heart of Madurai. You can get inside through one of the four available gates. The complex consists of fourteen towers, which in buildings of this type are called gopuram. Each such gopuram rises 45-50 meters above the ground. They are built around a beautiful reservoir. The largest gopuram, the south tower, is 52 meters high. And the oldest is considered the eastern gopuram, which was built in 1216-1238 by order of King Maravarman Sundar Pandyan. And also on the territory of the complex there are two large gilded vimanas - sculptural towers-pavilions, in which the main shrines of the temple are located. In one vimaana there is an image of the Goddess Meenakshi carved from black stone with an emerald hue, in the other - a sculpture of Sundaresvarar. In addition to Parvati and Shiva, Ganesha is also worshiped in the temple, whose sculpture stands not far from the Sundaresvarar vimana.
Each Meenakshi Sundareswarar gopuram is a true work of architectural art: from the very bottom to the top, they are covered with magnificent sculptures painted in bright colors.
The complex was fully built in the 17th century - in the years 1623-1655.
Every day about 15 thousand visitors come to the temple, and on Fridays their number increases to 25 thousand.
