Summer trip to Madurai 03/07/09
At 10.30 pm, three musketeers started the journey to Madurai from Madiwala, Bangalore on 3rd July. I, my sister Jasmine & friend Prathipa were full set to start our vacation in quest of respite from the daily trauma. My eyes witnessed the awesome southern hills early morning before arriving at our destination. We stayed in Prathipa’s home, her parents were extremely welcoming though people in Tamil Nadu rarely understand Hindi, and I found they are hospitable & warm hearted. Language was not a barier during our trip. After a noon’s rest we started our Madurai tour, first we visited Thirumalai Nayak Palace. This Palace was built in 1636 by King Thirumalai Nayak with the help of an Italian Architect. The building we see today was the main Palace where the King lived. The original Palace Complex was four times bigger than the present structure. This palace consisted mainly of two parts, namely Swargavilasa and Rangavilasa.
Next visit was to the historical Sree Meenakshi Temple, The temple is dedicated to Shiva, known here as Sundareshvara and his consort Parvati or Meenakshi. The temple has 4 towers; north, east, south & west. A visitor who enters the temple through the eastern g
ateway, first enters this Mandapam(Hall). It was built by Thirumalai Nayakar's wives Rudrapathi Ammal and Tholimamai. In this hall food was once distributed to the devotees who came from far off places. Next to this hall is the Meenakshi Nayaka Mandapa, a spacious columned hall used for shops and stores. This hall has a votive lamp-holder with 1,008 lamps, which are lit on festive occasions and present a spectacular sight. The sculptures on the pillars here relate some of Lord Shiva's Thiruvilayadals (miracles) and also the story of Meenakshi's birth and her life as the princess of Madurai.
It was a memorable day, at last we were dead tired & retired back home. The next day we headed to Kodaikanal.
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