Madurai is counted among the ancient cities in India, this city was established in the 6th century. This is the enormous city of Tamil Nadu, south India. Madurai is also understood as an artistic city of Tamil Nadu. Madurai is located on the banks of river Vaigai, and it covers the history of more than 2500 years. There are many ancient temples and historical monuments in Madurai, which makes it a popular place all over the world. Along with this, Madurai is also the most extensive industrial and scholastic Hub in South Tamil Nadu. There are many auto, rubber, chemical, and granite manufacturing enterprises. Many people know this city as “ Thoonga Nagaram” which means the city never sleeps. In Madurai, the Tamil language is commonly used by locals.
History of Madurai
Madurai was established in the 6th century, mentioned in the Mahavamsa book which proves that Madurai is the oldest city of India. In 543 BCE, Prince Vijaya married the princess of Madurai and they married, along with prince 700 hundred men of prince Vijaya married 700 maidens from Madurai. In the 3rd century, Megasthenes visited Madurai and renamed it as “Methora”. They designated a large city in the Mauryan Empire. Madurai is also known as the capital city of the Pandyan Dynasty and the ancient records show that the Roman historians in Madurai.
In the 9th century, The pandas were outed by the Chola Dynasty and it continued many times. This country displays many ruins of the combat between the Cholas and Pandyas. This ended in the 13th Century when the second Pandyas established their empire in Madurai and made it the capital. After the death of the last empire of Pandyas, Madurai came under the Delhi Sultanate.
Madurai is struggling for an independent Empire. In 1378 CE Vijayanagara Empire independence the Madurai and made it a beautiful and cultural capital of the south
.In 1801, the British East India Company came to Madurai, they donated to Meenakshi Temple, and came to see the festival in the temple. In the 19th century, This city became the largest political and industrial complex and became the district headquarter of a large Madurai district in the 20th century. In 1921, Mahatma Gandhi first adopted the loincloth from Madurai after seeing agricultural laborers wearing it.
Explore the Madurai
Madurai is world famous for its beautiful culture and ancient time structure and temples. This is the largest city in the south but also the 44th most populous city in India. Along with all the history of Madurai, it is fairly notable for its affluent ancestry and civilization. There are many temples, landmarks, and monuments to see. You experience the full culture of South India and explore the untold history of India. If you are making a plan to visit Madurai then must visit all these places mentioned below
Here is the list of famous places to explore in Madurai-
1. Meenakshi Temple
The other name of this temple is Meenakshi Amman or Meenakshi-Sundareshwara Temple. This is the world-famous temple in Madurai, which attracts people from its beautiful structure and designs. Meenakshi Temple is covered with 1500 brightly painted sculptures of divine and ancient times.
This temple was built in the 17th century, on the southern bank of Vaigai River. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, according to legends God Indra formed a stone to present Lord Shiva here. as soon as all the gods worship here. and the king of Madurai, Kulashekhara Pandya built the temple here. Along with gods and goddesses, This temple also describes the history and worship of King Pandya, who did many rituals in this temple to fulfill his wish, and god was gifted with a daughter and they pronounced the name Meenakshi.
Per Day a minimum of 20,000 people visit this Meenakshi Temple in 700,000 square feet of space. This temple holds around 30,000 sculptures including high walls, gateways, lights, vast halls, darkness, and many ancient statues and precious designs on the walls.
2. Saint Mary’s Cathedral
This church is a mixture of European, Roman, and continental design. This church was established in 1840, The place of the church was bought by Fr. Joseph Bertrand. Who is included in the four pioneers of the new Madurai Mission? and they built a small church. But in 1912, to make it more voluminous and beautiful, planned to build a new structure of the church with modern architecture. This is a famous place that attracts tourists because of its quite complex and precious artwork. The statue of Cathedral was fitted here in 1969 and after it, this was the most famous place to visit by tourists in Madurai.
3.Thirumalai Nayak Palace
This place was built in the 17th century and was built by the ruler Tirumala Nayaka. He ruled for many years in Madurai and was a powerful king of the Madurai Nayak Dynasty. The Thirumalai Nayak Palace is built with Dravidian and Islamic architecture, which makes it the most visited attraction in Madurai. This place ruins the history of many rulers, along with this, this place is quite famous for its lightning events. Many tourists regularly come here to see the sound and light performance in the evening. In Thirumalai Nayak Palace, you get to see the entrance gate, The Main Hall, and The Dance hall.
4.Koodal Azhagar Temple
This temple is located in the center of Madurai city, and dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This is the most famous and ancient temple of Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Koodal Azhagar Temple is built with a Dravidian style of architecture and was established by Pandyas. The meaning of Kodal is Beautiful, and Koodal Azhagar refers to Vishunu and Mathuravalli as Lakshmi. This temple is situated near the famous Meenakshi Temple. The six pujas make it rare and unique. The complex of this temple is made with traditional and ancient style with a big front Gopuram And beautiful Vimanam.
5. Puthu Mandapam
If you are not going to Puthu Mandapam then your Madurai trip is not complete. This is a large shopping complex, located near the Meenakshi temple. In This market, you can find a variety of clothes, scarves, jewelry, fashion, accessories, handicrafts, and ancient artcraft. You can buy it to remember Madurai. All the tourists regularly come here to explore this market and buy some high-quality cloth at affordable prices without quality replicas. So when you come to visit Madurai, add this market to the destination list and must visit this.
Food and shopping
Along with all monuments, ancient temples, and architecture, Madurai is also known for its South Indian cuisine. This is the best place for all South Indian food lovers. Here you see many varieties of South Indian food and many other dishes. They offer love and make dishes delicious. which is loved by foreigners and Indians also. There are some famous food in Madurai like soft and spongy Idli, crispy and golden Dosa, Bun Parotta, yum yum Idliyappam, Jii JIi Jigarthanda, and traditional Paruthi Paal, Mutton chukka also. If you want to try the best Idli in Madurai then go to Murugan Idli Shop. They serve the best Idli compared to all Madurai shops.
Madurai is quite famous for its traditional and cultural cloth and many other things like jewelry and handicrafts also. Here are some famous markets in Madurai like Puthu Mandapam Market, Cottage Arts Emporium, Vishal De Mall, The Avani Moola Street, Masi Street, and Rajmahal Silks famous for their beautiful traditional cloth, jewelry, antique, and handcraft. You purchase anything at affordable prices and take a memory of Madurai to remember it. Many foreigners buy clothes at the market at suitable prices without down quality.
Tips for Madurai Trip
- Madurai is a city of traditional and ancient culture and many people follow the old culture so make sure that you do not make jokes about his clothes or a person.
- Avoid dining at roadside shops because they do not prepare food with hygiene. This type of food is not healthy for your body and because of illness, your trip is over.
- In the summer, this city gets too hot and dusty so I regularly drink water and coconut water also.
- In Madurai, The “Jigarthanda”, a kind of drink, is the most famous so you must try it at Vilakkuthoon shop.
Best Time to Visit Madurai
In winter, December to February is the best time to explore Madurai. The temperature ranges between 20 C and 30 C in winter, so it is the best time to visit Madurai at this time. The weather is too lovely. But in summer, The weather is too hot in Madurai so try to visit in March and June because at this time the weather is not too hot or not too cold, so this is the perfect time to visit. Along with summer and winter, Monsoon is a great time to visit Madurai. Behind the ancient structure and temples, you see the green field with cloudy weather. So this is the best moment to stay in Madurai.
So if you are planning to explore Maduari then this information will help you to cover Madurai easily and enjoy your vacation just like locals. In this city, you find many historical places, temples, churches, and monuments. Along with this, you experience the depth of Hindu culture and tradition. You also enjoy the south Indian cuisine and ancient market in Madurai. These all things attract tourism to Madurai.
Also Read: Hampi Tourism: Complete Travel Guide
