The Meenakshi Temple is the most beautiful temple in South India. If you still haven’t seen this architectural wonder, then you are really missing something. It should be on the must visit list of every traveller.
1. The Meenakshi Temple is considered as the finest example of the architecture during the Vijaynagar period. Nothing beats its splendour.
2. The temple is as vital to the aesthetic heritage of South India as the Taj Mahal to North
3. The temple has featured in the list of nominees of the New Seven Wonders of the world.
4. The temple is the beating heart of the city of Madurai.
5. The temple has been mentioned in all the old scriptures of Tamil history and literature.
6. This magnificent temple is dedicated to the Goddess Meenakshi who has triple breasts and eyes like a fish. Meenakshi means – eyes like a fish.
7. The temple has an annual revenue of $1 million and sees on an average 20,000 visitors daily
8. Keep plenty of time in hand when you visit the temple, as it is adorned with over 33,000 sculptures.
9. The 10-day Meenakshi festival is an extravaganza of massive proportions in which the wedding of the Goddess is celebrated. The festival sees one million visitors from all over the planet.
10. Records of the temple go back to 1560 and Tirumalai Nayak built it.
11. In this temple, if you are lucky an elephant might bless you, standing proud in all its glory and festive attire.
12. The temple is strictly off limits to non-Hindus. And ensure you are decently clad with legs and shoulders covered before you enter the temple.
13. It is one of the few temples to have four entrances, in four directions.
