Travel Point India takes you on travel to Madurai. It is the great temple town of South India and is synonymous with the celebrated Meenakshi Temple. It is situated on the banks of river Vaigai. Madurai has a rich cultural heritage, which is more than 2500 years old. The city is believed to have been built by the Pandyan King, Kulasekara in the 6th century BC. It is also known as the Athens of the East and is the second largest city in Tamil Nadu.
On your travel to Madurai the Meenakshi temples form city's main attraction and is placed in the heart of the old town. These popular temples give a splendid example of Dravidian architecture and are famous for Jasmine Flowers.
Places to see on your tour:
Mariamman Teppakulam: You can visit the Mariamman Teppakulam on your tour to Madurai. This huge temple tank is about 5km from the temple. The mandapam in the center of the tank has an idol of Vinayaka that is, Lord Ganesha.
Gandhi Museum: The museum is housed in an old palace of Rani Mangammal. The government museum is also located on the same grounds and forms an important tourist attraction on your tour to Madurai.
Koodal Alagar Temple: This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and it is as old as Madurai. Vishnu is depicted in three postures standing, sitting and reclining one over the other.
Alagar Koil: It is situated at a distance of about 21km from Madurai and situated at the bottom of the Alagar Hills; this temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is believed that Vishnu came down to this place from his abode Vikunta to give away Meenakshi to Lord Sundereswarar.
Thiruparangundram: Located 8km from Madurai, the temple here is one of the six abodes of Lord Subramanya. It is believed that Subramanya got married to Deivayani in this place. Visit the temple on your Madurai tour.
Kodaikanal: Known as "The Princess among Hill Stations", Kodaikanal, situated in the Nilgiris, is 120km from Madurai. It has a solar physics observatory, museum, orchidarium and Kurinji flowers that bloom once in every 12 years. On your tour to Madurai you can enjoy boating and fishing at the star shaped lake at Kodaikanal.
Palani: Palani's Malaikovil is the most famous temple dedicated to Lord Murugan. One has to climb 650 steps to access the inner sanctum of the temple. During January, for the Taipusam, over 200,000 devotees gather at Palani. Palani is 64km from Kodai and 57km from Dindigul.
Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary: Located along the Tamil Nadu - Kerala border, the sanctuary covers about 1000sq.km. The fauna includes elephant, gaur, tiger, panther, leopard, spotted deer, bear and many species of birds. The sanctuary is open throughout the year.
Nagercoil: While on travel to Madurai, a visit to Nagercoil becomes a must visit. This temple is situated at a distance of 12 miles from Cape Comorin, in the midst of paddy fields. Nagercoil is the capital of Kanyakumari. Until 1956, it was a part of Kerala, but now it is in Tamil Nadu. Nagercoil is famous for Nagaraja Temple and the name derived from this Temple. It is situated at the Southern part of Tamil Nadu. The Nagaraja temple situated here is unique in many respects. Though Nagaraja, the Serpent God is the presiding deity, the images of Lord Siva and Anathakrishna or Vishnu are also enshrined.
Here you can find the images of the Jain Theerthakaras, Mahavira and Parswanathar in the pillars of the temple. The entrance to the temple is reminiscent of the Chinese architecture of Budha Vihara. The Nagalinga flower found here is also symbolic of Nagaraja.
Travel Tips: Tropical climate dominates the city of Madurai. Temperatures generally range between a high of 31°C to a low of 25°C, during early March. Expect summers to be much hotter. The city is well connected by air, rail and road. It has an international airport. There is also shipping services. A passenger liner connects the town with Port Blair.
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