AIR
IA flies daily from Chennai and Mumbai. Madurai is also linked with Tiruchirapalli, Bangalore and Kochi (Cochin) by air. Airport: Madurai Airport is located at a distance of 11 km from the city. Buses ply regularly to and from the city centre and you can also negotiate the rates for a transfer by taxi.

RAIL
One of the major railway junctions of South India, Madurai is connected with all the main tourist places in Tamil Nadu and through Chennai (444 km), to the rest of the country. Railway Station: Madurai Junction Railway Station is near the downtown West Veli Street, hardly 1 km from the Meenakshi Temple.

ROAD
Madurai is situated at the crossroads of NH 45 and 78, and therefore well connected to all corners of the state. Bus Stands: The city is served by four bus stands, each covering a different region or service.

CLIMATE
Warm for most of the year with maximum temperatures varying from 37°C in summer to 29°C in winter. The minimum in winter hardly ever falls below 20°C. Rainfall is frequent (average 85 cm) and occurs throughout the year.

STD CODE
0452

AREA
3,676.sq.kms.

POPULATION
24,00,339

Meenakshi Temple
With its huge gopurams towering over the city, the life of Madurai revolves around the Meenakshi Sundareswar Temple, dedicated to Meenakshi, the lovely consort of Shiva or Sundareswar, as he is known here. Originally built by the Pandya king Kulasekhara in the 13th century, it attained its present splendour only in the hands of the Nayaks, 400 years later.

The story goes that Meenakshi was a beautiful princess born to the Pandya king of Madurai, but she had three breasts. It was only when she met her divine consort, Shiva that this deformity disappeared. Since then, they have happily resided in the Meenakshi Temple which attracts tourists from all over India and the world.

The temple complex with 12 towers, the Thousand-Pillared Mandapam and the Potramaraikulam (the golden lotus tank) is a perfect example of Dravidian architecture. The temple tank was also the site where the ancient Tamil Sangam used to meet and decide on the merits of literary compositions.

The Thousand-Pillared Mandapam, which actually has 985 pillars that make musical sounds when struck, houses the Temple Museum. The gopurams are covered with extensive carvings depicting stories from Hindu mythology, and the one on the east serves as the principal gateway to the shrine. Between the shrine and the entrance there is the Ashta Sakthi Mandapam, a hall where food was once distributed to the devotees who came from distant places.

Velli Ambalam stands between the sanctum and the inner compound, and houses the idol of the dancing god Nataraja plated with silver ( Velli ). The idol is unique since it presents the god standing on his left leg with his right leg raised to his shoulder, unlike the posture of the same god commonly seen in pictures, idols and statues. On the western side of the temple, there are the Kilikkoondu Mandapam, and the Oonjal Mandapam, where every Friday the golden idols of Meenakshi and Sundareswar are placed on a swing and worshipped to the accompaniment of music.

Thirumalai Nayak Mahal
When the royal line of Vijayanagar Empire was brought to an end by the marauding Muslim armies from Delhi, the Nayaks asserted their independence and assumed royal powers over their principalities of Madurai, Thanjavur and Gingee. The kings of the Nayak dynasty flourished in Madurai from the 16th to the 18th century. This palace built by Thirumalai Nayak, 1 km southeast of the temple, testifies to their glorious reign. Built in the Indo-Saracenic style, all that remains of this magnificent mansion today are the principal entrance, the dancing hall and the main hall. The main attraction now is the light and sound show in the palace, which depicts events from Thirumalai Nayak s life and also snatches from the ancient Tamil epic Silappathikaram.

Mariamman Teppakulam
Built by Thirumalai Nayak in the 17th century, this huge tank in the eastern part of the city was said to have underground channels connecting it with the Vaigai River. There is a Mandapam with an idol of Vinayaka right in the middle of the tank, which is brilliantly illuminated during the Float Festival celebrated on the full moon day day of the Tamil month of Thai (15th January -15th February).

Alagar Koil
A famous Vaishnavite shrine consecrated to Lord Alagar, situated near a hill on the outskirts of Madurai. Supposed to be older than the Meenakshi Temple, it lies about 22 km to the northeast of the town. Legend has it that Vishnu had come down to this place to give away Meenakshi in marriage to Sundareswar. Regular buses available to reach this temple.

Tirupparankundram
One of the six abodes of Murugan, the second son of Shiva, it is situated 10 km south of the city. Supposed to be the site of his marriage to Deivanai, this cave temple and its innermost shrine are cut out of solid rock.

Gandhi Museum
Dedicated to the father of the nation, this museum is housed in what used to be the palace of Rani Mangammal. Among the collection of Gandhi memorabilia exhibited here is the bloodstained dhoti that he was wearing on the fateful day of his assassination.

Sivakasi (60 km)
This place is synonymous with crackers and you will be amazed to see the huge number of match and fireworks factories in and around the town.

Vaigai Dam (70 km)
On the way to Thekkady, this is a popular picnic spot. The dam surrounded by well-manicured gardens is illuminated on Sunday evenings.

Srivilliputhur (74 km)
This place boasts of one of the tallest temple towers (60 m) in the country. The Nayak rulers built the ancient shrine of Sri Andal and Perialwar here, which has a beautifully carved roof, preserved till this day.

Kumbakkarai Falls (105 km)
This waterfall, around the ancient town of Tirunelveli, is definitely worth visiting. Surrounded on all sides by lush greenery, it serves as the base camp for trekkers venturing into the hills of nearby Kodaikanal.

Suruli Falls (120 km)
Located amidst pristine forests, it is an ideal spot for a day s outing.

Kodaikanal (120 km)
Nesting at a height of 2,130 m, it is one of the most beautiful hill stations in the south. Kodai offers long stretches of solitary walks, picturesque waterfalls and a beautiful lake, apart from an old observatory dating from the British times. The wooded greenery all around the place is ideal for trekking and camping.

Thekkady (137 km)
The site of Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, where the forest slopes into the manmade lake at the bottom of the hill. An excellent place to spot elephants and sambhars in their natural habitat while boating, Thekkady, with its camping sites is a nature lover s paradise. Best visited between September and June.  

A textile centre since ages, the streets of Madurai are teeming with shops of readymade garments as well as fabrics manufactured in-house. You can also spot a number of tailors alongwith the shops. Chithirai, Avanimoola, Puthumandapam and Thevangu Chetty Choultry are the popular shopping areas and you get to buy the famous Batik and Sungundi sarees here. Excellent turkish towels are also a famous export of Madurai. Some of the well known places to get hold of all these are:
Hajeemoosa
All India Handicrafts Emporium, Town Hall Road
Co-optex, West Tower Street
Madurai District Sarvodaya Sangh
Gandhigram Showroom
Natraja Stores
Honesty Stores
Amarjothi