The Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, and her consort, Sundareswarar, a form of Shiva.
The temple is at the center of Madurai, the ancient temple city described in Tamil Sangam literature, in which the Devi temple is mentioned in 6th-century-CE texts. This temple is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalam. The Paadal Petra Sthalams are 275 temples of Lord Shiva revered in the verses of the Tamil Shaivite Nayanars of the 6th–9th centuries CE.
The western tower (gopuram) of the temple is the model on which the Tamil Nadu state emblem is based.
The Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple was built by King Kulasekhara Pandya (1190–1216 CE). He built the main part of the three-storied gopura at the entrance to the Sundareswarar shrine and the central portion of the goddess Meenakshi shrine are some of the earliest surviving parts of the temple.
Traditional texts call him a poet-saint king, also crediting him with a poem called Ambikai Malai, as well as shrines (koils) for Nataraja and Surya near the main temple, Ayyanar in the east, Vinayagar in the south, Kariyamalaperumal Is. He also built a mahamandapam in the west and Kali in the north. Kulasekhara Pandya was also a poet and composed a poem on Meenakshi called Ambikai Malai.
Maravarman Sundara Pandyan I built a gopura in 1231, later called Avanivendaraman, which was later renovated, expanded and named Sundara Pandya Thirukkopuram. The Chitra Gopuram (west), also known as Muttalakkam Vayil, was built by Maravarman Sundara Pandyan (1238–1251). This gopuram is named after the frescoes and reliefs that depict secular and religious themes of Hindu culture. Maravarman Sundara Pandyan also added a pillared corridor to the Sundareswarar Temple and the Sundara Pandyan Mandapam.
The temple is a major pilgrimage site within the Shaivite tradition, dedicated to Meenakshi Devi and Shiva. However, Vishnu is included in many stories, idols and rituals in the temple as he is believed to be Meenakshi's brother. This has made this temple and Madurai the "Southern Mathura", which is included in Vaishnava texts.
The Meenakshi temple also includes artworks depicting Lakshmi, the flute-playing Krishna, Rukmini, Brahma, Saraswati, other Vedic and mythological deities, as well as narratives from major Hindu texts. The large temple complex is the most prominent landmark in Madurai and attracts thousands of visitors a day.
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The temple attracts over a million pilgrims and visitors during the annual 10-day Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival, which is celebrated during the Tamil month of Chittirai with much festivities and chariot processions. The temple has been declared the best 'Swachh Iconic Place' in India on 1 October 2017 under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
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Note:
Before adopting any health tips, consult a doctor. Because no one knows better than your doctor what is appropriate or how appropriate for your body