Hindu temple in Yanaikkal, Madurai
South Tower
Listen to this story 1 min
The story of South Tower
The tower beside you is the southern gateway of Meenakshi Temple, the great temple complex in Madurai that Britannica describes as a UNESCO heritage site. The complex you are standing in is arranged in concentric enclosures, and the tallest of its four large gateways is the southern tower, built in the 16th century CE and rising to 170 ft (52 m).
Its best-known feature is the crowd of sculpture work on the surface: the publication names over 1,000 intricately sculpted figures covering the tower. As you look up, you are looking at one of the most recognizable parts of the temple precinct, which also contains shrines, mandapas, and the main shrine dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi and her consort, Lord Sundareswarar.
Meenakshi Temple itself has a long documented history: its early structures were built under the Pandyas in the 12th to 13th century CE, rebuilt by the Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th century CE, and later expanded extensively by the Madurai Nayaks in the 16th and 17th centuries. The complex was restored after Indian independence, and further restoration and kumbhabhishekam were conducted in 1974, 1995, and 2009.
This tower is one of the clearest things to study here: the height, the gateways, and the dense sculptural surface all show why the temple is such a major landmark.
In brief
Meenakshi Temple, also known as Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, and her consort Sundareswarar (Shiva). The temple is theologically significant as it represents a confluence of various denominations of Hinduism such as Shaivism, Shaktism, and Vaishnavism.
While the Sangam literature mentions the temple city of Madurai, the existence of a temple is first referenced in the Tamil texts from 6th century CE. It is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalams, Shiva temples that are revered in the Tevaram verses composed by the Nayanars between the 6th and 11th century CE. The early structures of the temple were built during the reign of the Pandyas in the 12th to 13th century CE. It was later rebuilt by the Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th century CE, after its destruction by the armies of the Delhi Sultanate. The temple complex was later expanded extensively by the Madurai Nayaks in the 16th and 17th centuries. While a few structural improvements were made during the 18th and 19th centuries CE, the temple condition degraded due to negligence during the British Raj. After the Indian independence in the mid 20th century, the temple was restored with donations collected from people. Further restoration and kumbhabhishekam of the temple was conducted in 1974, 1995, and 2009.
The temple complex is spread over 5.7 hectares (14 acres). It consists of monuments inside several concentric enclosures (prakara), each layer fortified with high masonry walls. The outer walls have four large gopurams (ornamental gateways), one on each cardinal direction, and 10 smaller gopurams. The tallest is the southern tower, which was built in the 16th century CE and rises to 170 ft (52 m). The shrines of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar, the prominent and largest of the shrines in the temple, is located in the courtyard of the innermost prakara. The complex has numerous mandapas, including the thousand pillared hall, which are used for housing idols, temple festivities, and as choultry. There are images of various Hindu gods located across various shrines and mandapas in the temple. The golden lotus pond (potramarai kulam) is the main temple tank, located within the premises.
The temple is managed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. The temple complex is a prominent landmark in Madurai and attracts thousands of visitors every day.
Before you go
- Time to allow
- 30-60 min
- Best months
- December to February
- Address
- W499+9P7, Madurai Main, Madurai, Tamil Nadu 625001, India