Me at Taj

Kodaikanal

I have gone to Kodaikanal 2 times. I was blessed in a way, that I worked in a company that encouraged extensive travel on work – I went to Kodai for a conference. And again I went to Kodai for a trek in the jungles along with my friend.

During my first visit to Kodai, we stayed in the Carlton Hotel, which is by the Kodai lake. The property is beautiful has several rooms and is a luxury hotel, with luxurious facilities. The lawns oversee the lake, and it is a great view. The presentations and the corporate bonding sessions took up all the time, and there was no time for sight seeing. Except that I could peek out of my bus at the Silver Cascade waterfall.

The second trip was much later, in December 2003, between Dec 24th and 31st. It was meant to be a winter trek. Kodaikanal was cold….at about 8 degree C, and during the trek, we passed through virgin forests, waterfalls – which none would have seen, several lakes, meadows and small and beautiful villages. The trek was very memorable. After the trek, we had 1 days time to go around Kodai, and experience the hill station. Kodai in winter is awesome.

For folks who live in Chennai, Kodai is summer retreat. The Chennai – Madurai Pandian Express leaves Chennai Egmore Station at 8.00 pm and reaches Kodai Road Junction at about 7.30 am the next morning. One can take a bus or a cab to reach Kodai, which is 120 kms away, usually a 2 and half hrs drive. But, since we made plans in the last minute, we could not get a train ticket, we had to go to Kodai by bus. Kodai is well connected from all places in the South.

Kodai is situated at an altitude of about 2,133-m and covers an area of 21.45-sq-km. The hill town is renowned for its educational institutions of international repute. The pride of Kodaikanal is the 'Kurinji-flower', which blossoms once in 12 years.

We reached Kodai at 11 am. It was a trek organized by the Youth Hostels Association of India, and we were to report at the base camp in KodaiKanal at about 2 pm. Since, we had a lot of time, we checked into a hotel, the Rs. 300 per day kinds, had a hot water bath, ate sumptuous break fast, went around the place, long walks, looked at curios in a shop, and then, reported at the camp. Kodai is famous for the home made chocolates – don’t forget to indulge.

The base camp was in the most scenic place of Kodai, near Coakers walk, the camps rooms were at the sides or edges of the mountains, from here, one could get a great view of the valley on all sides. The tall trees, were covered with mist and the sight is beautiful. Trust me, the description is nothing in comparison to the beautiful sight, coz I do not know the right words.

In the evening, we introduced ourselves to all the other members of the trek group. We knew that we were here for fun, and were getting prepared.

One needs to understand what happens in a Youth hostel trek. You get tents to stay in, you are woken up at 5 am every morning with a hot cup of tea, after which you will wonder where to pee, there are open bathrooms ie, I mean there are no bathrooms, you could do it anywhere, under a tree or behind the bush. You can dig a pit in the earth, if you want to feel comfortably. You got to carry your bucket of water, and those who don’t mind the paper, can use it. There are areas designated for Gents and Ladies, and it is appreciated if you stick to your demarkated territory. A bath is a complete impossibility. Simple breakfast is served in the morning, followed by lunch, which you are to pack in a box, fill water and put your rucksack on the back, and get going. In the next camp where you get to, dinner is served, sleeping bags, rugs are provided, which are comfortable. After dinner, you can socialize with the rest of the gang, and have fun. But, there are rules. Lights out at 7.30 pm.

So, as Kodai is a regular hillstation with large parts of it, under the Forest Department, we could trek into dense forest. There was a place, in the jungle, called wet jungle, it is completely dark here, as the forest is extremely thick, there is a waterfall in the vicinity, and hence the froth / fizz of the waterfall, keeps the entire place wet. It was awesome.

After this, we started walking into forests that were beautiful…silver oak forests, like never seen before, we passed through water falls, no one has even been to, except the tribals of the village…several lakes..there were several meadows…good enough for the guys to play a game of cricket. But, the Kodai trek was different, as most of the route was through the jungle, we could stay in the Forest Officers bungalow. Some of these bungalows were more than 100 yrs old, were constructed during the days of the British Raj obviously, and were in the most picture perfect locations of the valley. Awesome places. To get to these place, you need to trek through the jungle, almost 12 - 17 kms every day, and in the end of the day, when you get to the camp, you will be delighted that your effort was not a waste.

The usual trek follows from Berijem lake to the Kerala border Vandaraw and will be back via 'Poondi' , Poomparai, Kavunji, and Kukkal. We can see the big Mannavanur sheep farm while trekking via this route.

After the trek, every bit of the body was aching, coz we trekked, on an average, about 15 kms every day. One day, we got soo tired, of walking, we knew there was a road nearby, we walked to the road, stopped a lorry and got into it. Kodai is a highly populated hill station in South India, and hence, no matter where you are, even if you are the deepest and thickest of jungles, you will always hear a lorry or a taxi going by, which means, you are close to a road. So, none of us, were scared that we would get lost in the jungle.

Yeah, so after the trek, we said good bye to all the new friends, left the camp, checked in to a hotel again, for a hot water bath, we had not had a bath for 4 days. We ate sumptuous meal – at the Carlton, and started going around the city. There are a lot of places to see in and around Kodaikanal – the lake, Coakers walk, Pillar Rocks, Guna Caves, Berijam lake etc.

We spend the day in Kodaikanal and left to Madurai the next morning. There are lots of palces in Kodai, they are

Berijam lake - Berijam Lake is located at a distance of 21-km from Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu is one among the beautiful lakes of South India. The lake is star shaped and is known for its pure water. It is now under the Forest Department and is closed for the public. You nee special permission to go there.

Coakers Walk - It is a narrow pedestrian path, constructed by Lt. Coaker in 1872, a one kilometer mountain road which runs along the edge of steep slopes on the southern side of Kodai road which is 1/2km away from Kodai. The walk winding around Mt. Nebo starts near van Allen hospital and joins the main road above St. Peter's Church, provides a wide-angle spectacular view of the plains. On a cloudless, clear day one can have interesting sights, such as.... Dolphin's nose in south, valley of the Pambar river in South East, birds eye view of Periyakulam and even city of Madurai.

Thalaiyar Falls - This is also called as Rat tail falls.The widest falls, ranging from 13th kilometer on the ghat road to kodai. It is one of the highest falls in India, with their 975ft sheer drop. Bear Shola Falls - An ideal picnic spot, 1.6 km from bus stand and within 2 Kms off the lake, where once bears came to drink water. Hence the name of the falls became Bear Shola falls. The approach is near Clifton Hotel, a rugged hill path. The falls are at the best in rainy season.

Pambar Falls - "Grand cascade" is another name for this magnificent falls. It can be reached by a steep, precipitous path behind Pambar house. Racing down Pambar Ravine is Zig-zagging leving stream that cascades over a series of rock formations. It is 4kms away from Kodaikanal.Silver cascade - This water fall is located on the main ghat road, 8 kms away as one approaches Kodai from Kodai Road. Overflow of Kodai lake takes 180 ft leap over a steep cliff, to crash into a pool beside the ghat Road.

Kukkal Caves – To reach this place, which is at a distance of 40 kms, travel by bus upto Poombarai and then take a walk. It is preferable to take a local guide. The caves here are actually overhanging slabs of rocks. This rock shelter is at an altitude of 1500 m. The cave reveals traces of earliest settled tribals, Paliyans who used to wear leaf clothing. Overviewing the caves are Manjampath valley where bisons can be seen.

Pillar Rocks - Three granite boulders each vertically measuring a height of 400 feet stand shoulder to shoulder. It is located 8 Kms from the lake tower over the panoramic view. In the shadows of the pillars are shady woods that invite picnickers. The chamber between the two pillars is called Devil's kitchen.

Dolphins nose – It is at a distance of 8 kms from the bus stand, one has to follow the route specified here. It is a point where a flat rock projects over an awful chesm of 6600 feet deep. This is Dolphins nose. On the way, beautiful views of plains and steepy rocky eascarpeints called rolling hills can be seen.

Vembadi Peak – It is the second highest peak with a height of 2466m. A right turn in Berijam road and a steep climb leads you to the top. From the stone summit, one can have a magnificent view over Berijam lake, Vandaravu range, Mannovanur sheep farm , Poombarai valley and over all Kerala. The hike will begin from Kodaikanal TV Tower.

Palani hills – They are at eastern offshoot of the Western ghats covering an area of 2400 Sq. Kms, and the town of Kodaikanal is centrally located. There are 2 main divisions of Palani - the Upper Palani (1800 - 2500 m)and the Lower Palani (800 - 1500 M). The Palani is the main watershed for the Vaigai (South) and Amaravathi (Cauvery - North) Basins. The Palani is a source of unique genetic diversity as well as of water for the thirsty plains below.

Bryant Parks - The practical utility of this park is, in every May a horticultural show is conducted by the department of Horticulture. On that occasion enormous vegetables and flowers from neighbouring villages compete for the prizes, which draws big crowd.

Kodai lake - One of the main attractions for the tourists of Kodaikanal is the Kodai lake which is at a distance of 3kms from the bus stand. In 1863, Vera Levinge, a former District Collector of Madurai settled in Kodaikanal after his retirement. He was the man of resource and creative ideas for this lake. By spending his own money he converted the marshy land with several streams of lake by constructing a strong bund and brought boats from Tuticorin. It is reported that the foreign resident's even used to swim in the lake.

The lake is at an elevation of 2285m above sea level and it looks magnificent with star shaped glittering water, in the midst of evergreen lush slopes. Today lakhs of tourists walk around, sail on, ride on horses & cycles and admire the lake. Ponyrides by children and adults walking around the lake are part of Kodai Holiday.

Getting There :

By Road : Chennai ( 520 kms ), Madurai ( 120 kms ) There are buses from Madurai, Trichy, Coimbathore, Sales etc..and is never really problem.

By Air : Madurai is the closest airport at 120 kms

By Train : Nearest rail head is Madurai is 120 kms.

Best time : April to May and Sept to October as it is a hill stations. Winters can get bitterly cold.

Trip duration : 2 to 3 days.

Accomodations :

The Carlton, Lake Road, Kodaikanal 624 101, Tel: +(91) (4542) 240056/240071, \Fax: +(91) (4542) 241170 , Email: carlton@krahejahospitality.com

Hotel Paradise Inn, Paradise Compound, Laws Ghat Road, Kodaikanal 624 101Tel: +(91) (4542) 241075/241175 , Fax: +(91) (4542) 241024
Hotel Kodai International , Post Box 33, 17/328 Laws Ghat Road, Kodaikanal 624 101Tel: +(91) (4542) 245190~93 , Fax: +(91) (4542) 240753 , Email: hki@vsnl.net

Sterling Resorts, 75/76, attuvampatti, Kodaikanal 624 101, Tel: +(91) (4542) 244447/244448
Kodai Resort , Noyce Road, Kodaikanal 624 101, Tel: +(91) (4542) 242107/8

Halebid

Everyone talks about Belur alone. But Halebid temple is in a class of its own. If you asked me, I would say that I find Halebid temple more beautiful than the one at Belur.

Shravanabelagola, Belur and Halebid can be covered as a single day trip from Bangalore, Mysore or Hassan. Or Hassan, which is just 27 kms away, can be a good central point to visit these 3 places.

Halebid ( pronounced Halebeedu ) was called Dwarasamudra, and it used to be the capital of the Hoysala kings during the 12th Century. The Hoysalas shifted the capital to Belur due to 2 reasons. Halebid was attached very often by the invaders from the north. In 1311 Malik Kafur invaded Halebid and carried away all the treasures. In 1326, Muhamad Bin Tughlak invaded and took away what was left. After the death of King Ballalla – 3, the city was reduced to poverty.

In the 17th Century, King Vishnuvardhan abandoned Halebid. He defeated the Chola Kings at Talacad, and built his new capital Belur to commemorate his victory.

Halebid’s temple is one of the finest examples of the Hoysala style of architecture. It is made of soap stone, is a homogeneous structure that stands on a star shaped platform, and has beautiful carvings on the inside as well as the outside of the temple. This temple has 4 doors, and is unique coz it has 2 Garbha Grahas or Sanctum Sanctorum. In both these sanctums are large Shiva lingas. Puja is not conducted here.

I wonder why the king made 2 sanctums in one temple, in one large hall. I am told one is temple of Vishnuvardhan Hoysaleshwawra Linga and the other is of Shantaleshwara Linga. To me, both looked the same.

So, for each of these Shiva Lingas, there is a Nandi which is right in the front, facing the diety. The Nandi’s also have their temple, called Nandi Mandaps, smaller but equally beautiful.

Behind the Nandi Mandap is the Surya temple, the Surya idol is over 2 metres tall, and is beautiful.

The exteriors of these temples are beautiful, decorated with panels of warriors, dancers, horses, elephants, mythical creatures. There are beautiful apsaras, and there are several sculptures of hindu deities, and scenes from Mahabharat, Ramayan and Bhagavat Gita. The sculptures here are larger than the ones you will find at Belur, and are carved on both sides of the stone.

There are other temples in Halebid, They are Kedareshwara temple, Trikuta Temple, Hoysaleswara Temple, Sri Ranganath temple and the Jain Mandir.

I visited only the main temple. It took about 90 minutes to go around , and to look at each and every sculpture. You will recognize most of them as Shiva Parvathy, Bhrahma, Krishna, Arjuna, Ganesha etc. The sculptures are very beautiful. The temple is well maintained, but, as in the case of most monuments in India, there are many sculptures were the hands, parts of jewelry, head and other parts are missing. There are several notices placed here by the Archeological society at vantage points, indicating that it is prohibited to touch the sculptures. But, at many places, you will find scribblings by people, who have tried to engrave their names on the sculptures and on the pillars.

Never the less, whatever we are able to see today is because of the good work of the Archeological society. The lawn and gardens are well maintained. There are several dustbins, so the place is fairly clean.

There are several guides here, whom one can engage for an explanation for each of the sculpture…but, I think, it is better to avoid them.

Right outside the temple, there are several shops selling artifacts made in soap stone.

Halebid temple can get hot in the summer, as the stones get heated up. Wearing socks will be a good option as wearing footwear is not permitted inside the complex.

Getting There :

Road : Halebid is about 220 kms from Bangalore and is well connected by road from Bangalore, Hassan, Mysore and other important places.

For all those who visit Bangalore or Mysore on a vacation, I think visiting Belur, Halebid and Shravanabelagola is a must. Belur is 14 kms South West of Halebid.

Trip Duration : 1 day

Best time : Any time of the year

Accomodation : Hassan has good accommodation facilities. Belur, Halebid and Shravanabelagola can be covered as a single day excursion, either from Bangalore, Mysore or from Hassan.

Belur

Belur. Belur. Beautiful temple, wonderful sculptures. Heard so much of it. So, one day I finally got there.

I went to Chikmaglur, and on the way visited Shravanabelagola and Halebid. On the way back to Bangalore, we visited the famous Chennakesava Temple at Belur. It does not justify doing a single travelogue for all the 4 places. And, hence, this one is on Belur.

We had already spent 2 days at Chikmaglur and were completely rejuvenated. On the way back, we halted at Belur. We has passed through the same way during the onward journey, and hence we knew exactly which place to turn to get to the temple.

The area around Belur temple, was like any other temple town. There was a large entrance gate with a gopuram, there was a Dhwaja stamba ( Pillar ) with colourful flags flying at the top. Nice scene.

The temple rose majestically on a star shaped platform. It is similar in architecture to the temple at Halebid. The Star shaped platform, short temples with beautiful sculptures without a gopuram at the top, is the hallmark of the Hoysala architectural style.

The kings of TamilNadu made temples that rose to the sky. They had really tall and colourful gopurams. They Chola kings showed their strength by making the tallest structures. The standards in Karnataka are quite contrary. The Hoysala temples are all short without gopuram, but the beauty and the intricate designs of the sculptures are unparalleled.

Yadava Kings defeated Chalukyas, Cholas and Pandyas and became the most powerful rulers of the south. The Hoysala dynasty originally had their capital at Haledid ( 17 kms from Belur ) where they ruled for over 150 yrs. Halebid was attacked continuously in the 14th Century by invaders, because of which it has to be abandoned. The seat of power was shifted to Belur.

King Vishnuvardhan was one of the powerful rulers, and to commemorate his conversion from Jainism to Vaishnavism, he built the Channakeshava temple at his Capital Belur. It is also said that he built the temple to celebrate his victory over the Cholas at Talkad.

In those days temples were not just places of worship. They had other purposes too, a temple doubled up as a justice court, treasure house, an institution to impart ethical education and promoted various art forms – dance, music and arts.

The temple has a main gate with a short rising gopuram. Right in front is the Dhwaja Stamba ( flag post. All temples have a flag post, and the colour and design of the flag is unique to each temple ) and then a statue of Garuda – the Vaahan of Lord Vishnu. Garuda kneels on the floor with his hands joined in submission to the Lord. He faces the sanctum sanctorum.

The main temple made is made of soap stone, and is a homogeneous unit on a star shaped platform. Every possible surface is covered with the most beautiful and intricate carvings of apsaras, elephants, bulls, army men on horses. There are sculptures indicating scenes from the Ramayan, Mahabhratha, other stories from Hindu Mythology, Puranas, Vedas and the Upanishads.

The main temple is surrounded by smaller temples – dedicated to Soumyanayaki and Ranganayaki – the consorts of Lord Keshava. There are temples for Narasimha and Anjaneya too.

On entering the interiors of the Channakeshava temple, you will find the carved royal emblem of the Hoysala dynasty, which is King Sala killing the tiger. This emblem can be found in all the Hoysala temples.

The temples interiors are as beautiful as the exteriors. The presiding diety is one of the Lord Krishna or Kesava and he is called Vijaya Narayana here. The statue is 6 feet tall and is in the sanctum of the main temple, it is said to be installed in 1117 A.D. There are several beautifully carved pillars, each one with a unique theme – one for Narasimha, there is a Mohini pillar and the ceiling has beautiful apsaras.

There is a water tank in the temple, which may have been used by pilgrims and tourists to bathe in the olden days. The temple has corridors attached to the high compound wall, which would have been used by travelers to rest. Currenly, a part of it is used by the temple adminstration.

The government is maintaining the complex well. I am sure, it would be a beautiful sight to visit the temple in night light, but, we did not have time for that.

It was sad to see several parts of the panels missings. Many of the carved warriors did not have heads, the dancers did not have hands, and this way, for every 4 feet of carved panels on the temple exteriors, there was 1 feet that was damaged.

There are several guides, whom you can engage while you go around the temple. It would take about an hour and half to go around the temple, if you spend time observing each of the beautiful sculptures.

We were to remove footwear to enter the complex. It was really hot to walk around. Water was poured on the floor continuously by the officials to ensure that visitors could have a comfortable walk around the temple.

I took about 1 and half hours to see the temple completely. I had visited Halebid earlier, and found Belur similar to Halebid. Outside the temple, there are several shops on the road where sculptures made of soap stone are sold. I bargained to purchase a Nandi. It was very expensive and I had to leave it.

We left Belur at about 4 pm and reached Bangalore at 7.30 pm in the night.

Getting There :

Road : Belur is about 220 kms from Bangalore and is well connected by road from Bangalore, Hassan, Mysore and other important places.

For all those who visit Bangalore or Mysore on a vacation, I think visiting Belur, Halebid and Shravanabelagola is a must.

Trip Duration : 1 day

Best time : Any time of the year

Accomodation : Hassan has good accommodation facilities. Belur, Halebid and Shravanabelagola can be covered as a single day excursion, either from Bangalore, Mysore or from Hassan.

Where to eat : Close to the temple, there is a restaurant called Vishnu Prabha. The serve thali meals in the afternoons…and there are several items on the menu. The food is good, and the rates are nominal.

Shravanabelagola

I have seen pictures of Gomateshwara, and have heard that it is the largest monolithic statue in India. The more pictures I saw, the more I wanted to go to the place to see him for myself.

I had planned Shravanabelagola several times, but it never materialized. Finally we made it, but on the way to Chikmaglur. We visted Belur and Halebid temple complexes as well.

These three places can be visited from Bangalore as a single day excursion.

One can reach Shravanabelagola by road, and the route is simple. Drive from Bangalore – towards Hassan via Nelamangala. After Nelamangala, one has to take a 18 kms detour towards a small village on the left to reach Shravanabelagola.

You will find yourself driving through small villages, paddy fields and the scenery looks beautiful. I remembered that the Gomateshwara temple is on the top of a small hillock, but there were no hillocks at sight. I was wondering, if we were going in the right way. Then suddenly, we saw the statue of Gomateshwara rising high on top of the hillock.

A few hillocs appear in the horizon and one can see a temple at the top. The statue of Gomateshware can be seen as we drive closer to the temple premise.

We left Bangalore at about 7.30 am and we reached Shravanabelagola temple premises at about 9 am.

We parked the car in the parking lot. The scenery around was like that of any other temple town. There were rows of shops for pooja items – flowers, baskets with coconut, agarbathis, betel leaves, saffron, framed photos of the diety and religious books. As Mahavir is the God of the Jains, there were a lot of Jains in the area.

We had a quick breakfast in the nearby restaurant. Idlis are best when you travel. Coffee in these areas is also good, as we are now close to coffee country – Chikmaglur.

We deposited our footwear at the temple entrance. We purchased socks from a local vendor for Rs. 25 per pair. First we thought that it is not going to be of much use. But, we realized that as the time went by, the mountain steps started getting hot like a oven. The socks really helped.

There are 2 hillocks and a pond here - Chandragiri and Indragiri. Chandragiri has the Chandragupta basadi of the Gangas and the Parashwanatha basadi here is the biggest. The town below the hill has the Jaina matha whose walls have very old paintings.

Indragiri has the Gomateshwara monolith, 58' tall, installed by a Ganga general and scholar Chavundaraya, and also Siddhara basadi, Odegal basadi, Chennanna basadi and Chauvvisa Tirthankara basadi, and also the finely engraved pillar called Tyagada Brahma Pillar. The floral designs on it are excellent.

To the north of town is Jinanathapura which has the Aregal basadi and the Shantinatha basadi of Hoysala times.

Shravanabelagola has over 500 inscriptions, and some of them are recording death by starving (`sallekhana') by Jaina ascetics and laymen.

Indragiri has nearly 600 steps to the top, where the Gomateshwara statue is present. These steps are not steep like in the case of Tirupati steps, but, as you go higher, one tends to get tired. There are two sets of steps – one set to go up, and one set to come down.

We started climbing the steps slowly. We decided that we ought to finish the entire thing, climbing up, darshan and climbing down in 1 and half hours. We had to proceed to Halebid and Belur after this.

As we reached a little higher, we could get a complete view of the town below. It looked really beautiful with all the coconut trees and the terracotta tiled roofs on top of the buildings. Right in front of the temple is a small temple tank, and its view with the water and the reflection of the gopuram in the water, looked beautiful. Right in front of this temple, was another hillock - Chandragiri, with temple on top of it. We could see the steps and could see people climbing the stairs. We took a few quick photographs.

We found people of all ages climbing the steps. For old people who cannot climb, there were palanquin bearers, who would take carry you up on a chair for Rs. 150 ( one way ). We saw several old people using this service.

We reached the temple on the top in about 30 mins. We took a little rest as we were running short of breath. The temple had a larger entrance and had huge doors. It has statues of several dieties and several inscriptions in a language I could not understand.

We entered the premise and then the statue of the Gomateshwara appeared in front of us. He was so tall and beautiful. Wonderful features were chiseled on stone by master craftsmen. There were devotees performing puja.

We spend some time, outside the temple, looking at the scenery below the hillock - lots of coconut trees and beautiful fields.

I must say that the temple is being maintained quite well, and I felt glad that at last I could do this trip to see the Gomateshwara.

A special puja is held once in 10 years. At this time, Gomateshwaras statue is bathed with milk, honey, curd, ashes, sweets, ghee and other important ingredients. Special poojas are also performed here during Mahavir Jayanthi.

How to get there :

By Air / Rail : Bangalore ( 157 Kms )
By Road : Shravanabelagola is well connected by road from all important towns in Karnataka. You can here from Mysore, Bangalore or Hassan.

Best time : Any time of the year, but during summer, a pair of socks can come in handy. The boulders can get really hot in summer

Trip duration : 1 day

Places to stay : One goes to Shravanabelagola while visiting Belur and Halebid. The best places to stay at are in Hassan, Chikmaglur and in Bangalore. It is not really necessarily to stay at Shravanabelagola.

Madurai

Madurai is a filthy temple city and is the 2nd largest in Tamilnadu. Off late it has become popular because it is home to one of the largest Hindu temple complex – the Madurai Meenaksi Temple.

Every time I went to Madurai, I took the Pandian Express, it leaves Chennai Egmore Station at 8 pm and reaches Madurai at about 8 am the next morning.

Situated on the banks of river Vaigai, Madurai has a rich cultural heritage passed on from the great Tamil era more than 2500 years old. Madurai was an important cultural and commercial centre even as early as 550 AD. It was the capital city for the great Pandya kings.

The Pandyan King Kulasekarar built a great temple – the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple and created a lotus shaped city around the temple. On the day the city was to be named, as Lord Shiva blessed the land and its people, divine nectar (Madhu) was showered on the city from his matted locks. This city was henceforth known as Madhurapuri.

The entire city of Madurai, is built around the Temple. Concentric rectangular streets surround the temple, symbolizing the structure of the cosmos.

As early as the 3rd century BC, Megasthanes visited Madurai. Later many people from Rome and Greece visited Madurai and established trade with the Pandya kings. Madurai flourished till 10th century AD when it was captured by Cholas the arch rivals of the Pandyas.

The Cholas ruled Madurai from 920 AD till the beginning of the 13th century. In 1223 AD Pandyas regained their kingdom and once again become prosperous. Pandian Kings patronised Tamil language in a great way. During their period, many master-pieces were created, Silapathikaram being one of them.

In April 1311, Malik Kafur, the general of Alauddin Khilji who was then the ruler of Delhi, reached Madurai and raided and robbed the city off precious stones, jewels, and other rare treasures. This led to the subsequent raids by other Muslim Sultans. In 1323, the Pandya kingdom including Madurai became a province of the Delhi empire, under the Tughlaks.
The 1371, the Vijayanagar dynasty of Hampi captured Madurai and it became part of the Vijayanagar empire. Kings of this dynasty were in habit of leaving the captured land to governors called Nayaks. This was done for the efficient management of their empire.

The Nayaks paid fixed amount annually to the Vijayanagar empire. After the death of Krishna Deva Raya (King of Vijayanagar empire) in 1530 AD, the Nayaks became independent and ruled the territories under their control. Among Nayaks, Thirumalai Nayak (1623-1659) was very popular, even now he is popular among people, since, it was he who contributed to the creation of many magnificent structures in and around Madurai. The Raja Gopuram of the Meenakshi Amman Temple, The Pudu Mandapam and The Thirumalai Nayakar's Palace are living monuments to his artistic fervor.

Madurai started slipping into the hands of the British's East India Company. In 1781, British appointed their representatives to look after Madurai. George Procter was the first collector of Madurai.After India's independence, Madurai is one of the major districts of Tamilnadu State. Later on Madurai district was bifurcated into two districts namely Madurai and Dindugul Districts

The history of Madurai will not be complete without mentioning the name of Rani Mangammal, the woman of great skill and sagacity. History does not provide many instances of ruling queens in Tamil Nadu. Though it was considered that women were not suited to succeed the throne of a kingdom, Rani Mangammmal, however shines in almost solitary eminence as an able and powerful ruler in Tamil Nadu.

Madurai is famous for its temples. The Aappudaiyaar Koyil Tevara Stalam and the Koodalazhagar Divya Desam are the most important temples one should rarely miss to go. In the vicinity of Madurai is Tirupparamkunram, one of the 6 padai veedu shrines of Murugan (glorified in Madurai Sangam Nakeerar’s Tirumurugaatruppadai). Also is Alagar Koyil, one of the prominent Divya Desam shrines of the Sri Vaishnavite faith.

Meenakshi - Sundareshwarar Temple - The enormous temple complex is dedicated to Shiva, known here as Sundareshvara and his consort Parvati or Meenakshi. The original temple was built by Kulasekara Pandya, but the entire credit for making the temple as splendid as it is today goes to the Nayaks.

The temple complex is within a high-walled enclosure, at the core of which are the two sanctums for Meenakshi and Sundareshwara, surrounded by a number of smaller shrines and grand pillared halls. Especially impressive are the 12 gopuras or towers. Their soaring towers rise from solid granite bases, and are covered with stucco figures of dieties, mythical animals and monsters painted in vivid colours.

Many festivals are celebrated in the Meenakshi temple which is known as the 'Temple of feasts'. The numerous festivals celebrated at the shrine almost around the year, represent the ideas and thoughts of the cultured and progressive people of that region in the field of philosophy, religion, science and art.

The other important features of complexes within the temple complex are the Ashta Shakthi Mandapam, Meenakshi Nayakkar Mandapam, Potramaraikulam ( Golden Lotus Pond ), Oonjal Mandama ( Swing Mandapam ), Swami Sundareswarar Shrine, Velli Ambalam or Silver Hall, 1000 pillar mandapam with the musical pillars, Vasantha Mandapam,

Thirumalai Nayakars Palace - Nayaka's architectural masterpiece was his own palace. Even in its present remnants show, what a marvellous building it should have been when it was completed in April 1636 A.D. There is a tradition that Chokkanatha Nayaka, his grandson, dismantled portions of the palace and its golden decorations and other ornamental structures and transferred them to Tiruchirapally. The great palace was allowed to be neglected and go to ruin. In 1886 A.D., when Lord Napier was the British Governor of Madras, he ordered to preserve this palace as a historical monument.

Vaigai Dam – This dam on river Vaigai is a very beautiful picnic spot, obviously, it is across the Vaigai river.

Kodai Kanal – Kodai is a hill station and is about 120 kms from Madurai.

Getting there :

Air : Madurai has a airport.

Road : Madurai is well connected by Road from all the other major cities.

Rail : Madurai has a railway station

Trip Duration : 2 days

Getting Around : Autos or Taxis

Best time to get there : August to November

Accomodation :

Hotel Royal Court , 4, West VeliI Street, Madurai - 625 001 , Opp: Railway Station,
Phone: +91-452 - 5356666(Hunting Lines) , Fax: 0452 - 5373333 , Email: royalcourt@eth.net

Hotel Best Western Germanus, 28,Bypass Road, Arasaradi, Madurai-625 010. Phone : 91-452-2382001 (7 LINES) , Fax : 91-452-2381478

Hotel Madurai Residency, 15,West Marret Street, Madurai -1. , Phone : 0452 2343140

Madura Park Inn, 38, Madakulam Main Road, Palanganatham, Madurai - 3. Phone:2371155

Taj Garden Retreat, Pasumalai Hill, Madurai-4 , Ph:2371601 (8 lines)

Madurai Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Temple

This write up is a feature on the Madurai Meenakshi temple. The size of this temple amazes me. And therefore, decided not to make it a part of the Madurai travelogue, but, cover it separately.

Madurai city is famous for its Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple and the Jasmine flowers.

The Pandyan King Kulasekarar built a great temple and created a lotus shaped city around it, which is the modern day Madurai. Concentric rectangular streets surround the temple, symbolizing the structure of the cosmos.

The enormous temple complex is dedicated to Shiva, known as Sundareshvara and his consort Parvati or Meenakshi. The original temple was built by Kulasekara Pandya, but the entire credit for making the temple as splendid as it is today goes to the Nayaks. The Nayaks ruled Madurai from the 16th to the 18th century.

The temple complex is within a high-walled enclosure, at the core of which are the two sanctums for Meenakshi and Sundareshwara, surrounded by a number of smaller shrines and grand pillared halls.

Especially impressive are the 12 gopuras. Their soaring towers rise from solid granite bases, and are covered with stucco figures of dieties, mythical animals and monsters painted in vivid colours.

Temple Towers - There are 12 temple towers(Gopurams). The outer towers are the landmarks of Madurai. They are:

1. East Tower (Nine Storeys). Height 161'3". This Gopura has 1011 sudhai figures.
2. South Tower (Nine Storeys). Height 170'6". This Tower has 1511 sudhai figures.
3. West Tower (Nine Storeys). Height 163'3". This Tower has 1124 sudhai figures.
4. North Tower (Nine Storeys). Height 160'6". This Tower has lesser figures of sudhai than other outer towers.

These towering gateways indicate the entrance to the temple complex at the four cardinal points, while lesser gopuras lead to the sanctums of the main dieties.

Ashta Shakthi Mandapam - A visitor who enters the temple through the eastern gateway, first enters this Mandapam(Hall). It was built by Thirumalai Nayakar's wives Rudrapathi Ammal and Tholimamai. In this hall food was once distributed to the devotees who came from far off places.

Meenakshi Nayakkar Mandapam - This big hall is adjacent to Ashta Shakthi Mandapam, consisting of 110 pillars carrying the figures of a peculiar animal with a lion's body , and an elephant's head called Yalli. It is used for shops and stores. And this hall has a votive lamp-holder with 1,008 lamps, which are lit on festive occasions and present a spectacular sight
The sculptures on the pillars here relate some of Lord Shiva's Thiruvilayadals (miracles) and also the story of Meenakshi's birth and her life as the princess of Madurai.

Potramaraikulam (Golden Lotus tank) - This temple tank is an ancient tank where devotees take bath in the holy water. The area around this tank was the meeting place of the Tamil Sangam - the ancient academy of poets.

Oonjal Mandapam - The Oonjal (swing) Mandapam and Killikoontu (parrot cage) Mandapam are on the western side of the tank. Every Friday, the golden idols of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar are seated on the swing in the Oonjal Mandapam and hymns are sung as the deities gaily swing to and fro.

The parrots in the Kilikoontu Mandapam have been trained to repeat Meenakshi's name. But more interesting are the 28 pillars of the mandapam which exhibit some excellent Sculptures of figures from Hindu mythology.

Swami Sundareswarar Shrine - Lord Sundareswarar (Shiva) the consort of Goddess Meenakshi is to the north of Kilikoontu Mandapam . On your way you can worship a gigantic idol of Sri Ganesh called Mukkurini Pillaiyar. When the king Thirumalai Nayakar excavated a temple tank 3 km from Meenakshi temple he unearthed this idol of Vinayaka and erected the same here.

In the outer pragaram (corridor outside the main shrine) there is stump of the kadamba tree, which is said to be a part of the same tree under which Indra worshipped Shiva linga.
Also in the outer corridor there are the Kadambathadi Mandapam and big hall called Velli Ambalam. Here, an idol of Nataraja (Shiva as the Lord of Dance) is seen. This idol of Nataraja is covered with silver leaves. Hence this hall is named as Velli Ambalam (Silver Hall)..

The Thousand Pillar Mandapam - It is the 'wonder of the palace'. Actually the number of pillars count to 985 beautifully decorated columns. Each pillar is sculptured and is a monument of the Dravidan sculpture. There is a Temple Art Museum in this 1000 pillars hall where you can see icons, photographs, drawings, etc., exhibiting the 1200 years old history. There are so many other smaller and bigger mandapams in the temple.

The thousand pillar mandapam is supposed to have been built by Arya Natha Mudaliyar , the Prime Minister of the first Nayaka of Madurai (1559-1600 A.D.) and the founder of 'Poligar System'. An equestrian statue of the Mudaliyar flanks one side of the steps leading to the 'mandapam'.

Just outside this mandapam ,towards the west, are the Musical Pillars. Each pillar when stuck, produces a different musical note. The kalyana mandapa, to the south of the pillared hall, is where the marriage of Shiva and Parvati is celebrated every year during the Chitirai Festival in mid- April.

Vasantha Mandapam - This mandapam was built by Thirumalai Nayakkar. Vasanthosavam - the Spring festival-is celebrated in this mandapam in Vaikasi (April/May). Its pillars contain elaborate sculptures of Shiva, Meenakshi, scenes from their wedding as well as the figures of ten of the Nayak Kings and their consorts. This is also called Pudhu Mandapam.

The hall's other statues explore the entire range of human emotions. In the corner is the statue of the fierce Bhadrakali. Small balls of butter are hurled at the deity by the devotees to appease her anger.

The monolith figure of Rati(goddess of love) is a marvellous sculpture. The slightly elongated Pandyan beauty wears large earings. Her arms, neck, waist, bosom and feet are encrusted with swirls over thighs, calf muscles and ankles. She has long hair done in a loose knot. She sits astride a swan. The foot of the flag shaft is guilded with gold and faces the shrine directly.

Being in the heart of Tamilnadu, Madurai has fostered through centuries, an essentially Dravidian and Tamil culture. It was in Madurai that three successful Tamil academies, known as Sangams flourished under the benevolent royal support.

Madurai is famed as one of the five traditional dance halls of Shiva where in his aspect as Nataraja, he is standing on the right foot, while in all other four halls, he is standing on his left foot. The famous hall ,is known as the 'Rajatha Sabha' {Silver Hall) or Vasantha Mandapam, as contrasted with 'Ponnambalam', the 'Hall of Gold' in Chidambaram.

The Sangam period poet Nakkeerar is associated with some of the Thiruvilayaadal episodes of Sundareswarar - that are enacted as a part of temple festival traditions even today.

Additions were made to the temple several times, and it was also renovated several times. During the year 1960A.D., some of these figures were completely rebuilt and painted with gorgeous colours at great cost by Nattukottai Chettis. The northern 'gopuram' long known as "Mettai " is no there longer since a courageous Chetty endowed it with the plaster top; still it carried terracotta figures.

No one enters or leaves the temple by the eastern tower which has become a taboo since a temple employee flung himself down from its top in the reign of Chokkanatha nayaka as a protest against an unjust levy. Visitors generally enter by the Ashta Lakshmi Mandapam.

An interesting incident is revealed by the local people which happened during the time of renovation work in 1923 A.D. While depicting the coronation of Meenakshi, the artist out of his own imagination included the figure of Mahatma Gandhi among the figures of audience. Some British officers who noticed it seem to have taken objection to it. It is understood that the figure of Gandhi was altered to depict a sage with a long beard.

Many festivals are celebrated in the Meenakshi temple which is known as the 'Temple of feasts'. The numerous festivals celebrated at the shrine almost around the year, represent the ideas and thoughts of the cultured and progressive people of that region in the field of philosophy, religion, science and art.

Click here to see the layout of the temple : http://www.madurai.com/layout.html

Getting there :

Air : Madurai has a airport.
Road : Madurai is well connected by Road from all the other major cities.
Rail : Madurai has a railway station
Trip Duration : 2 days
Getting Around : Autos or Taxis
Best time to get there : August to November

Accomodation :

Hotel Royal Court , 4, West VeliI Street, Madurai - 625 001 , Opp: Railway Station,
Phone: +91-452 - 5356666(Hunting Lines) , Fax: 0452 - 5373333 , Email: royalcourt@eth.net

Hotel Best Western Germanus, 28,Bypass Road, Arasaradi, Madurai-625 010, Phone : 91-452-2382001, Fax : 91-452-2381478

Hotel Madurai Residency, 15,West Marret Street, Madurai –1, Phone : 0452 2343140

Madura Park Inn, 38, Madakulam Main Road, Palanganatham, Madurai - 3., Phone:2371155

Taj Garden Retreat, Pasumalai Hill, Madurai-4 , Ph:2371601