The Hindu Business Line : Where <I>gopurams </I>beckon

On the banks of the Vaigai river, about 450 km south of Chennai, lies the temple city of Madurai, the second largest city in Tamil Nadu and perhaps one of the oldest in South India.

Getting to Madurai is no problem, well connected as it is by air, rail and road. Several hotels dot the cityscape, but our destination was the exotic Taj Garden Retreat, a delightful property situated on top of the Pasumalai hills at the outskirts of the city.

Spread over acres of land, the main building, which dates back to 1890, was the erstwhile residence of the CEO of A&F Harvey Group of companies, which later became Madura Coats.

When the Taj Hotels took over the property in 1989, the hotel started with a modest 16 rooms. Today, several blocks have been added, with the unmistakable Taj touch, making it one of the group's finest leisure properties.

Our room overlooked a large patch of green and a tennis court in one corner nestled amongst trees, hedges and shrubs. From almost every point of the property, one can get a magnificent sight of the city below. `The View' restaurant, especially, offers a clear view, on a starry night or a sun-kissed morning, of the magnificent gopurams beckoning the traveller to have a darshan.

Shrouded in history

Though the antiquity of the city is not very clear, references in the Halasya Mahatmyam, Thiruvilayadal Puranam and other classic literature date it back to the pre-Christian era.

Ancient Greeks and Romans are believed to have traded with a city called `Modoura'. Roman coins dating to the reign of Augustus Caesar confirm trade relations between Pandyan rulers and Europeans around 27 B.C.

Legend has it that the city's plan was laid out by a snake and the central point where the hood shielded the tail tip, was the site of the famous Meenakshi Temple, while the coiled body decided the surrounding streets. The streets of old Madurai run in concentric circles around the temple. It is estimated that on any given day, about 10,000 tourists traverse the wide and dusty roads of this busy market town.

The Cholas, the Pandyas, the Muslim rulers, the Vijayanagar kings, the Nayaks and the British have left an imprint on the rich cultural heritage of the city.

Thirumalai Nayak, the most famous Madurai Nayak ruler, added to the splendour of the Meenakshi Temple. He also built the famous Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal in 1636 with the help of Italian architects. The Tamil Nadu Tourism Department organises sound-and-light shows for tourists to unfold the history of Madurai.

The centre of attraction

The Meenakshi Temple, dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi and her consort Sundareswara, was originally constructed by the Pandya king Kulasekhara. The gigantic outer wall of the temple had 14 towers with several mandapams, corridors and smaller shrines.

But during the invasion of Malik Kafur in 1311, the original structure was pulled down. But quite miraculously, the two main shrines escaped attack due to dissension among the invaders.

Viswanatha Nayak resumed the temple's construction in 1560, and the work was completed by his successors, including Thirumalai Nayak, in 120 years at a cost of Rs 1.2 crore. It is estimated that there are 33 million carvings in the temple, while its nine magnificent towers dominate the city landscape, the tallest being the southern tower at 152 ft.

City of temples

There are numerous temples in and around Madurai. Azhagar Koil, situated about 20 km from the city, is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It was built by King Malayadhwaja and finds mention in several puranas. Known as the Southern Tirupati, the twelve Alwars or Vaishnavaite saints have visited this place and sung hymns in praise of the deity.

The Pandava brothers Arjuna and Yudhishtra are believed to have bathed in the holy teertham here. On the fourth day of the Chithirai festival, which is celebrated in April/May every year, the deity is taken to Madurai so that Azhagar or Lord Vishnu can attend the celestial wedding of his sister, Goddess Meenakshi. The famed Palamuthircholai shrine, dedicated to Lord Subramanya, is 3 km from Azhagar Koil, on the way to the Silambar or Noopura Gangai river, while Thiruparankundram is 7 km from Madurai. These are among six major shrines devoted to Lord Subramanya, the others being Palani, Tiruchendur, Tiruttani and Swamimalai, all in Tamil Nadu.

A visit to the quiet little town of Thirumohur, 10 km from Madurai brings you to a 16th-century Vishnu temple. The city is surrounded by mountains and there are two rock formations that are a photographers' delight. The Yanaimalai or the Elephant Hill looks like an elephant in repose from a distance, while the Nagamalai or Snake Hill captures the tourist's attention with its shape. While the Palani Hills lie to the West, the Western Ghats skirt the city boundaries.

For those interested in shopping, Madurai is also famous for the Sungudi sarees, made primarily by Saurashtrians who migrated from Gujarat during the reign of the Vijayanagar kings.

Picture by Bijoy Ghosh

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