Madurai formerly known as Madura, is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai District, which is governed by the Madurai Municipal Corporation established on 1 November 1866. As of the 2011 census, it is the third largest metropolis in Tamil Nadu after Chennai and Coimbatore in terms of population and 27th largest urban agglomeration in India. Located on the banks of River Vaigai, Madurai has been a major settlement for two millennia and has a documented history of more than 2500 years. It is often referred to as "Thoongatha Nagaram", meaning "the city that never sleeps".
Aruppukottai is a town and a municipality in Virudhunagar district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Aruppukottai's classical name is "Sengattu irukkai idathuvali". Aruppukottai is about 50 km from Madurai. It is in the middle of Vellore-Tuticorin National Highways NH-38. The villages and towns surrounding Aruppukottai makes this as a major town as well as a major transit hub and they are also famous for production of jasmine. Aruppukottai is always famous for producing yarn. Sri Ramana Maharishi was born in Tiruchuli near Aruppukottai town. Aruppukottai was part of king Sethupathi of Ramnad. King Sethupathi has Zamin Palace in Palyampatti. As of 2011, the town had a population of 87,722. The town also hosts two famous temples – Arulmigu Meenakshi Chokkanatha Swamy Temple built in 13th century by Pandiya King Maravarma Sundarapandiyan and Seenivasa Perumal Temple Built on the top of Malai arasan Hill.
Meenakshi is a Hindu goddess. She is the tutelary deity of Madurai and is considered a form of the goddess Parvati. She is the divine consort of Sundareśvarar, a form of Shiva and the sister of Aḻagar, a form of Vishnu. She finds mention in literature as the queen of the ancient Madurai-based Pandya kingdom, and is later deified. The goddess is also extolled by Adi Shankara as Shri Vidya.
Madurai Veeran, also known as Veeran, is a Tamil Hindu folk deity popular in southern Tamil Nadu, India. His name literally means, "warrior of Madurai".
Madurai district is one of the 38 districts of the state of Tamil Nadu in southeastern India. The city of Madurai serves as the district headquarters. It houses the famous Sri Meenakshi Sundareshwarar temple and is situated on the banks of the river Vaigai. Thiruparankundram is one of the major tourist place in the district. As of 2011, the district had a population of 3,038,252 with a sex-ratio of 990 females for every 1,000 males. Aside from the city of Madurai, the larger towns are Melur, Vadipatti, Thirumangalam, Thirupparankundram, Peraiyur, and Usilampatti.
Kandanur is a part of karaikudi city Municipal corporation in Karaikudi taluk, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This town is famous for Kandaneswarar Sivan Kovil, which is a replica to the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple built by Nagarathars community. Kandanur Perumal temple is equally popular in the area. Also, near by town Puduvayal is famous for its Veerasekara Umaiyambigai Temple. Another temple, Sri Mahalakshmi Temple, Palaiyur, Kandanur. Palaniappan Chidambaram is an Indian politician and former attorney who currently serves as Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha and formerly served as the Union Minister of Finance of India is from Kandanur
Thiruparankundram, also spelled Tirupparankundram or Tiruparangundram, is a neighbourhood in Madurai city in Tamil Nadu, India. It is about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from Periyar Bus Terminus, the centre of the city and constitutes the southwest part of the Madurai city. The town's landmark and fame is the huge monolithic rock hill that towers to a height of 1,048 feet (319 m) and has a circumference of over 2 miles (3.2 km). It is a home to many ancient and historic monuments including Jain caves, some protected as India's national monuments.
Arjun is a 2004 Indian Telugu-language action drama film co-written and directed by Gunasekhar and produced by G. Ramesh Babu. The film starred Mahesh Babu as the titular character along with Shriya Saran, Keerthi Reddy, Raja, Prakash Raj, and Saritha. The music was composed by Mani Sharma. The film released on 18 August 2004 and was an average grosser at the box office.
Tirumangalam is a town and municipality in the Madurai District of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu also called as 'Thoongaa Nagarathin Thunai Nagaram'.
Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Lord Murugan at Thiruparankundram, Madurai, Tamilnadu, India. It is regarded as first of the six temples of Murugan in Tamilnadu. The temple uses rock-cut architecture and is believed to have been built by the Pandyas during the 6th century. According to legend, Murugan slayed the demon Surapadman and married his consort Devasena at the temple. Murugan is also said to have worshipped his father Shiva at the site as Parangirinathar.
Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, also known as Arulmigu Meenakshi Amman Thirukkovil, is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, her consort, Sundareśvarar, a form of Shiva and her brother Aḻagar, a form of Vishnu. The temple is theologically significant as it represents a confluence of the Shaivism, Shaktism and Vaishnavism denominations of Hinduism. The temple is at the centre of the ancient temple city of Madurai mentioned in the Tamil Sangam literature, with the goddess temple mentioned in 6th-century CE texts. This temple is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalams, which are 275 temples of Shiva that are revered in the verses of Tamil Saiva Nayanars of the 6th-9th century CE.
Poonjar is a small Indian town located on the eastern side of Kottayam district in Kerala state, India. Before the independence of India, Poonjar had been the part of Travancore princely state. Erattupetta, Teekoy, Bharananganam, and Vagamon are the nearest towns and villages of Poonjar. Taluk Headquarters, Pala is 18 kilometres away from Poonjar, Kanjirapally is 22.6 kilometres away from Poonjar and Thodupuzha is 34 kilometeres away from Poonjar.
The Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival, also known as Chithirai Tiruviḻa or Meenakshi Kalyanam, is an annual Tamil Hindu celebration in the city of Madurai during the month of April. The festival, celebrated during the Tamil month of Chithirai, is associated with the Meenakshi Temple, dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi, a form of Parvati and her consort Sundareshvara, a form of Shiva.
Meesal is a village in the Mudukulathur taluk of Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu, India.
The Thiruparankundram Dargah, also known as Thirupparankundram malai Sikkander Dargah and sometimes incorrectly spelled as Tirupparankundram Dargah, is a dargah complex, located in Thiruparankundram, in the Madurai district of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The complex includes a Sufi shrine, the grave of Sufi saint Sultan Sikandhar Badushah shaheed, and a mosque.
Samanatham is a panchayat village in the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu, India. It comes under the Thiruparankundram block."Sama Natham" a corrupt version of 'Samanar Rattham' or 'blood of Jains' is situated about six kilometers away from Madurai and a winding path among Acacia bushes and thorns leads one to a place worshipped as Mayandi temple. The place is isolated and is located in an eerie environment. But for the 10 foot trident and stone pillars with a hanging bell, there is nothing to suggest that it is a temple.
Shri Pathirakali Mariamman Temple is one of the oldest temples in Madurai district. The Thirumangalam city is known that the mangalyam for goddess Meenakshi of Madurai was designed and done here, so the name Tiru+Mangal(y)am came. In other way, it is said that when lord Murugan married Theivanai in Thiruparankundram, the "Tirumangalyam" was made here and hence the name came
Madurai Metro, is a proposed rapid transit system for Madurai, Tamil Nadu. It arose from a Madurai Metrolite system, part of a major expansion of public transport in the city and one of the projects devised by the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J.Jayalalithaa.
Yanaikkal is a neighbourhood in Madurai district in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. Yanaikkal as the name in Tamil language implies that it is a 'Stone Statue of Elephant'. The area was said to be 'Allankadi' in Tamil language (அல்லங்காடி), which was busy with selling products during night times, several hundred years ago.
Goripalayam is a locality situated in Madurai city of Madurai district in the state of Tamil Nadu in the peninsular India.
An aerial view of the compound of Meenakshi temple from the top of the southern gopuram, looking north.
