Madurai, a city in Tamil Nadu has been called the ‘Athens of the East’ and is one of the oldest cities of India. The city has a rich cultural legacy with a history dating back to the Sangam period of the pre Christian era.
It is a well-connected city by road, rail and airways. The most significant attraction of the city is the Meenakshi temple situated in the heart of the town that attracts tourists from all parts of the world. The temple is dedicated to Shiva and his consort Meenakshi, One of the notable features of temple is the 'Hall of a Thousand Pillars' built around 1560. The hall is adorned with 985 elaborately carved pillars.
The cave temple at Tirupparankundram, Alagar Koil and Pazhamudhir Cholai are other worth visiting sacred landmarks of the city.
Tirumala Nayak Mahal located 1.5 kms north of Meenakshi temple built in 1636 by King Thirumalai Nayak is an architectural marvel of the city that speak volumes of the creative vision of those times.
Tourist must check out the Gandhi Museum housed in the Mangammal Palace. The museum has a collection of Gandhi's books and letters. It also contains Khadi and Village Industries section and a South Indian handicrafts section.
The notable places around Madurai that the tourist can try are Vaigai Dam, Suruli Waterfalls , Kodaikanal, Kakkai, Kanyakumari, Courtallam and Palani.
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