Madhurai meenakshi temple

Meenakshi
TemplePrepared By- Ar. Roopa Chikkalgi. BGS SAP
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Pandyan dynasty
• The Pandyan or Pandiyan or Pandian dynasty was an ancient Tamil
dynasty, one of the three Tamil dynasties, the other two being the
Chola and the Chera.
• The Pandya King, along with Chera King and Chola King, were
referred to as the Three Crowned Kings of Tamil.
• The dynasty ruled parts of South India from around 600 BCE (Early
Pandyan Kingdom) to first half of 17th century CE.
• They initially ruled their country Pandya Nadu from Korkai, a
seaport on the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, and in
later times moved to Madurai.
• Fish being their flag, Pandyas were experts in water management,
agriculture(mostly near river banks) and fisheries and they were
eminent sailors and sea traders too.
Prepared By- Ar.Roopa Chikkalgi. BGS SAP 2

Pandyan Dynasty – Art and Culture
• The Pandyan Kings were of Dravidian descent, and were proficient in
art, culture, trade and literature. Being located in a coastal area, the
Pandyan Rulers wielded control over the fisheries and the related
trade activities between Sri Lanka and India.
• This period also saw some of the finest pearls ever produced. The
Pandyans were also great patrons of architecture, and the famous
Meenakshi Temple in Madurai is a testimony to this.
• Meenakshi Temple - Built by Pandya Rulers – This Structure has been
Constructed in Madurai in Early 17th Century - 1623 AD

Madurai City The city was built around the temple complex as the focal point
with a combination of a concentric street pattern.
Prepared By- Ar. Roopa Chikkalgi. BGS SAP
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INTRODUCTION
• MADURAI , popularly known as the Temple
city, also called as ATHENS OF THE EAST, City of
Junction, City of Jasmine, CITY THAT NEVER
SLEEPS and City of four junctions. Madurai is
third major economic, industrial, commercial,
political centre and a major transportation hub
for the southern Tamilnadu.
• The city is renowned for tourism, festivals and
vibrant cultural life in general and is
considered to be the states cultural capital.
•The rich and vibrant natural and cultural landscape with different linguistic and cultural
groups coexisting together in its UNIQUE CUSTOMS, TRADITIONS, AND ART FORMS make
it a classical example of an urban environment wherein diversity becomes the source of
strength rather than conflicts.

• In 1801 the British East India
Company took direct control of
Madurai and brought it under
the Madras Presidency.
• In 1837, the city was expanded to
accommodate the growing
population by demolishing the
fortifications around the temple.
This was done on the orders of
the then collector John
Blackburn.
• The moat was drained and the
debris was used to construct the
new streets - Veli, Marat and
Perumaal Mesthiri streets. The
city was constituted as a
municipality in 1866.
Map indicates the Evolution of Historic City
Prepared By- Ar.Roopa Chikkalgi. BGS SAP
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TRADITIONAL PLANNING STRATEGIES
• The old city of Madurai is considered to
be designed according to the Rajdhani
plan, described in Manasara, one of the
Shilpasastra, and has the fivefold
concentric rectangular formation with
Meenakshi- Sundareshwara Temple at a
very centre point.
• The city was a well planned one with
bazaars and many broad streets with
high and luxurious mansions on both
sides.
• The city was built around the temple
complex as the focal point with a
combination of a concentric street
pattern.

SETTLEMENT PATTERN
• The settlement pattern of Madurai is
planned according to the ancient
system of town planning which is
based on caste and occupational
hierarchies.
• The map shows the present settlement
pattern and its relevance with the
ancient town planning system.
• Ancient south Indian temple towns are
designed by placing the temple
complex at the centre with concentric
rectangle pattern of streets around.
• This can be seen in another southern
temple town Srirangam also.
Map showing Settlement Pattern of Madurai city with
ancient town planning system.
Source: City as diagram

• In Madurai, Meenakshi
Amman Temple is at the
center. Royal Palaces,
Brahmins and Priests at the
first concentric rectangle.
• Traders, Kishatriyas and
Vaishnavaites on the second
rectangle. The lower caste
Sudras and immigrants in the
third rectangle.
Map showing Settlement Pattern of Madurai city with ancient
town planning system.Prepared By- Ar.Roopa Chikkalgi. BGS SAP
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• Meenakshi Amma Temple is a historic
Tamil Hindu temple located on the
southern bank of the Vaigai River in the
temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
• It is dedicated to Parvati, known as
Meenakshi, and her consort, Shiva,
here named Sundareswarar..
• The temple forms the heart and lifeline
of the 2,500-year-old cityof Madurai
and is a significant symbol for the Tamil
people, mentioned since antiquity in
Tamil literature.
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PLAN depicting the Entire premises of Sree meenakshi amman temple

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INTRODUCTION
• Meenakshi amma temple is located on the southern bank of the Vaigai river in the temple city of
Madurai, Tamil nadu, India.
• Its an Dravidian style Hindu temple.
• It is dedicated to Parvathi, known as Meenakshi, and her consort, Shiva, here named
sundareswarar.
• Surrounding an area of the temple is about 45 acres
• The temple was 1st constructed somewhere around the time by kulashekara pandyan.
• A large part of the temple was destroyed during the muslim invasion during the 14th century and
then was restored to its former glory in the early 17th century.
• The temple was rebuilt by vishwanatha nayak accordance to shilpa shastra.

GOPURAMS
• The temple has huge Gopurams which can be seen from a far
distance.
• There are 14 Gopurams ranging from 45–50m in height.
• The outer 4 towers are the landmarks of Madurai, which are tall
when compared to other gopurams.
They are:
• East tower height 161'3“ & has 1011 sudhai figures. (its the
oldest gopuram built by maravarman sundara pandyan during
1216-1238)
• South tower height 170'6“(, 51.9 metres) & has 1511 sudhai
figures. ( tallest of all)
• West tower height 163'3“ & has 1124 sudhai figures.
• North tower height 160'6“ & has lesser figures of sudhai than
other outer towers.
• These 4 gopuram’s are nine storeys & is ornamented with
elaborate sculptures.
• And the other towers are inside the twin temples and are smaller
compared to the outer gopurams. and aslso these inner gopuram
serves as the entrance to the inner enclosure shrines Prepared By- Ar.Roopa Chikkalgi. BGS SAP
17

MADURA STYLE
• The temple is high walled & enclosure on the
boundaries around the temples, intervening
courtyards called prakarams which contain
pillared halls, store rooms, other smaller shrines
and square water tanks for ritual baths.
• The temple is square shaped.
• The tank is surrounded by a pillared cloister and
has steps leading down to the water.
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VIMANA
• They are two golden sculptured Vimanas, over the Garbhagriha for the main deities.

SHRINE
• These temples are separately surrounded by four smaller Gopurams.
• MEENAKSHI Main shrine is located to the southwest of Sundareswaran's shrine and
Sundareswaran's shrine is located in the north east
• Meenakshi shrine and the sundareswarar shrine are huge temples with their own sets of 2
prakarams maha mandapams and gold plated vimanas.
• The shrine has a 3-storied gopuram guarded by two stern dwarapalakas and supported by
golden, rectangular columns that bear lotus markings.
• The area covered by the shrine of Sundareswaran is exactly one fourth of the area of the
temple and that of Meenakshi is one fourth that of sundareswarar
• Within the sundareswarar temple complex is a shrine to Nataraja – the rajata sabha or the
velliambalam

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ARIAL VIEW OF SREE MEENAKSHI AMMAN TEMPLE ALONG WITH THE SKYLINE OF MADURAI.Prepared By- Ar.Roopa Chikkalgi. BGS SAP 30

There are 12 temple towers(Gopurams). The outer 4 towers are the landmarks of Madurai. They are:
East Tower (Nine Storeys). Height 161'3" has 1011 sudhai figures.
South Tower (Nine Storeys). Height 170'6“ has 1511 sudhai figures.
West Tower (Nine Storeys). Height 163'3" has 1124 sudhai figures.
North Tower (Nine Storeys). Height 160'6“ has lesser figures of sudhai than other outer towers.
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Madhurai meenakshi temple

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