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.

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Pandyan Dynasty – Art and Culture

• The Pandyan Kings were of Dravidian descent, and were proficient inart, culture, trade and literature. Being located in a coastal area, thePandyan Rulers wielded control over the fisheries and the relatedtrade activities between Sri Lanka and India.

• This period also saw some of the finest pearls ever produced. ThePandyans were also great patrons of architecture, and the famousMeenakshi Temple in Madurai is a testimony to this.

• Meenakshi Temple - Built by Pandya Rulers – This Structure has beenConstructed in Madurai in Early 17th Century - 1623 AD

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Madurai City The city was built around the temple complex as the focal point with a combination of a concentric street pattern.

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INTRODUCTION

• MADURAI , popularly known as the Templecity, also called as ATHENS OF THE EAST, City ofJunction, City of Jasmine, CITY THAT NEVERSLEEPS and City of four junctions. Madurai isthird major economic, industrial, commercial,political centre and a major transportation hubfor the southern Tamilnadu.

• The city is renowned for tourism, festivals andvibrant cultural life in general and isconsidered 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.

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• In 1801 the British East IndiaCompany took direct control ofMadurai and brought it underthe Madras Presidency.

• In 1837, the city was expanded toaccommodate the growingpopulation by demolishing thefortifications around the temple.This was done on the orders ofthe then collector JohnBlackburn.

• The moat was drained and thedebris was used to construct thenew streets - Veli, Marat andPerumaal Mesthiri streets. Thecity was constituted as amunicipality in 1866.

Map indicates the Evolution of Historic City

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TRADITIONAL PLANNING STRATEGIES • The old city of Madurai is considered to

be designed according to the Rajdhaniplan, described in Manasara, one of theShilpasastra, and has the fivefoldconcentric rectangular formation withMeenakshi- Sundareshwara Temple at avery centre point.

• The city was a well planned one withbazaars and many broad streets withhigh and luxurious mansions on bothsides.

• The city was built around the templecomplex as the focal point with acombination of a concentric streetpattern.

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SETTLEMENT PATTERN

• The settlement pattern of Madurai isplanned according to the ancientsystem of town planning which isbased on caste and occupationalhierarchies.

• The map shows the present settlementpattern and its relevance with theancient town planning system.

• Ancient south Indian temple towns aredesigned by placing the templecomplex at the centre with concentricrectangle pattern of streets around.

• This can be seen in another southerntemple town Srirangam also.

Map showing Settlement Pattern of Madurai city with ancient town planning system.Source: City as diagram

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• In Madurai, MeenakshiAmman Temple is at thecenter. Royal Palaces,Brahmins and Priests at thefirst concentric rectangle.

• Traders, Kishatriyas andVaishnavaites on the secondrectangle. The lower casteSudras and immigrants in thethird 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 city of 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 ofMadurai, Tamil nadu, India.

• Its an Dravidian style Hindu temple.

• It is dedicated to Parvathi, known as Meenakshi, and her consort, Shiva, here namedsundareswarar.

• 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 andthen was restored to its former glory in the early 17th century.

• The temple was rebuilt by vishwanatha nayak accordance to shilpa shastra.

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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 tallwhen compared to other gopurams.

They are:

• East tower height 161'3“ & has 1011 sudhai figures. (its theoldest gopuram built by maravarman sundara pandyan during1216-1238)

• South tower height 170'6“(, 51.9 metres) & has 1511 sudhaifigures. ( tallest of all)

• West tower height 163'3“ & has 1124 sudhai figures.

• North tower height 160'6“ & has lesser figures of sudhai thanother outer towers.

• These 4 gopuram’s are nine storeys & is ornamented withelaborate sculptures.

• And the other towers are inside the twin temples and are smallercompared to the outer gopurams. and aslso these inner gopuramserves as the entrance to the inner enclosure shrines Prepared By- Ar.Roopa Chikkalgi. BGS SAP

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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.

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SHRINE• These temples are separately surrounded by four smaller Gopurams.

• MEENAKSHI Main shrine is located to the southwest of Sundareswaran's shrine andSundareswaran's shrine is located in the north east

• Meenakshi shrine and the sundareswarar shrine are huge temples with their own sets of 2prakarams maha mandapams and gold plated vimanas.

• The shrine has a 3-storied gopuram guarded by two stern dwarapalakas and supported bygolden, rectangular columns that bear lotus markings.

• The area covered by the shrine of Sundareswaran is exactly one fourth of the area of thetemple and that of Meenakshi is one fourth that of sundareswarar

• Within the sundareswarar temple complex is a shrine to Nataraja – the rajata sabha or thevelliambalam

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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

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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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