Places of Worship: Meenakshi Temple

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Fazal Ahmad, London, UK

Location: Madurai, India

Belief: Hinduism

Era: 12^th century CE

The Meenakshi Temple, located in India near the Vaigai River in the southern city of Madurai, is a centre of pilgrimage for the Hindu community. The temple may have originally been founded in the 12^th century CE, but much of the more recent construction dates from the time of the ruler Tirumala Nayak (1625-1655 CE).

The temple complex includes nine monumental granite gateways, each over 50 metres high and covered in colourful carvings. These pyramid-like towers are gateways to the temple complex for Hindu pilgrims coming from all directions. The rock carvings depict scenes from Hindu legends and mythology.

There is a Hall of a Thousand Pillars, where every pillar is uniquely carved to tell a story, many related to the Hindu deities Shiva and Vishnu and their miracles. The deity Ganesh is also prominent, and the temple has its own dedicated elephant.

Every year in January or February, the city of Madurai celebrates the festival of Teppam, in which images are taken from the temple and floated on the nearby Mariamman Teppakulam lake on rafts in what is locally called the ‘Float Festival’. The festival originates from the 17^th century CE and normally lasts 12 days, attracting large numbers of pilgrims from southern India.

References:

R. Burton, & R. Cavendish, Wonders of the World – A Guide to the Man-Made Treasures of Civilization (Basingstoke, UK: AA Publishing, 1991).

G. Michell, The Hindu Temple – An Introduction to Its Meaning and Forms, (Chicago, USA: The University of Chicago Press, 1988).