Places To Visit Things To Do In Madurai

The city where deities reside, Joy in the air and distress aside,

Cascading Vegavathi dwells in greens, Whereas rivers elsewhere end up in seas,

Madurai creates its own history, Where all the cities have their stories of mystery.

Madurai is a beautiful and vast city in Tamil Nadu. For Hindus, Madurai is a great place for a religious outing. This large city is filled with temples and architectural wonders. Being an old city from the Puranas, Madurai contains the rich cultural heritage of our country. The city is also exceptionally known for its architectural importance. The city of Madurai is also most commonly known as the ‘Athens of the East’ for its spectacular architecture. Read on to find out more about this elegant city!

Madurai – The Oldest Living City In The World

Madurai is known as the most populous and oldest city in Tamil Nadu. This ancient city preserves a lot of our country’s cultural heritage with its breathtaking architecture. History says the region was earlier closely related to the Pandya kings, and it has also been checked through that Madurai was the site of the capital of Pandyas. Their reign ended when the Cholas, Mughals, and British rulers later conquered Madurai. Below are the top 5 places that can be visited in Madurai.

Top 5 Places To Be Visited In Madurai

1. Meenakshi Amman Temple
A must-visit place in Madurai is the Meenakshi temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva and the goddess Parvati. The temple’s interior and exterior architecture will surely leave you mesmerized. Apart from its beautiful structure and graceful views, the temple also has another major attraction for tourists, the Thousand Pillar Hall. People from all over the world come to Madurai to visit this old architecture. 

2. Arulmigu Murugan Temple
The Arulmigu Murugan Temple is one of the most prominent shrines of Madurai, as it is considered as one of the six abodes of lord Murugan. The temple is purely dedicated to lord Murugan. The temple is carved out of a rock which would leave you awe-struck when seen directly. History says the temple is located right at the place where a demon was killed by lord Murugan.

3. Gandhi Memorial Museum
As the name suggests, this famous museum of Madurai is dedicated to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. This huge building contains the many memories and remains of Gandhi ji including his Dhotis, round-rimmed spectacles, shawl, etc. Visitors to the museum can go through Gandhi’s life from this place. The museum is also special for the blood-stained dhoti from Delhi’s assassination activity. The entire history of Gandhi is fixated in the museum and is a very crowded tourist spot

4. Thirumalai Nayak Palace
The Thirumalai Nayak palace is yet another famous tourist spot of Madurai. This huge structure was built in 1636 and is a spectacular place to visit when in this city of beauty and elegance. The palace being the own residence of the king, Thirumalai, shows the best architecture that would leave you totally impressed. The great entry hall, the ballroom, and the courtyard are some of the must see’s of the palace. ‘Till today, the palace has many lovers, who have been mesmerized by its charm.

5. Alagar Koyil Temple
The Alagar Koyil temple is one of the most popular tourist places in Madurai. This simple, yet appealing temple is one of the very oldest Hindu shrines. The Dravidian style of architecture is one of the ancient forms of structure-building. The Alagar Koyil temple is most known for this style of architecture. 

Things You Can Do In Madurai

1. One of the best things you can do while on vacation is go for a hike. Madurai has just the right place to take you out into nature and make you relax and have fun. This place is the Jain Caves where most tourists go out on long hikes and let loose. This place in Madurai is most appreciated and visited.
2. We don’t usually care about things a lot in our lives that don’t matter to us much. Like, bananas! I mean, what’s so special about a banana market right? But, just think before you make that comment, because Madurai’s Banana market is the most famous for its endless varieties of bananas. People from all across the world come to Madurai just to buy bananas from this market. Unbelievable, right?
3. The 3^rd thing you can do while having a vacation in Madurai is have amazing food. Madurai is one of the most famous cities for its food and cultural heritage. And, food being a basic necessity, needs to taste good to attract more customers. Lucky for the sellers in Madurai! They’ve got the best natural food here which is quite popular throughout the world.
4. Are you a nature lover? If yes, then Madurai has just the right place where you can let all your worries wash away. The Vaigai Dam is a must-visit when in Madurai, for the best blend of both, nature and manual marvels! This place will be the only abode to your personalized heaven.
5. The colors are eye candy. They make one happy even if they’re stressed. They have a calming effect on people and are very important in our lives. Wouldn’t it be awesome to visit a festival that is just so colorful and lively? Well, Madurai heard you and it gave us the Chithirai festival of colors! This simple-seeming festival is celebrated all through Madurai by everyone. This festival of life doesn’t have any age requirements and can therefore be enjoyed and celebrated by all the people. 

Conclusion

The visitors and tourists, who have spent their time in Madurai, have said that the one thing about the city they appreciated was that, the place can be visited by anyone irrespective of what time they have arrived at. This is the reason behind Madurai being called, ‘The city that never sleeps’. Madurai is a perfect place for you if you are looking for scientific and religious structures built with advanced engineering.