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Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about Meenakshi Amman Temple

Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Temple which is also known as Arulmigu Meenakshi Amman Temple is a historic site located on the southern side of the Vaigai River in Tamil Nadu, India. The historic Hindu temple is considered to be one of the most important and the oldest temple in India. The temple has a lot of mythological and historical significance to the people of India. It is believed that Lord Shiva married Meenakshi at the place where the temple is located.

Therefore, this article provides some unbelievable facts that will increase the readers’ knowledge about the historic site.

1. It was among the historical sites nominated for Seven Wonders of India

The historical site was one of the places nominated to be added to the Seven Wonders of India which makes it a very important place to the people of India. The temple is considered the Taj Mahal of the south, with its history that dates back to the 7th century and is even mentioned in ancient Tamil literature. Its architectural beauty and the sculptures that attract tourists made it among the sites nominated.

2. It has 33,000 sculptures

The sculptures at the temple by –

The temple is mainly visited by Tamil Hindus who go to worship Meenakshi and the Sunderashwar. It is estimated to have more than 33,000 sculptures and fourteen gateways that have two golden sculptures. The most notable sculpture is one of Nataraja which is built on the silver alter. The gateway is found on the southern side of the sanctum and it has a height of 170 feet. The sculptures are the most popular attractions in the temple.

3. The hall of a thousand pillars

Also referred to as Aayiram Kaal Mandapam, the Hall of Thousand Pillars is a magnificent architectural piece. This is because it is believed to have been built out of a single rock. A visitor can enjoy the various ancient paintings regardless of their beliefs. Therefore it makes it an ideal tourist destination as they are guaranteed to enjoy each part of the temple without any discrimination.

Additionally, the hall is the largest in the temple and it features massive statues of Nataraja and Sivakami.

4. The temple was built by Indra Deva and rebuilt by Vishwanatha Nayak

According to popular legend, the temple is located at the centre of the city of temples and it is believed to have been built by Indra Deva. Meenakshi Temple features sculptures that were manually made. The sculptures are referred to as Shilpa Shastra.

Additionally, the temple is believed to have been looted and destructed in the 14th century and was rebuilt by Vishwanatha Nayak in 1560 when the Pandayan Empire were in power. This is about 2500 years ago when Madurai was the capital and ruled by Tirumalai Nayak.

5. The temple has a magnificent architectural style

The temple features a one of a kind architecture that is designed with sculptures and ancient texts. It is built using Dravidian Architecture which is a Hindu style of architecture that is common in the southern states of India.

Dravidian architecture is characterized by tall entry gates on two or more sides just like the ones found in the temple, pillared halls and covered porches. At the centre of the temple, there are two temples one for Meenakshi and Sunderashwar. This type of architecture has made the temple colourful and thus attracts a lot of tourists to it who want to see the unique architectural design.

6. The Chithirai Thiruvizha

The festival commonly known as Chithirai Festival is an annual Tamil Hindu festival celebrated in April in Meenakshi Amman Temple. The festival lasts for a month and attracts more than 1 million visitors. The first fifteen days commemorate the coronation of Meenakshi to be the ruler of Madurai and her marriage to Lord Shiva (Sunderashwar). The next 15 days mark the journey of god Vishnu known as Alagar from his temple to Madurai. The festival is critical in that it unites the two Hindu sects and also boosts the town’s economy.

7. The temple receives more than 15,000 visitors in a day

The Meenakshi Amman Temple is a national pride and thus many people both local and international visit this historic site. This means that there is a huge turnout. The number of visitors is estimated to be 15,000 each day and the number rises to 25,000 on Fridays when Tamil Hindus go to worship.

Therefore, the high amount of visitors translates to good revenue for the town and a boost to the local economy as people will get goods and services from sellers and vendors located close to the temple.

8. The Meenakshi Amman Temple Complex

This is one of the largest and oldest complexes in India. This makes it popular among history enthusiasts. The temple is sought with reverence by many Hindu believers across India because it has a rich history and it is of religious importance. Therefore, this makes it a treasured pilgrimage site where people come to worship.

9. The Golden Lotus Pond

The temple which sits on 45 acres of land feature a golden lotus pond which is considered to be a holy site. The lotus that grows in this place has a golden colour. It is believed that it was in the pond that when believers bathe in the waters of the Golden Lotus Pond on the first day of the month and worship, their aspirations will be fulfilled.

10. The idol of Meenakshi

The Meenakshi Amman Temple is dedicated to the fish-eyed and triple breasted goddess. The phrase ‘fish eyed’ is used in Tamil poetry to mean perfect pair of eyes. The temple is unique in that other temples in India are dedicated to male deities while this one is dedicated to a female deity, Meenakshi. The idol of Meenakshi has three breasts as it is believed that she was born with three breasts, a curse that would disappear when she finds the right man for her. Legend says that the third breast vanished after meeting Sunderashwar.