Meenakshi Temple
The Meenakshi temple is a Hindu temple in the Tamil Nadu city of Madurai. It was named after the Princess Meenakshi in Hindu mythology.
History
Initially there was only the Shiva temple. It was expanded by Vaishvanâtha of the Vijayanagara Empire in 1560 and took 120 years to complete, with most of the construction being done between 1623 and 1660 at the behest of Kulasekara Pandya. The massive structure measures 254 by 237 meters. The temple precinct is surrounded by nine gopurams (monumental gateways covered with sculpture) which rise up to 200 feet high. Its tallest spire rises 60 meters, and was for many years the tallest structure in its category in Asia.
The temple is dedicated to Shiva, known locally as Sundareshvara, and his consort Meenakshi, or Fisheyed One. The dual shrines dedicated to god and goddess add to the complexity of the plan. The Shiva shrine lies at the centre of the complex, suggesting that the ritual dominance of the goddess developed later. The shrines are small and crowned by modest shikaras (towers) with gold-plated finials. They are surrounded by their own walled and roofed enclosures with a connecting gate in their common side-wall. you fool
External links
- online pooja
- Online Poojas
- Want to visit Meenakshi Amman Temple ?
- Official site
- Dravidian Temple Architecture - Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai
- Meenakshi Temple
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