Tourist Places in Madurai

Madurai is home to numerous historic temples. This town has a rich cultural history. There are many bustling bazaars and delicious street food in Madurai that tourists can enjoy. The town is rich in tradition, culture, and history that draws travelers from around the world. The popular and well-attended festivals of Madurai also draw a lot of tourists. Popular items to purchase in Madurai are batik textiles, wood carvings, hand-woven silk, stone carvings, and cotton fabrics. Along with beautiful places, Madurai also has numerous industries that manufacture granite, rubber, chemicals, and automobiles. Below, the famous tourist places in Madurai are described.

1. Meenakshi Temple

This is a popular religious site in Madurai. This temple is situated on the Vaigai river's bank. Lord Shiva and Goddess Meenakshi are the main deities of this temple.

The temple's beautiful facade is its notable feature, and another outstanding feature is the 14 Gopurams that showcase elaborate carvings. The hall of 1000 pillars is also a striking feature of this Dravidian-style temple. Visitors must visit the museum inside the temple complex, which provides an insight into Madurai's cultural and historical heritage. Thousands of pilgrims come to the shrine daily to seek blessings and enjoy its breathtaking beauty. Meenakshi Thirukalyanam is the festival honoring the heavenly union of Meenakshi and Shiva. It is fervently celebrated here in April. The festivities are a prime example of a female-dominated ceremony, often known as a Madurai wedding. These celebrations extend for a month, and several activities like the Chariot festival and Float festival are organized here. Navratri and Shivratri festivities are also the significant festival of this temple.

Tips for visiting the Meenakshi Temple:

1. Tobacco, alcohol, and smoking are not permitted in this area.
2. Wear appropriate attire as this is a place of worship.
3. Remove your shoes before entering the temple.
4. Take care of your personal things in the temple's crowded sections.
5. The temple accepts donations from devotees, and devotees can donate according to their wishes.

2. Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal

This is a popular tourist destination in Madurai. This palace was built in 1636. King Thirumalai Nayak built this Palace. The palace is the ideal fusion of Dravidian and Islamic styles. This majestic mansion is situated near the well-known Meenakshi Amman Temple. It was created under the Nayak Dynasty's authority and depicted the Saracenic architectural style. It is regarded as the most prestigious monument the Madurai Nayak Dynasty had erected.

The palace is split into two sections. The two sections are Ranga Vilasam and Swarga Vilasam. The royal home, staff quarters, ponds and gardens, religious sites, the throne room, and other significant sections visitors see during the tour of the palace. The palace's courtyard and dancing hall are the palace's main attractions. The visiting timings for palace are from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

3. Vaigai Dam

Vaigai Dam is an incredible man-made structure that is built above the River Vaigai close to Andipatti, Theni District in Tamil Nadu. Andipatti is about 70 kilometers from Madurai, where tourists frequently stop on their route to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.

This location has become a popular picnic location throughout the years because it is wonderfully lit up at night, especially on weekends, and one may spend hours enjoying the magnificent scenery. It is also interesting to watch the calm and warm sunrises along the reservoir. A lovely garden called Little Brindavan is located on one side of the dam. The management maintains this garden for the tourists.

There are many plants and flowers in Little Brindavan, and it is a popular spot for surrounding nature lovers. On the other side of the river, picturesque hills are present. This huge dam was constructed in 1959.

4. Alagar Koil

A magnificent temple called Alagar Koil is located in Madurai's northeast. It is Madurai's most well-known temple. The temple serves as Lord Vishnu's resting spot, and this is a sacred site for many Lord Vishnu believers or followers in the area. It is situated in the Alagar Hills, and it is also referred to as the Azhagarkovil. The Lord's statue is entirely fashioned of stone, and it is a wonderful masterpiece carved from kallalgar.

In this shrine, Lord's idols with various postures are kept together under one roof. Lord Vishnu is a powerful and humble ruler who rules over the earth. The devoted people offer their sincere prayers to God. The temple features magnificent halls and more resources for performing rituals using sacred mantras in a sacred environment.

5. Meghamalai

This place is commonly referred to as the "High Wavy Mountains". Meghamalai is a small yet lovely spot found in the western ghats in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is 1500 meters above the earth's surface, and this location is perfect for escaping the heat and enjoying some quiet time in the company of nature.

The aroma of cardamom, cinnamon, and pepper surrounds this location, tucked away in an evergreen forest. The lush greenery tea farms will give you a full chance to enjoy hot, fresh coffee tea while taking a lovely walk around nature and birdlife. It is a very beautiful place in Madurai; if you visit Madurai, you should visit meghamalai in Madurai which is 85 kilometer away from it.

6. Samanar Hills

It is located in the Keelakuyilkudi village near Madurai. This hill cave is a well-liked tourist destination and has beautiful monk woodwork and drawings on the walls. Additionally, the area is home to a beautiful lotus temple, and it is 8 kilometers away from Madurai.

7. Gandhi Memorial

The Gandhi Memorial Museum honors and remembers the contributions of our nation's founding father, Mahatma Gandhi. This memorial was established in 1959 to honor his cherished memory. The museum is home to various remarkable artifacts related to Indian history, like the bloodstained cloth of Gandhi wore when he was assassinated in 1948.

It is among the top five Gandhi museums in the country, which depict the life of the nation's father and India's quest for freedom from 1757 to 1947. On April 15, 1959, Jawaharlal Nehru opened this memorial. The building is a historic palace from the 17th century, and the enclosure has a long history.

The museum's galleries present the history of the pre-independent country during a time when the British committed regrettable atrocities. There is one section in this memorial that exhibit 124 unique images of Gandhiji's personal life, and this is the most intriguing part of the memorial. In that section, photographs from his early years up until the moment he was brought to the crematorium are included. Around 100 relics and replicas of artifacts related to Gandhiji are also kept in the museum. This museum is two kilometers away from the main city.

8. Koodal Azhagar Temple

Koodal azhagar temple is in Madurai; it is the best place for visiting. The Koodal Azhagar Temple is a Krishna temple. Koodal is another name for Madurai, while Azghar means "beautiful" in Tamil. Vishnu is referred to as Koodal Alagar; it serves as the primary deity, and Lakshmi is referred to as Mathuravalli. This temple, one of the 108 Divyadesams, is located at place number 65.

This historic temple is next to the well-known Meenakshi Amman Temple. This temple is spread out over 2.5 acres. In the temple, three different Vishnu postures are present close to one another. The expansive, traditional-styled temple complex has a large gopuram and beautiful vimanams. The distance from the town to this shrine is 1 km.

9. Athisayam

It is loactaed in the Madurai. It is 10 kilometers away from the city. Athisayam is a massive water cum amusement park. It spans over 70 acres of land. The park has a total of 20 rides and 40 games. The park has a 7D theatre, restaurant, and a garden for children. Athisayam's biggest attraction is Courtallam falls. Aqua Bowl and Cyclone are the other fun attraction in the Athisayam. The water Chute is the park's longest slide.

The rides and slides available in the park are sidewinder, cup' n' saucer, crazy river, free bee, mat multi-slide, jumping frog, carousel, dashing cars, Tora Tora, dry raft, umbrella slide, sun & moon, boomerang, pull ropes, ranger, lazy river, free fall, skyrocket, wave pool, merry-go-round, dumping buckets, swing chairs, float rides, gondola, caterpillar, roller coaster, Colombus, octopus, train, and pirate ship.