Introduction:

The city is constructed in the form of a lotus and is known as lotus city too. There is a beautiful temple constructed by the Pandyan king and Lord Shiva is worshiped here. It was believed that divine nectar was showered at that place and due to it the Jasmine flowers bloom in the place all around. Jasmine flower too has its foundation in the city. In the 16th century, it was ruled by Nayal emperors. Christianity has been cultivated in these regions too.

Sri Meenakshi Temple

Destination facts:

Location: Tamil Nadu , District Madurai
Altitude: 8m
Area: 1445 sq.km
Climate: (summer- 26 to 41C) (winter18 to 32°C)
Language: Tamil and English

How to Reach:

By Air: Madurai itself has its own airport.
By Rail: Madurai has its own railway station .
By Road: Local transportation is there to roam in Madurai

Distance from the major cities/towns from Madurai:

Tirumangalam - 21km, Maanamadurai - 47km is the nearby cities.

Places of Tourist Interest:

Gandhi Museum:
There are several Gandhi museums across the nation and the Gandhi museum of the southern India is basically a Tamukkam bungalow which means summer house in Tamil, which is the local language of the place.

Gandhi Museum

Thirumalai Nayak Mahal: 
It was constructed by kings of Muslim dynasty which covered several regions of Coimbatore, Madurai districts and other few places in southern Tamil Nadu. It is a great piece of art and all of the sculptures are encarved in the Madurai style. Several old temples too have been renovated in this new style and the whole city seems to have the construction of the similar make, which is a good feature of the place.

Vaigai Dam:
The dam has been the life line of the agricultural lands in the neighborhood because the areas have flourished in leaps and bounds. It provides clean and fresh drinking water to whole of the region of Madurai and Andipatti. Agricultural research institution too has been developed near the dam so as to research on a wide variety of crops including cereals and pulses.

Mariamman Teppakulam:
It has a huge tank in the compound of the temple and is the biggest tank in the region of Tamil Nadu. The tank is filled with water all year long and the idol of the temple too was obtained from the bottom of the tank, while it was dug in the olden times and hence the temple was constructed at that place itself. So the tank gained its popularity since then and the temple too was constructed in its memory.

Meenakshi Amman Temple:
Meenakshi Amman Temple is the holy temple of Hindu located in the city of Madurai in southern India. It is a vast temple of Lord Shiva and Goddess parvati. It is the best temple in which both God and Goddess are worshipped together. It is the life line of the country, especially southern India as Lord Shiva is a highly worshiped god of the country.

Tirupparankundram Murugan Temple:
Tirupparankundram Murugan temple is one of the pilgrimage places in southern India. The temple is an excellent master piece of art and is devoted to mother earth for all the benedictions it has bestowed on the holy earth. The region is hilly and is also known as southern Himalayas of India. It is a beautiful place where the sun and moon can be seen together at several instances of the day.

Eating out:

Dosas, idlis, upmas, vadas are famous here

Getting Around:

Buses, taxis, auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are available to get around the destination.

Shopping:

Cotton handlooms, stone carvings, and jewellery along with silk saris are available here.

Best time to visit:

October to March is the best time to visit this destination.

Festivals:

Chitirai Festival in April/May sees the idols being taken around on their chariots in celebration of the divine marriage.
Float festival is celebrated in January/February and the Annamalai Festival in August/September.