Holy Place in Tamil Nadu

Swati Banerjee a dance teacher in Kolkata, accompanied a group of her senior students on a tour of the temple towns of Tamil Nadu - this was one of the best ways they could get an insight into the background of Bharat Natyam and the rich art and culture of the south.

The ancient city on the banks of the River Vaigai, was the capital of the Pandyas and later the Nayakas. It is famous for its cultural heritage and the imposing Meenakshi temple dedicated to Sundarewshwara (Shiva) and his consort Meenakshi (Parvati). The two sanctums with their statues are surrounded by enormous halls with thousands of granite pillars and carvings of other gods and goddesses. The temple has seven towering gopurams richly covered with figures of gods, mythological characters and animals. The four main gopurams at the four entrances are an awesome height of 50 metres each.

The temple complex is quite fascinating with its shops selling pooja items, garlands and flowers. The main hall or Meenakshi Nayaka Mandapa has a brass lamp with 1,008 diyas, which are lit up during festivals. At one side is the Golden Lotus tank surrounded by pillars running along corridors. The Meenakshi shrine houses the goddess, while to the north is the shrine of Sundarewshwara. Next to it is the thousand-pillared hall that has a rich collection of bronze and stone statues. At the gates of the temple is a vibrant market selling saris, jewellery and spices. An entire culture revolves around this grand temple, symbolising a tradition of several centuries.

During the rule of the Nayaks Madurai became the cultural centre of the Tamil people. In 1781, Maduri passed on to the East India Company. The company demolished the fort surrounding the city and filled in the moat. Four streets, the Veli streets, which were constructed on top of the fill, till today, define the limits of the old city.