Located in the heart of the city of Madurai, the Meenakshi-Sundareshwarar temple is dedicated to goddess Meenakshi, the consort of lord Shiva. Madurai MeenakshiSundareswarar temple was built by King Kulasekara Pandya (1190-1216 CE). MeenakshiTemple, is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, and her consort, Sundareshwar, a form of Shiva.
Meenakshi temple of Madurai is a historically rich temple which also bestows devotees with blessings of the Lord and Goddess. Meenakshi temple was built during the Pandya reign by KulasekarerPandya. According to historical findings, creation of this temple can be traced back to early A.D. There are mentions of this temple in the songs of great Hindu Saint Thirugnanasambandar who lived during 7th century. It is also said that during 12th or 13th century, at the time of Islamic conquer; this temple was destroyed to an extent. However, later it was restored to its present structure. It was later expanded during the rule of ThirumalaiNayak (1623-55 AD). During this time, the present structure of temple came into being. This architectural masterpiece is a finest example of Dravidian style of architecture. Meenakshi temple is considered to one of the oldest and the largest temples of India. Majestic architecture, intricate carvings, beautiful paintings, exquisite sculptures and an ancient history associated to it makes this temple one of the most visited tourist destination of South India.
