Madurai or "the city of nectar"
is the oldest and second largest city of Tamil Nadu. This city is
located on Vaigai River and was the capital of Pandyan rulers. The
Pandyan king, Kulasekhara had built a gorgeous temple around which he
created a lotus shaped city. It has been a center of learning and
pilgrimage, for centuries. Legend has it, that the divine nectar falling
from Lord Shiva's locks, gave the city its name - 'Madhurapuri', now
known as "Madurai".
Origin Of The Meenakshi Temple
The Sri Meenakshi Sundareswara temple and Madurai city originated
together. According to tradition, Indra once committed sin when he
killed a demon, who was then performing penance. He could find no relief
from remorse in his own kingdom. He came down to earth. While passing
through a forest of Kadamba trees in Pandya land, he felt relieved of
his burden. His servitors told him that there was a Shivalinga under a
Kadamba tree and beside a lake. Certain that it was the Linga that had
helped him; he worshipped it and built a small temple around it. It is
believed that it is this Linga, which is till under worship in the
Madurai temple. The shrine is called the "Indra Vimana".
Once Dhananjaya, a merchant of Manavur, where the Pandyas had arrived
after the second deluge in Kumari Kandam, having been overtaken by
nightfall in Kadamba forest, spent the night in the Indra Vimana. When
next morning he woke up, he was surprised to see signs of worship.
Thinking that it must be the work of the Devas, he told the Pandya,
Kulasekhara, in Manavur, of this. Meanwhile Lord Shiva had instructed
Pandya in a dream to build a temple and a city at the spot Dhananjaya
would indicate. Kulasekhara did so. Thus originated the temple and city.
When
the next Pandya, Malayadhvaja, and his queen, Kanchanamala, performed a
sacrifice for a child, Lord Shiva caused Goddess Parvati Herself to step
out of the fire as a little girl. She had three breasts. Lord Shiva told
the couple that the third breast would disappear when she set eyes on he
who was to be her husband. They were to name her "Thadathagai"
and bring her up as if she were a boy.
She succeeded her father to the throne at his death. She gained many
military victories. Finally she marched on Kailasa itself. When she saw
Lord Shiva, her third breast disappeared. The Lord told her to return to
Madurai and said that He would marry her there. The divine marriage was
celebrated. This is the theme much beloved of Madurai artists. There is
a superb sculpture of this in the temple. The crowning of Meenakshi, for
She was the same as Thadathagai, is celebrated as a festival in the
temple.
The Lord performed many miracles at the wedding. These are described in
a celebrated poem, the "Tiruviayadal Puranam". Under the name
of "Sundara Pandya", the Lord ruled the land as a mortal.
After sometime, crowning Lord Muruga, their son, who was named "Ugra
Pandya", Sundara Pandya and Thadathagai went into the temple and
assumed divine forms as "Lord Somasundara" and "Goddess
Meenakshi" respectively.
About The Meenakshi Temple
While the temple originated in times to which no date can be assigned,
the structures that are standing today date mostly from the twelfth to
the eighteenth century. They occupy a vast space, 258 m by 241m. There
are the two main shrines, no less than twelve Gopuras, a tank and
innumerable Mandapas. At every turn there is superb sculpture,
magnificent architecture
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