PERCEIVE

The Pandya rulers, who believed to have

established Tamil Sangam and developed the Madurai Heritage
language, ruled the country, with its capital at
Madurai, since 3rd century B.C. Subsequent to the Walk
Sangam age, this place was ruled by the Kalabhras, THE UNPERCEIVED MADURAI
Early Pandyas, Cholas, Later Pandyas, Madurai
Sultans, Vijayanagar emperors, Madurai Nayaks,
Nawabs of Arcot and the British. Epigraphically
there are references to Madurai in the records of
the 2nd century B.C. Its glorious past is very much
mentioned in the accounts of foreigners who visited Volume – 1
this place. Its layout and splendours are given in a
picturesque description in literary works such as September 2019
Madurai Kanchi, Nedunalvadai, Silappathikaram
and Thiruvilayadalpuranam.
The present Madurai was established by the
Pandya rulers and expanded during the Nayak
rule. The ancient Madurai of the Pandyas was
located within the four Masi streets. The city area
between the Masi streets and Veli(outer) streets was
expanded encircled by a fort with seventy two
fortifications and four gateways. There are traces
of the reminiscent of the ancient city. For example,
there is a fortification called Melavasal, near
Periyar Bus stand. In the centre of the ancient city, in BY
between the Thirumalai Nayak Palace and the Of all the ancient cities of India, Madurai has a
Meenakshi Sundaresvara temple, there are certain
THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM AND
unique place with its literary efflorescence, puranic HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT
traces of ancient and historically significant glories and continuous long history. Known as the
buildings and other places. Athens of the South, this city has several other names ANNAI FATHIMA
such as Kudal, Nanmadakkudal and Alavai, COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE
Madurai had trade contacts with the cities situated ALLAMPATTI, TIRUMANGALAM, MADURAI.
on the banks of river Ganges as well as with the
Greeks and Romans. Foreign traders and
spiritualists affiliated to different religious sects had
associated with Madurai from time immemorial.
Even today, Madurai keeps its glorious past,
traditional temple festivals and political importance
intact.

1. Thirumalai Nayak Palace

2. Sethupati Hospital
It is believed that the celebrated Nayak King
Thirumalai Nayak (A.D.1620-1659) erected this (Pandyan Co operative Store)
palace around A.D.1636. There were two main
portions ie. Swargavilas and Rangavilas, enclosed
by a high wall called Parimathil. Most of the
structures of the Palace have been destroyed and 3. Ten Pillar Lane
only one fourth of the palace exists today. The
elephant staple, horse court, vasanthavavi, garden,
officers residences, playground, the temple of the
Goddess Rajarajeswari and other parts of the
original palace were destroyed due to obvious
reasons. The northern part of the Palace, seems to
have existed by the side of the Naubat- Khana
street. The king Thirumalai Nayak believed to have
resided in the celestial pavilion called Swargavilas,
which still exists. The remaining existing parts of the
Palace are a large courtyard, darbhar hall, pooja To the north of the Thirumalai Nayak Palace, ten tall
room, natakasala and bed chamber. pillars may be seen in a lane, with a height of 12
The upper portion of the Palace is decorated meters and 1.20 meters breadth. Today the public
with a number of beautiful domes supported by call this lane as Ten Pillar Lane. It was in this area
wonderful short but heavy columns. Attractive arches, where another portion of the Palace seemed to
stucco figures and stucco works are some of the The building in which the Pandyan Co operative have existed as a residence of the king's younger
artistic splendours of this Palace. This is an ancient Store functions today was erected in A.D.1897. This brother. This was called Rangavilasa. This part of
South Indian Palace constructed by lime, bricks, was donated in honour of the British Prince Albert the Palace was destroyed and the ten pillars which
wood, and stone, showing curious workmanship and Victor by the Sethupati, ruler of Ramnad. This is survived, formed part of the courtyard of that
great beauty. The Palace is the best example of inscribed in a stone slab fixed on a wall of this Palace. Without understanding the real purpose of
Indo-Sarasanic architecture, ie. an admixture of building. these pillars, the people consider that these were
traditional Hindu and Muslim architecture. used as elephant staples.
 4. Vilakkuththun
(The Lamp post)

5. Temple cars

6.Vittavasal

There are two large and beautifully decorated

wooden temple cars at the centre of the East Masi
There is a long metal Lamp post called VIlakkuththun Street, generally used for carrying the idols of the
in the meeting place of South Masi street and East God and Goddess on a procession after the
Masi street, to the north of the Ten pillars. An celestial wedding of Meenakshi-Chokkanathar
inscription found here mentions that this Lamp post during the Chitrai festival. The largest of them is (The Gateway which is left undisturbed) This
was installed in honour of John Blackburn the then meant to carry the bronze images of Lord Siva and gateway is located in front of the Amman Shrine. It
collector of Madurai. It was he who in A.D.1840 Meenakshi and in the other one only the idol of is a reminiscent of the Pandya fort in Madurai. It is
ordered for the destruction of Madurai Fort and Goddess Meenakshi is carried. These temple cars mentioned in an inscription of the British
extended the outer Streets (Veliveedhi). The old fort are decorated exuberantly with the benign, and Government(A.D.1935) found on the gateway.
area was converted into public residential area. In ferocious forms of Siva, sculptures related to There is a one hundred year old printing press,
respect of the expansion of the city limit the stone Thiruvilayadal Purana, various incarnations of called V.Subbarayalu Naidu and sons printing press
elephant was brought from the Thirumalai Nayak Vishnu, Sakti images, folk art forms and erotic located to the east of Vittavasal. This seems to be
Palace and installed at Yanaikkal junction in sculptures. The cars were made by Thirumalai one of the earlier printing press established in
memory of Blackburn. Nayak 400 years ago. Madurai

7. Raya Gopuram 8. Elukadal Street 9.Madaithotti

(Sluice / Trough)

At the Western corner of the Elukadal street there is

an unfinished Gopura. It measures about 58 meters There is an ancient street, running in front of the
in length and 39 meters in breadth. This massive Chokkanatha shrine, called Elukadal Street
structure was constructed in A.D.1654 by Thirumalai (Affluence of Seven Seas). It was here, in this street, There is a sluice trough located in between the Raya
Nayak in order to enhance the beauty of Meenakshi the stores which sold many essential goods existed. Gopura and Pudumandapa to take water to many
Chokkar temple. But it was stopped with the There was a large tank on the north of this street. places. On the four sides of it are the drainpipes
foundation portion alone. Known as Raya Gopura, it Now it is destroyed and in its place a multi-storeyed which took water to Elukadal, Pudumandapam and
has the sculptural representations of Thirumalai building is erected to house the shops. A legendary the temple. Now a stucco Nandhi image is placed
Nayak and his younger brother Muthiyalu Nayak in story says that Kanchanamala, the mother of on it.
its western lower storey. This gopura exhibits the Goddess Meenakshi wished to take sacred bath in
architectural excellence of the Nayak period. If the seven seas. When Lord Siva learnt this, He
tower was built, this would have been one of the miraculously brought water from seven seas to
tallest Gopuras in Tamilnadu. Madurai and formed a tank here to house the water,
and help his mother-in-law to take bath in that tank.
Hence the name Elukadal . Even to-day, one can see
a Siva temple, on the western band of the tank,
believed to have been worshipped by
Kanc hanamala along with her husband
Malayathuvasan. A stone slab inscription erected
by the side of the tank mentions that one Saluva
Nayaka, an officer of the Vijayanagara ruler
Krishnadevaraya, in A.D.1516, renovated and
reconstructed this tank and named it as
'Saptasakaram' (Elukadal).
 10. Pudumandapam 11. Meenakshi - Sundaresvara temple;
East Tower
12. Nagara Mandapa

This ancient Siva temple has a thousand five

hundred year old tradition and history. A song from
Purananuru of the Sangam age refers to the
esixtence of a Siva temple here. Another Sangam
It was constructed by Thirumalai Nayak (1626- work Paripatal compare the city layout as the lotus
33) for the purpose of celebration of Vasanthotsav bud at the centre and the petals around it. It also
(summer festival) of the Madurai temple. It measures mentions that the temple was the nucleus of the city Nagara Mandapa, also called Acharayan
about 110 meter x 35 meter. It is a treasure house of and streets were laid around it. This temple was sung Mandapa, constructed during the reign of Rani
sculptures. It is a tradition to celebrate the by the Thevaram trio during the seventh and eighth Mangammal (A.D.1689-1706), is situated opposite
Vasanthotsav by filling up water in the pit of this century A.D. and established and expanded during to Meenakshi Shrine. On a pillar to the east of this
mandapa. The inner pillars of this mandapa adorn the early Pandya, Chola, later Pandya, mandapa there are sculptures of Ranimangammal
the life size statues of Thirumalai Nayak and his Vijayanagar and Nayak rulers. Most of its old and her grandson Muthuvijayaranga Chokkanatha
predecessors. At western entrance of this mandapa structures were removed by the Nayak rulers who Nayak facing the temple. The musical instrument
is an elegant statue ofThirumalai Nayak seated on a rebuilt the temple with the present structures. Of the Nagara is played two times, ie. morning and
horse back. The outer pillars adorn the sculptures of Gopuras of this temple, the eastern one was erected evening, every day from the top of this mandapa.
Ravananugraham ur ti, Gajasamharam ur ti, by Sundarapandya. The Western Gopura is the
Ekapadamurti, Kali, Urdhvatandava, celestial work of the fourteenth century A.D. by Parakrama
marriage of Siva and Meenakshi and sculptures Pandya. Other Gopuras are probably the works of
depicting the stories of Thiruvilayadal purana such the Nayak rulers. The thousand Pillared Hall of this
as Tadathagaipiratti (Goddess with three breasts) temple constructed by the Nayaks is a museum by
itself with exuberant sculptural carvings. There are
Siva breast feeding the young ones of the pigs and about sixty and more inscriptions belonging to
tigers, feeding of sugarcane to stone elephant, thelater Pandya and Nayak period. Madurai is
blessing the black sparrow etc. This mandapa considered as the city of festivals in view of the
exemplifies the sculptural art tradition of the Nayak grand celebration of Chitra festival, Car festival
period. and the procession of the images of the God and
Goddess on the streets of the city.