Madurai
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| Classification | City |
| Country | India |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| District | Madurai |
| Language | Tamil, English, Sourashtra |
| Time zone | GMT+5:30 |
| Importance | Second largest city of Tamil Nadu |
| Population |
- Total: 1,194,665 (2001)[1] |
| Literacy Rate | |
| Area | 22 km2 |
| Latitude Longitude |
9.92°N 78.12°E |
| Altitude | 100.58 metres |
| Temperature (° C) |
Madurai (மதுரை in Tamil) is situated on the banks of river Vaigai in Tamil Nadu, a southern Indian state. It is the second largest city of Tamil Nadu and has a population in excess of 1.1 million. It is well known for the Meenakshi temple situated at the heart of the town which attracts both tourists and pilgrims. Madurai has a rich cultural heritage passed on from the great Tamil era more than 2500 years old, and has been an important commercial centre even as early as 550 AD. Madurai was the capital city of the Pandya kings of South India.
Inside the Meenakshi Temple - Solar and Spiritual Power
History
The Pandya King Kulasekaran built a temple, which would later be known as the Meenakshi Temple, and created a lotus shaped city around the temple. Legend has it that on the day the city was to be named, as Lord Shiva blessed the land and its people, divine nectar was showered on the city from his matted locks. This city was henceforth known as Madhurapuri, meaning "The Land of Divine Nectar". According to a different theory, the name Madurai is actually a transformation of the Tamil word "Marudhai" (மருதை), which means a fertile agricultural land with alluvial soil. Many natives continue to refer to the city as Marudhai. The city has been called the "Athens of the East" because of its great architecture and meticulous planning, comparable to that of the Greek capital.
Madurai is Tamil Nadu's oldest city and one of India's oldest cities, with a history dating back to the Sangam period of the pre-Christian era. It was home to the ancient Tamil Sangam (The Academy of Tamil Learning), the literary conclave that produced the first Tamil epic Silappathikaaram and other masterpieces of Tamil literature. Megasthenes, the ancient Greek diplomat and envoy to India in 3rd century BC, had written in glowing terms about it in Indica, his celebrated account on India. But Madurai was to reach its heights of glory in the hands of the Cholas, and finally the Pandyas in the 13th century. After all, the Pandyas were the ones that made the city their capital, and built the Meenakshi Temple, which has always been the greatest attraction of the city. The city flourished under Pandya rule when it was a major trading hub with trading contacts with Greece, Rome, and Middle Eastern countries.
It was a fall from eternal glory to deep abyss for Madurai when the Tamil Kingdoms disintegrated, and its wealth was plundered by the ravaging armies of Delhi's Muslim Rulers. In 1311, it was raided by Malik Kafur, the general of Alauddin Khilji of Delhi. In 1371, the Muslim rule of Madurai was put to an end by the Vijayanagar Rulers who annexed the city to their Kingdom. The Vijayanagar Rulers had the practice of appointing Governors to administer their distant territories. The Governors appointed to rule Madurai were called Nayaks (or Naiks), and it was during their rule that the city regained some of its past glory. When the Vijayanagar empire collapsed in 1565, the Nayaks proclaimed themselves rulers of the territories they governed.
The Nayak Rulers, Thirumalai Nayak, in particular, gave a good boost to the architectural legacy of the city by creating new structures and expanding the existing landmarks in and around the city. The Raja Gopuram (The Main Tower) of the Meenakshi Temple, Puthu Mandapam (The New Mansion) and the Thirumalai Nayak Palace are living examples of his unparalleled contribution to the city's architecture.
On Thirumalai Nayak's death in 1659, the kingdom began to break up. His successors were weak rulers and invasions of Madurai recommenced. Shivaji Bhonsle, the great Maratha Ruler, invaded the south; and so did Chikka Deva Raya of Mysore and other Muslim Rulers, resulting in chaos and instability all around. The one redeeming feature of this period of confusion and anarchy was the regency of Rani Mangammal, who stood up against these invasions. Though her rule lasted no more than two decades, she will forever be cherished by the people of Madurai for the prudence, determination and courage she exhibited during a particularly troublesome period, with very little support from outside.
Madurai soon started slipping into the hands of the British East India Company. By 1801, the whole of Madurai district, which then was made up of Dindigul, Palani, Kodaikkanal, Ramanathapuram and Sivagangai was brought under the control of British East India Company.
Administration
In the post-Independence era, Madurai District, headquartered at Madurai City, was one of the largest districts of Tamil Nadu. It was also the administrative headquarters of the neighboring Ramanathapuram District. However, in 1984, the then huge Madurai district was bifurcated into Madurai and Dindigul Districts for administrative convenience. Again, in 1997, it was bifurcated into Madurai and Theni Districts. Like all other districts of India, it is administered by a District Collector, a person from the Indian Administrative Service.
The Madurai Corporation has an elected Mayor and several Councillors, each representing a ward. Madurai district has 15 representatives in Tamil Nadu State Legislative Assembly and two Members in the Lok Sabha.
There is a bench of the Madras High Court in Madurai, the only location outside Chennai to have such a setup.
Demography
The population of Madurai City is about 1.1 million. There are 976 females per 1,000 males. The literacy rate stands at 79%, which is well above the national average.
Tamil is the lingua franca of Madurai and is understood by almost everyone. Tamil spoken in Madurai is considerably pure, and devoid of influences from other languages, in direct contrast with Madras Tamil. However, other languages such as Sourashtra, Telugu and Hindi are spoken in pockets of the city, and most of these speakers are bilingual in Tamil. English is also widely spoken and understood.
Most Maduraiites are Hindus, deeply devotional and god-fearing. Nonetheless, there is a sizable population of Muslims, Christians and Jains.
People and Culture
The people of Madurai are amicable, hospitable, and deeply respect and value their tradition. They lead a relaxed and casual lifestyle, and are not seen as very ambitious. Their mindset is conservative and old-fashioned, and most do not see much point in girls' receiving higher education. They like to get their daughters married at the appropriate age, and count on their sons to support them in their old age. This is one reason among others why Madurai is seen by some more as a developed village rather than a city. Conservatism is also evident in clothing; western outfits have not found much acceptance amongst young girls as they are considered too revealing. Though Salwar-Kameez, a North-Indian ethnic wear for women, has made deep inroads into the city's populace, most Tradition-lovers still prefer Saree (or Sari) to it, as Saree is seen as covering a woman's body better than a Salwar-Kameez does.
Maduraiites like to entertain themselves by watching movies and visiting amusement parks. The city has plenty of either, with the Movie Halls numbering about 50—a large number for a city Madurai's size. In the recent past, many Movie Halls have either closed down due to Tamil Cinema's continuing poor performance and lack of patronage, or are turning to dubbed English and Hindi movies.
Discothèques, bars and pubs are rare; however, liquors and spirits are widely available, but only in state-owned stores.
City Architecture and Planning
The City of Madurai, was originally built around the Meenakshi temple. Rectangular streets named after the Tamil months of Aadi, Chithirai and Maasi surround the temple, symbolizing the structure of the cosmos. Though there are numerous other temples in Madurai, which is why it is known as the "Temple City", the Meenakshi temple's architectural splendor outdoes all of them. The Temple Complex in itself is breathtaking, given the fort-like walls pierced with lofty Gopurams (Towers), over an area of 640,000 square feet. Upon entering the temple, one gets to view the spectacular "Potraamaraikkulam", meaning the Golden Lotus Pond, which is surrounded by corridors depicting murals from the "Thiruvilaiyaadal Puraanam". The "Ayirangaal Mandapam" (Thousand Pillared Hall) is another exhibit of impressive craftsmanship whose pillars feature sculptural work beyond comparison.
Madurai has many other famous temples. Some of them are: Thirupparankundram, Pazhamuthircholai, two of the six temple shrines of Lord Murugan (son of Lord Shiva according to Southern Indian Mythology); Alagarkovil, a prominent Vaishnavaite shrine; and, Aappudaiyaar temple and Koodalazhagar temple.
Present-day Madurai is a sprawling Metropolis, extending on both sides of the Vaigai. The parts of the city adjoining the temple are bustling commercial hubs where one can find everything from basic necessities to the latest electronic gadgets. As a result, they are congested and offer little scope for further expansion or development. However, across the river, is where one would find the chic, modern and young face of Madurai with its well-planned, spacious roads and structures with plenty of room for development. This part of the city has a high concentration of Government Offices, Colleges, Schools and Companies.