Madurai

Madurai Madurai (மதுரை)
City
Government
• Mayor	Thenmozhi Gopinathan
Population  (2011)
• Total	1,203,095
Website	www.maduraicorporation.in

Madurai (Tamil: மதுரை, [mɐd̪ɯrəj]; formerly Madura) is among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the Indian peninsula. It is an ancient and prestigious city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, situated on the banks of the River Vaigai in Madurai district.

The city is widely known as the Temple City, and is often also referred to as City of four junctions (Koodal Maanagar), Cultural center of Tamil Nadu (Kalaachaara thalainagar), City of Jasmine (Malligai Maanagar), Sleepless city (Thoonga Nagaram), Athens of the East and The City of Festivals (Thiruvizha nagaram).It is the third largest (was second largest from its origin till 2001) city by population in Tamil Nadu and second largest by area.

Madurai was the capital city of ancient Southern civilization. Madurai's cultural heritage goes back 2,500 years, and the city has been an important commercial center and has conducted trade as far as Rome and Greece since as early as 550 BCE.

Etymology

Madurai City amid the rays of the Sun at dawn

The city has been variously referred to as "Madurai", "Koodal" (or Koodal Nagar) and "Thirvalavai" (or Alavai). Many theories have been suggested for the name Madurai. Prominent among them is the one which traces the name to the Sanskrit word Madhura (lit. Sweetness). Another popular theory is that the name is the derivation of the word Marutham - which refers to both a type of trees that grew in the banks of river Vaigai and a type of landscape in the Sangam age. According to legend, the original city of Madurai, called Then Madurai (lit. Madurai of South) was destroyed by a tsunami in ancient Kumari Kandam. Then the city was moved inland to the current day Madurai. Apart from the current city, there is a town in the neighbouring Dindigul district called Vada Madurai (North Madurai) and another in Sivagangai district called Manamadurai. The different names by which the city has been referred to historically are listed in the 17th century poem Thiruvilayaadal puraanam (Thiruvalavai Maanmiyam) written by the poet Paranjothi Munivar.

History

Madurai has a very long and well recorded history. As early as the 3rd century BC, Megasthenes visited Madurai. The city is referred to as "Methora" in his accounts. The city is also mentioned in Kautilya's Arthashastra. Madurai has been described as the seat of the Pandyan Dynasty in Sangam literature (especially in Maturaikkāñci). The city is also described extensively in the Second century CE epic Silapathikaram. The city was home to the third and last Tamil Sangam (between 300 BCE and 200 CE). Madurai finds mention in the works of Roman historians Pliny the Younger and Ptolemy and those of the Greek geographer Strabo. It is also mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea.

Madurai in 1955

Coin of Jalaluddin Ahsan Khan, first ruler of the Sultanate of Madurai, 1335–1339 CE

After the Sangam age, most of present day Tamil Nadu (and along with it Madurai) came under Kalabhra rule. Kalabhras remained in control of Madurai till the middle of 6th century CE. Around 550 CE, Pandyas regained control of Madurai and ruled it for the next four centuries. Madurai was conquered by the Cholas during early 9th century and remained under their control till the early 13th century, when the second Pandyan empire was established with Madurai as its capital. After the death of the last Pandyan ruler Kulasekara Pandian, Madurai came under the rule of the Delhi Sultanate. The Madurai Sultanate, then seceded from Delhi and functioned as an independent kingdom till its destruction by the Vijayanagar Empire in 1378. Madurai became independent from Vijayanagar in 1559 under the Nayaks. Nayak rule ended in 1736 and Madurai changed hands several times between Chanda Sahib, Arcot Nawab and Muhammed Yusuf Khan (Marudhanayagam) in the middle of the 18th century. From 1764 to 1801 the city remained under the control of the Nawab of Arcot.

In 1801 the British East India Company took direct control of Madurai and brought it under the Madras Presidency. In 1837, the city was expanded to accommodate the growing population by demolishing the fortifications around the temple. This was done on the orders of the then collector John Blackburn. The moat was drained and the debris was used to construct the new streets - Veli, Marat and Perumaal Mesthiri streets. The city was constituted as a municipality in 1866. Madurai played a significant role in the Indian independence movement - it was at Madurai Gandhi made the decision to switch to wearing a loin cloth after seeing agricultural laborers wearing it. The independence movement in Madurai was led by leaders like N. M. R. Subbaraman, Mohammad Ismail Sahib and Meer Niyamatullah Ibrahim Sahib. When India became independent in 1947 and Madras Presidency became Madras State (later Tamil Nadu), Madurai remained as its second largest city (till 2001). Post-independence, the city has expanded particularly to the north of river Vaigai by the development of new residential neighbourhoods like Anna Nagar and K. K. Nagar. In 1971 it was constituted as a Municipal Corporation. Currently Madurai remains the most important and populous city in Southern Tamil Nadu.

Geography and climate

Madurai
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     20     30 20     14     32 21     18     35 23     55     37 25     70     37 26     40     36 26     50     36 25     104     35 25     119     34 24     188     32 24     145     30 23     51     29 21 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mm
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     0.8     86 68     0.5     90 70     0.7     95 73     2.2     99 77     2.8     99 79     1.6     97 79     1.9     96 77     4.1     95 77     4.7     93 75     7.4     90 75     5.7     86 73     2     84 70 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches

Madurai city has an area of 52 km², within an urban area now extending over as much as 130 km² and it is located at 9.93°N 78.12°E / 9.93; 78.12 It has an average elevation of 101 meters above mean sea level. The climate is dry and hot, with Northeast monsoon rains during October–December. Temperatures during summer reach a maximum of 40 and a minimum of 26.3 °C, though temperatures over 43 °C are not uncommon. Winter temperatures range between 29.6 and 18 °C. The average annual rainfall is about 85 cm. This city is surrounded by Tirumangalam, Tiruparankunram, Melur, Anaiyur, Avaniapuram Municipalities.

Architecture

Madurai is built around the Meenakshi Sundareswar Temple. Concentric rectangular streets surround the temple, symbolizing the structure of the cosmos. The entire city is laid out in the shape of a lotus. Some of these rectangular streets are named after Tamil months. The six major rectangular streets around Meenakshi temple are Chittirai, Aadi, Aavani Moola, Maasi, Maarat and Veli streets.

Language

Tamil is spoken predominantly in and around Madurai. Madurai Tamil is the standard dialect spoken. Other languages spoken are Sourashtra, Urdu and English. However the words of some of these languages have Tamil words mixed in with them.

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1871	51,987	—
1881	73,807	+42.0%
1891	87,428	+18.5%
1901	105,984	+21.2%
1911	134,130	+26.6%
1921	138,894	+3.6%
1931	182,018	+31.0%
1941	239,744	+31.7%
1951	361,781	+50.9%
1961	424,810	+17.4%
1971	549,114	+29.3%
1981	820,891	+49.5%
1991	940,989	+14.6%
2001	928,869	−1.3%
Source: 1871 - 1901: Imperial Gazetter of India, Volume 16. Clarendon Press. 1908.

An inhabitant of Madurai is called as Maduraiite. Per the 2001 census, the city corporation had a population of 928,869. The population of the Madurai urban agglomeration was 1,203,095. In Madurai, males constitute 50.53% of the population and females 49.46%. The city has an average literacy rate of 77.6%, higher than the national average of 64.5%. Male literacy is 82.2%, and female literacy is 72.9%. 10,7% of the population is under 6 years of age. The sex ratio is 979 females per 1,000 males. slightly higher than the national average of 944. In 2005, the crime rate in the city was 283.2 per 100,000 people, accounting for 1.1% of all crimes reported in major cities in India. Madurai ranked 19th among 35 major cities in India in the incidence of crimes. In 2001, the population density in the city was 17,100 per km2 (44,200 per mi²).

Civic administration

Madurai Bench of Madras High court

The entire Madurai district comes under the direct control of the Madurai District collector and the corporation limits within it is administered by the Madurai Municipal Corporation. Formed in 1971, this is the second corporation (following Chennai) established in Tamil Nadu. The corporation has received several National awards in the year 2008 for implementing development works. The mayor is responsible for the day-to-day running of the municipal school board, the city bus service, the municipal hospital, and the city library. The city serves as the headquarters of Madurai district and as the seat of the Madurai bench of Madras High Court.

The High Court Bench started functioning from 24^th of July in the year 2004 with Districts of Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Madurai, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli and Karur falling under its jurisdiction.

The city houses a passport office and the districts of Madurai, Theni, Sivaganga, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari & Dindigul come under its jurisdiction.

The Madurai District Employment office at K.Pudur, serves the people of the district for registering their educational qualifications till Under graduate courses. The Post Graduate and Professional courses Employment office was added to this in the year 2009 to serve the people from southern and western districts of tamilnadu next only to chennai Professional Employment office.

City Administration

District collector	C. Kamaraj
Corporation Commissioner	S. Sebastine
Commissioner of Police	P.Balasubramanian
Postmaster General	B. Selvakumar
Mayor	G. Thenmozhi
Deputy Mayor	P.M. Mannan,

Religious Heads in Madurai

Being the oldest inhabited city, madurai is famous for its diverse culture and religious harmony. The three religious heads famously called as Mummadha Thalaivargal (Leaders of The Three religion) strive to keep Madurai in peace.

The Aadheenam

This is one of the oldest mutt in India constituted during the period of Thirugnana Sambanthar.There are lot of immovable properties donated for this mutt, right from the day of its origin. The tradition of Madurai Aadinam goes back to 1300 years and Thirugnana Sambanthar being the 1st Maga Sannidhaanam The Madurai Aadheenam. The mutt is headed by the Guru Maga Sannidaanam, The Aadinam of Madurai. Though being Saiva, the Aadheenam is considered as the religious head of all Saiva and Vaishnava Hindus of Madurai. The Guru maga sannidanam, Arunachalam Swamy is the present Aadinam and he is 292nd Aadinam in their genealogy. The present Aadeenam is very well versed in the Knowledge of Vedas. The aadinam takes parts in all major festivals of madurai connected with Hindu religion and also in religious harmony meetings. Kumbhabishekams, Meenkshi-Shokkar marriage, Azhagar's entry into Vaigai and other Hindu festivals in the city are headed by the Aadinam. The sitting Aadinam, during his lifetime appoints his junior, who succeeds him after his death.

The Kaziyar

Kazi, the jury and religious head of Muslims, in Madurai is appointed by Govt. of Tamil Nadu. The tradition of Kazis in Madurai goes back to 750 years. Syed Tajuddin was the 1st Kazi to the then Govt of Sultans. Till today, His descendants who live in the Kazimar street, Madurai are appointed as Kazis to the Government of Tamil Nadu in Madurai. Hazrat Moulana Moulvi, Meer Ahamad Ibrahim Rahmatullahi Alaihi (the first of Madurai Maqbara Hazrats), Moulana Syed Abdul Qadir Ibrahim, Moulvi, Syed Amjad Ahmad Ibrahim and Moulvi, Syed Abdus Salaam Ibrahim Saahib Hazrat are remarkable Kazis to the Govt. during their tenure. Syed Abdus Salaam Ibrahim, Saahib Hazrat the 19th Kaziyar of Madurai, who was fondly called by the people as Kazisaab is remembered for his simplicity and hardwork towards literal and economical empowerment of Muslims in the city. The present Kajiyar of Madurai Moulvi.A.Syed Kaja Mueenuddeen is 20th in the genealogy of Kaziyars in Madurai, who is well known for his hard work towards religious harmony in Madurai together with, The Aadinam, Kundrakkudi Ponnambala Adigal and the Arch Bishop. Apart from working for religious harmony, the present Kaziyar also strives for political empowerment of Muslims of the locality. Kaziyar heads the prayers in Arasaradi, Eid-gah grounds on Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Also, the Kaziyar heads the 23 days congregation of Aashura with sunni faith, during the Islamic month of Muharram. Almost all Muslim marriages in madurai are solemnized by the Kaziyar and disputes arising if any thereafter are solved by him. Most of the zikr majlis and urus festivals in reliable darghas are headed by Kaziyar or any other Moulvi from the Kaziyars family.

The Archbishop

The tradition of the Archdiocese of Madura goes back 70 years and the Archbishop of Madurai is considered the head of Roman Catholic Christians in Madurai. The archdiocese of Madura was erected in the year 1938, and was renamed as the Archdiocese of Madurai in the year 1950. The Suffragan Dioceses of Dindigul, Kottar, Palayamkottai, Sivagangai, Tiruchirapalli and Tuticorin come under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Madurai. Bishop John Peter Leonard was the 1st archbishop of Madurai with whom the genealogy of the Archdiocese of Madurai starts. Bishop Marianus Arokiasamy, the 4th Archbishop of Madurai, is well remembered for his works towards the religious harmony along with The Aadheenam and The Kaziyar to keep Madurai in peace when south Tamil Nadu was burning due to communal riots in late 1990s. Bishop Peter Fernanado is the 5th Archbishop of Madurai. Bishop Christopher Asir, who is the Archbishop of Madurai-Ramnad Diocese of CSI, is the head of C.S.I. Christians in Madurai.

Transport

Madurai is well connected all over India through Road, rail and by Air.

Rail

Madurai Junction

The Madurai Junction is one of the busiest in the country and has computerized reservation counters. Madurai division has repeatedly received the award for being the best-maintained station in the Southern Railway. The railway station code for Madurai junction is MDU. It is connected to most major Indian cities and towns.

Madurai Railway Division is the second largest revenue generating division in Tamil Nadu next only to Chennai.

As the TN's second largest City strucks daily with a single railway terminal unable to handle the heavy Passenger Crowds, Southern Railway has come-up with a plan of extension & modification of the City Junction. Works are going on in the same at fast pace.

The Railway Stations in Madurai area are :

Madurai Junction, Koodal Nagar, Samayanallur, Sholavandan, Vadipatti, East Madurai, Silaiman, Tirupuvanam, Thiruparankundram, Tirumangalam, Chekanoorani, Usilampatti etc.

Road

Madurai has several major bus stands: Madurai Integrated Bus Terminus (MIBT) at Mattuthavani (North), Palanganatham (South), Arappalayam (West), Periyar (Central) and Anna Bus stand (East). From MIBT, many buses to locations all over the south India operate round the clock. From Arapalayam bus stand, buses to places of western Tamil Nadu like Theni, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Salem operate and Periyar bus stand is where only city buses and private buses to major cities operate. Anna bus stand and Palanganatham are not in operation currently.

Apart fom city buses, three-wheeled, referred to as autos, are available for travel with in the city. MIBT has pre-paid auto counter where commuters can pay fixed auto-fare depends on destination and hire.

Madurai is connected by the following major National Highways:

• NH 7  : (North-south Corridor National Highway System) Bangalore – Salem – Dindigul – Madurai – Tirunelveli – Kanyakumari
• NH 45B : Trichy – Madurai – Thoothukudi
• NH 49  : Madurai – Rameswaram
• NH 49 Extn : Madurai – Theni – Bodi – Kochi

Bridges have been constructed across the Vaigai river to connect Madurai at various points. Flyovers have been constructed within the city to overcome traffic congestion. Four lane national highways to Chennai, Kanyakumari, Tuticorin and Bangalore make Madurai well-connected by road.

Air

File:Madurai airport new terminal building night view.jpg

Madurai airport

Madurai Airport is located at 12 kilometers from Madurai city and it offers flights to major cities in southern,western and north India. Madurai airport has handled 3 lakhs passengers between the period Jan 2009 to Oct 2009. Spice Jet, Jet Air Ways, Kingfisher Airlines, Air India operates flights from and to Madurai. Flight services to Chennai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai are available at Madurai Airport. International connectivity is expected shortly. Madurai Airport's state-of- the-art well built integrated terminal of 17,560 Sq.ms is open for Traffic. Recently the finance ministry has approved unloading and loading of only export and import baggage. This is a great step as this will soon lead to start of international passenger traffic.

Education

Main article: List of colleges and institutes in Madurai district

Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai.

Madurai has a literacy rate and human development index above the state average. Madurai Kamaraj University is situated in Madurai. It pioneered the concept of Distance education throughout India. The University was accorded the status of "University with Potential for Excellence". The city has a Medical College, Madurai Medical College (established in the year 1954), a Government Homoeopathic Medical college & hospital, an Agricultural College and Research Institute, a Law College, and many Engineering and Arts & Science Colleges.

The Aravind Eye Research Institute has started Ph.D programme in the areas of Genetics, immunology, ophthalmology, biomedical sciences, Humanities and social sciences as well as bio-technology in affiliation with universities like Madurai Kamaraj university, Dr. MGR Medical University and Indian Institute of Technology Madras. It has research collaborators from London and USA.

Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai (established in the year 1957) is one of the premier institutions in Tamil Nadu. Madurai has many reputed Schools, Polytechnics and Industrial training institutes (ITIs) as well. Madura College is 120 years old and was started as a Zilla school in 1856. The American College in Madurai is one of the oldest colleges in India. It was founded in 1881 by American Christian missionaries. Lady Doak College, the first Women's College in Madurai was founded in 1948 by an American missionary. Thiagarajar college of Arts and Science (founded in 1949) is also another older institution. Thiagarajar School of Management (well-known as TSM in South India, founded in 1962) is a premier institute for Management Studies.Tamilnadu polytechnic college(Autonomous), madurai (established in the year 1947) is the one of the premier polytechnic college in Tamil Nadu. Other notable colleges include K.L.N College of Engineering, Raja College of Engineering & Technology, Sethu Engineering College, Vickram College of Engineering, SACS M.A.V.M.M Engineering College, Velammal College of Engineering and Technology and P.T.R College of Engineering and Technology. M.S.S.Wakf Board College K.K. Nagar Sourashtra College, Mannar Tirumalai Nayakar College, Government Music College, Fatima College, Yadava College for Men, Yadava College for Women, Meenakshi College for Women, and S.V.N College Nagamalai are among the reputed institutions in Madurai since 1965.There are a significant number of Hotel Management & Catering institutes in the city.

The Aravind Eye Research Institute has started Ph. D programme in the areas of Genetics, immunology, ophthalmology, biomedical sciences, Humanities and social sciences as well as bio-technology in affiliation with universities like Madurai Kamaraj university, Dr. MGR Medical University and Indian Institute of Technology Madras. It has research collaborators from London and USA.

In recent years the city is a witness to campus interviews by leading industry organisations and successful placement programmes organised by the University. Industry estimates put that about 15 to 20 per cent of manpower working in IT industries in metros are from Madurai and surrounding districts. Other reputed educational institutions are Ma Foi and VETA.

A new but upcoming centre of innovative education is in Pulloothu. It is Tata-Dhan Academy having a two year unique program in Development Management. It is widely acclaimed as a pioneer institute in this field and is supported by Dhan foundation and Sir Ratan Tata Trust.

Healthcare

Madurai is a boon in the field of medicare for the people of South Tamil Nadu. Govt. Rajajai Hospital which is more than a century old is being extended with ultra modern facilities in the place of Erstwhile Anna bus stand.
Adding one more feather to the cap of Madurai's health care is the AIIMS hospital being constructed at Thoppur, Madurai in a proposed cost of 150 crore rupees and scheduled to be completed by September 2010. In addition to Government Rajaji Hospital, many private hospitals such as Aravind Eye Hospital, Apollo Specialty Hospital, Bose Hospital, Meenakshi Mission Hospital,Vasan Eye Care and Research Center, Vadamalayan Hospital and Quality Care Hospital, make the city a destination for health care combined with heritage tourism at an affordable cost.

Aravind Eye Hospital at Anna nagar

Madurai is a home to Aravind Eye Care System founded in 1976 by Dr.Govindappa Venkataswamy. Today it is one of the finest eye hospitals in the world. Today, in addition to the hospital in Madurai, there are four other Aravind Eye Hospitals in Theni, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, and Puducherry with a total of 3,590 beds. Aravind Eye Hospitals has gained national and international reputation for its service orientation, modern ophthalmic techniques and its community-based outreach activities which deliver quality eye care to the rural masses. 2,313,398 outpatient visits were handled and 270,444 surgeries were performed at the Aravind Eye Hospitals in 2006. Two-third of the outpatient visits and three-fourth of the surgeries were serviced to the poor, free of cost.

Apollo Specialty Hospitals, Madurai was founded in 1997. The hospital has an overall success rate of 98% and sees an average of 15,000 patients a year. A 24-hour panel of super-specialists are present at the hospital. The hospital has first Intensive Care Unit for Nephrology and first Renal Artery Angioplasty in South India. It is the No. 1 Centre in India and 5th in the world to perform Laparoscopic Renal Transplantation (Donor Nephrectomy). Shanker Dental and Craniofacial centre is the premier dental institute in the region and is very close to Anna bus stand. It is a tertiary referral centre for maxillofacial trauma and facial surgery.

Tourism and Landmarks

Madurai is one of the most important tourist spots of India. The city attracts a large number of tourists from within the country and abroad. About 4,100,000 tourists visited Madurai in 2007, out of which foreigners numbered 224,000.

Meenakshi-Sundareswar Temple

Meenakshi Amman temple

Madurai's Meenakshi-Sundareswarar temple, which stands today as one of the India's greatest cultural and architectural landmarks, was originally built by the early Pandya King Kulasekara. It is also one of the greatest Shiva Temples of Tamil Nadu. The labyrinthine Meenakshi Temple, celebrating the love of the Meenakshi and her groom Sundareswarar(The Handsome Eswara) is renown. The ancient city of Madurai was supposedly laid out in a lotus-like formation, with the temple at the center and the streets and main thoroughfares layered one after the other concentrically, outward from the center. One legend says that on the day the city was to be named, Shiva blessed the land and its people while divine nectar showered on the city from his matted locks. The city hence came to be known as Madhurapuri meaning The City of Divine Nectar. The legend is likely a late tale attempting to Sanskritise the otherwise-Dravidian derivative of Madurai. This is the place where Natarajar performed the dance raising his right leg. (Kal maariya Aadiya natarajar). Shiva was very happy with the temple construction and performed a different dance. This is the temple which is believed to be survived after Kannagi burnt the complete city. All of the towers are currently draped in scaffolding and opaque coverings obscuring the sculptures at least until the end of 2009.The sthalaviriksham is the kadambu tree,few temple in tamilnadu is having the same tree as sthalavriksham are kadambandurai, Melakadambur and kadambathur. Other important temples in madurai are Koodal Azhagar Perumal Temple, Madhana Gopala Swamy Temple, Immayilum Nanmai Taruvar Temple.

Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal

Tirumalai Nayakar mahal

The Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal palace complex was constructed in the Indo-Saracen style by Thirumalai Nayakar in 1636. It is a national monument and is now under the care of the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department.

The original palace complex was four times bigger than the present structure. It was divided into two parts, Swarga-vilasa and Ranga-vilasa. In each of these there are royal residences, theater, shrines, apartments, armory, palanquin place, royal bandstand, quarters, pond and garden. The ceilings are decorated with large paintings showing Shaivite and Vaishnavite themes.

The portico known as Swarga Vilasam is an arcaded octagon wholly constructed of bricks and mortar without the support of a single rafter or girder. The stucco work on its domes and arches is remarkable. The gigantic pillars and structures represent architectural mastery. The courtyard and the dancing hall are central attractions for visitors. There are 248 pillars, each 58 feet (18 m) tall and 5 feet (1.5 m) in diameter. Furniture and utensils used by the kings is on exhibit inside the palace. The palace is equipped to perform "Light and Sound" shows depicting the story of "Silappathikaram", in both Tamil and English languages. The palace is in Indian films such as Bombay, Iruvar, Guru and Jodi.

Kazimar Big Mosque(Periya pallivasal) and Maqbara

Kazimar Big Mosque, Madurai

Madurai Hazrat's Maqbara located within the Big Mosque

This famous mosque (masjid) is located at the heart of Madurai city, within 500 metres of the Periyar (Central) bus stand and within 1 kilometre South East of the Madurai Railway Junction and 800 meters south west of the Meenakshi Temple. His Holiness Hazrat Kazi Syed Tajuddin (a descendant of Prophet Muhammad) who came from Oman during 13th century, received this land from the then Pandiya king, Kulasekara Ku(n) Pandiyan, and constructed the mosque which is the first Muslims' place of worship in Madurai. Madurai Maqbara, the dargah of famous Madurai Hazrats (Their Holiness Hazrat Meer Ahamad Ibrahim, Hazrat Meer Amjad Ibrahim and Hazrat Syed Abdus Salaam Ibrahim Rahmatullahi Alaihim - Descendants of Prophet Muhammad) is also located inside the mosque premises. All of Kazi Syed Thajuddheen's descendants (Huqdars - shareholders of this mosque called as Syeds) have lived in the same locality (Kazimar street) for more than 700 years, and have managed the mosque since then. Syed Tajuddin was appointed as Kazi of the sultans, and still his descendants who live at Kazimar street, Madurai, are appointed as Kazis to the Government of Tamil Nadu. All Syeds belong to the Sunni sect of Islam, its Hanafi school and most of the descendants of Kazi Syed Tajuddin are shadhilis (shazuli) who follow the Sufi order Fassiyatush Shadhiliya.

Gandhi Museum

Gandhi Museum

Rani Mangamma's palace has been renewed and converted to Gandhi museum.The museum displays information about Mahatma Gandhi, and most importantly it showcases the original blood-stained garment of Gandhi when he was assassinated by Nathuram Godse. The other piece of the garment is kept at the Gandhi Museum in Delhi. This museum, is one of the 5 museums in India (others in Mumbai, Barrackpore, Sabarmati and Patna) known as Gandhi Sanghralayas. Also lot of pictures taken during Gandhi's lifetime with various leaders all around the world and also during various incidents of freedom struggle is kept. Martin Luther King Jr. visited the museum during his tour of India in 1959 and is said to have got his inspiration to launch a series of peaceful agitations against racial discrimination. No entry fee is collected from visitors and is open from 10AM to 4PM IST.

Thiruparankundram

File:Tiruparankundram dargah.jpg

Dargah of Hazrat Sulthan Sikandhar Badhusha Shaheed, at the top of Thiruparankundram hills.

Thiruparankundram is 7 km (4.5 miles) from the center of Madurai city. Thiruparakundram has become a symbol of the religious harmony among the people of Madurai. An Islamic Durgah (shrine) is located at the top of the hill, where the grave of an Islamic saint Hazrat Sultan Sikandhar Badushah Shaheed Radiyallah Ta'al anhu, who came from Jeddah (in present-day Saudi Arabia) along with Hazrat Sulthan Syed Ibrahim Shaheed Badushah of Madinah (in present-day Erwadi, Ramanathapuram district) during the early 13th century, is found. Irrespective of religion, people from all parts of Tamil Nadu and from Kerala visit this durgah. People who visit the Ervadi Durgah in Ramanathapuram district are supposed to visit this durgah. Many poems have been written in praise of Hazrat Sultan Sikandhar Badhusha, by Syed Abdussalam Ibrahim Saalim Hazrat, the third in the list of Madurai Hazrats and his Maternal grandson Syed Abdus Salaam Ibrahim Saahib Hazrat and they are published in the Erwadi manaaqib. It is seen that people who come here with a wish see it answered in a very short time, and so He is also called Mustajab ad Du'aa Sikandhar Badhushah. Mustajab Ad Du'aa in Arabic means A saint whose Supplications are immediately answered by Allah. The Anniversary urus festival of Hazrat Sulthan Sikandar badusha Shaheed is commomerated on 17th Night of the Islamic Month of Rajab every Hijri year.

The traditional legend is that Murugan married Deivanai at Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple, which also is the first among the Six Holy Abodes of Murugan (Arupadai Veedu, literally "Six Battle Camps"). This evocative cave temple is much older and has a more sacred atmosphere than the Meenakshi temple, particularly on Fridays, when women place candles or sit around the temple floor and create kolams or rangoli patterns on the ground using coloured powders, ash and flowers as an offering to Durga.

Goripalayam Dargah

Gorippalayam Durgah on Urus.

The name Gorippalayam comes from the Persian word Gor which means Grave. This area is called as Goripalayam because the Graves of the two famous saints of Islam and rulers of Madurai Hazrat Sulthan Alauddin Badusha (Radiyallah) and Hazrat Sulthan Shamsuddin Badhusha (Radiyallah) are located here. A beautiful green coloured tomb can be seen from the A.V.Bridge madurai, which is the Gorippalayam Dargah located in the northern banks of vaigai River. It is amazing to see that, the domb which is 70 feet (21 m) in diameter and 20 feet (6.1 m) in height is made of a single block of stone which was brought from the Azhaga Hills. People from all over Tamil Nadu come here to seek blessings and go back fruitfully. The two rulers were brothers who ruled the northern part of madurai after coming from oman during 13th century to spread Islam. Hazrat Kazi Syed Tajuddin Radiyallah of Kazimar street was Govt. Kazi (Islamic Legal advisor and jury) to them. An ancient Tamil inscription, can be found planted on the outer campus of the Maqbara of the dargah campus. The information found in that inscription is,

"The descendants of Sulthan Alauddin Badusha, and Sulthan Shamsuddin Badusha (called as Sultans of Delhi) purchased from the then King Koo(n) Pandiyan the land of Gorippalayam Dargah for a Feet of Gold piece and other six villages (namely Bibi Kulam, Chokkikulam, Cholikudi, Chirudoor, Kannanendal, Thiruppalai) at the rate of 14,000 gold pieces for the maintenance of Gorippalayam Dargah. During the reign of King Veerappa nayakkar a dispute arose between the Huqdars of the Durgah and the employees of the Nayakkar Government regarding the six villages. The case was taken to King Veerappa Nayakkar, who inquired and verified the documents written by King Koo(n) Pandiyan and gave his verdict in the year 1573 A.D. as the Six villages and the Dargah land belongs to the Descendants of Sultans and it should be in their enjoyment till the existence of Sun and Moon and who violates this will be liable for the sin of slaughtering a cow in the bank of river Ganges."

This inscription is considered as one of the evidences to prove the existence of the Dargah since 13th century. The anniversary urus festival of this dargah is held on 15th night of the Islamic month of Rabi al-awwal on every hijri year.

Theppakulam

Theppakulam belongs to Vandiyur Mariyamman temple. It has become quite a picnic spot now. There is an artificial island at the centre, made of stone. It was built sometime around 1500 AD.

Koodal Azhagar Koil

A beautiful Vishnu temple which has Navagraham also (usually Navagraham is found only in Shivan temple). There is a hayagrivar temple close to this temple where hayagrivar (Horse/"haya"griva avataram) is the main deity. Most of the students do their regular prayer here as hayagrivar is the one who brought the epic fallen into water back to the earth. This is one of the temple found in center of city. This is located 100 mtrs north to the Kazimar Big Mosque (Periya pallivasal) and to the south of Sunnambukara street. This temple is believed to be older than the Meenakshi temple.

St. Mary’s Cathedral Church

St. Mary’s Cathedral in Madurai is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madurai. It is one of the oldest Roman Catholic churches in India and is situated 2 km South East of Madurai Railway station and 200 meters from the Thirumalai Nayak Mahal.

The city that never sleeps

Madurai is often called as Thoonga Nagaram (lit. the city that never sleeps) because of its functioning all twenty four hours of the day. A large number of the city's dining establishments, especially its tea shops small restaurants and road side hotels (called as Kai yendhi Bhavan in the local slang) remain open well past midnight.Madurai is the only city in Tamil Nadu, which has a full fledged night time public transport system. The night service public transport connects city's various bus stands - Mattuthavani, Periyar, Aarappalayam and its Railway junction to serve the moving public as madurai is the transport hub for southern Tamil Nadu. The wholesale fruit market and the central vegetable market near the Mattuthavani Integrated Busstand, function as offloading points for fruits and vegetables arriving from the farms around Madurai in the wee hours. The presence of lorry drivers and loadmen in the early hours of the night creates a demand for food and refreshments and hence the food shops remain open throughout the night. This is unique among the cities of Tamil Nadu, which usually shut down well before midnight. This environment has created a mindset among maduraiites to settledown late which adds fuel to its sleeplessness across and around the city.

Economy

Madurai district houses reputed organizations in the private sector which are engaged in the production of variety of goods such as tyres, industrial rubber products, machinery, textiles, conveyor belts, chemicals etc. Madurai is the home to TVS group.

2,500 HP engine in Harvey Mills, Madura, circa 1914

Automobile

All automobile majors, including General Motors, Ford, Toyota and Honda, are regular buyers of automobile components produced in the city. The state government is planning to develop industrial estate in Madurai which is to come up on 2,000 acres (8.1 km²) and would focus on the manufacturing industry, especially on automobile component manufacturers.

Rubber

Because of city's proximity to rubber producing centers, it has had rubber as a traditional industry. Besides gloves, sports goods, mats and other utility products, Madurai contributes in large to the production of automobile rubber components. Rubber goods worth about ₹ 2,000 crore are produced here annually . TVS Srichakra (tyre manufacturing), Sundaram Industries Limited (Rubber Division, Coach division) , Fenner India Limited, Lanxess India Private Limited and Bharath Rubber (India)Ltd. manufacturers of VeeHold belts are some of the rubber based industries in the city. The rubber industry, industrialists feel, has a rich potential to transform Madurai economy. The anticipated growth in this industry, triggered by a boom in automobile sector, will have a cascading effect on other wings of the local economy. Despite being an industry with potential to cause pollution, the manufacturers are taking “special care” to adopt environment-friendly processes. The city is planned to have a rubber cluster soon. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) is signed between Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries’ Association (MADITSSIA) and Rubber Park (Madurai) Limited. Some of the on-going industrial projects are BHEL ancillary units and Caparo Engineering India Pvt Ltd.

IT and ITES

Main article: Software companies in Madurai

Honeywell office at Thirupparankundram

Over the recent years the IT industry has made a mark in the economy of Madurai. Software Technology Parks of India, an agency of the Government of India, has authorized several companies in Madurai to receive benefits under its national information technology development program. City houses MNCs like Honeywell Technologies India and other notable companies like Alfa web solutions and AJ Square consultancy.Due to work culture, low attrition rates and the presence of educational institutions, the city attracts IT majors like HCL, Satyam, Oracle and Sutherland Global Services. Tamil Nadu government has proposed two IT- Special Economic Zone (SEZ)s in Madurai and they have been fully occupied by various IT companies. The work on provision of infrastructure is in progress in Information Technology parks. Considering the high growth rate of Quality Human resource in and around madurai India's No.2 IT major Infosys is eyeing Madurai for its expansion and to open its development centre.

Textile

Some of the existing textile/chemical industries are Thiagarajar Mills (P) Limited (one of the largest manufacturer and exporter of 100% Indian Cotton Yarn), Kasim Textile Mills, Sundaram Textiles Limited, Madura Coats Pvt. Ltd, Paramount Mills (P) Ltd, Weaves India (P) Ltd, First Garment Manufacturing Company (India) Pvt Ltd, Vaigai Group (chemicals, edible oils, textiles, construction), Alaya Dhoties, Sarathi Dhoties and SLM International, Saraswathi Handloom Textiles (P) Ltd and T.S.Madhavan & son for cotton sarees a leading reliable quality textile product manufactures for the past 70 years in madurai.

Granite

There are also few Granite industries like PRP Exports (one of India's largest granite processors and exporters) Madurai Arkay Rock, P.R.Granites, Duniterocks private limited (Granite gangsaw slabs) and Arkay Glenrock. There is a proposal to set up a granite industry near Melur, and a polishing factory in Madurai.

Electronics

TVS Interconnect Systems Ltd is a manufacturer of high end Electronic components like electronic connectors, RF (Radio frequency) connectors, cable assemblies, Fiber optic products Elevator Safety Products & other accessories for telecommunication, consumer electronics and automobile. Town hall road madurai acts as a one stop solution for all Electronic goods in madurai.

Retail

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A Retail showroom in Madurai

Retail industry plays a major role in the revenue of the city. This is evident from existing super markets like Reliance Fresh, Reliance Super, Spencer's Daily and on-going malls construction like Vishal Mall, Big Bazaar and Madurai City Center. There are cinema halls or multiplexes for all classes of people. Aparna Towers and Kaziyar Complex in S.S.Colony form the major landmarks for the retail business outlets in Madurai city. Meenakshi bazaar, Pondi Bazaar, Town-Hall road, Golcha Complex constitute the retail shops fro foreign goods.
There are retail shopping places like Naidu Hall (Naihaa), Pothys, Lalitha Jewellery & Textiles, Outfit, Mega Mart, A.K. Ahmad Co., British bakery, Café Coffee day, Pandi Bazzar, Meenakshi bazaar, etc. In line with the ancient architecture of the city, the business set up in the city is confined to a particular industry in a street and can find series of shops selling the similar products. East Gate is crowded with hundreds of household utensils shops. East Masi Street is fully stuffed with thousands of groceries shops, West Masi Street with Electrical and Plumbing goods, Garments and Textiles in South Masi Street, Goods Transports and Fruit Godowns in North Masi Street, Electronic goods in Town Hall Road, Automobile spare parts in North Veli street and Mobile show rooms in Krishna Rayar tank street, Pharmas in Nayakkar new steet, Sculptures at Pasumalai, Jewellery markets in the Bazaar street and South avani moola street. Printing and Hotels in West Perumal Maistry Street, All Major Hospitals in K.K.Nagar, Books and Note Books in New Mandapam. There are separate streets with retail shops for decorative articles, Bangles, Gift Articles, Gold and Ornaments, Chemicals and Pharmas etc. Madurai is the only city in India, with this kind of set up where hundreds of same shops being clustered in one street with competitors next door.

Media

City hosts several radio stations like Radio Mirchi ,Hello FM, Suryan FM and it has two major English dailies The Hindu and The New Indian Express. Tamil language morning dailies include Dina Malar, Dina Thanthi, Dina Mani and Dinakaran. The evening dailies published in Madurai are Tamil Murasu, Malai Murasu and Malai Malar.Also one of the famous network in Tamilnadu, the Sun TV Network, with SUN TV, K TV, Sun News etc., has its regional office at uththangudi, madurai. Many other channels like, Vijay TV, Raj TV, Jaya TV, SS Music etc., have their offices in Madurai for their speedy coverage of news and other programmes.

Entertainment

The city houses the following weekend spots:

Athisayam water theme park

• Athisayam water theme park:

The water park situated on the outskirts of Madurai (20 km from the city) attracts people of all age groups and from different places in and around Madurai. Several high-tech entertainment games offer interesting experiences to visitors. The park is scientifically designed and perfect during the summer heat.

• Eco park:

This park is situated near city corporation building where the lighting and fountain arrangements are impressive and the illuminated optic fiber trees add luster to the beauty. The most attractive thing in the park is the water show with music.

• Hawa valley:

It is located on the Natham road in the outskirts of Madurai. This place is filled with natural beauty with the hills in the backdrop. It houses a restaurant and also a Modern go-kart track.

• Rajaji children park:

It is situated in between the Gandhi museum, and the Tamukkam grounds. It has lots of children play with some hotels like Poonga Arya bhavan and some other eateries shops. Also there are some collection of birds and some Light and music play. This park is run by madurai corporation within its limits.

• MGR Race Course Stadium:

It is an athletic stadium which has a synthetic track. Several National Meets are held here and also International Kabadi Championship was held here.

• Railway grounds at Arasaradi, Medical college grounds & Madura College Grounds are the full fledged Cricket Stadiums in the city.
• Theatres:

Asia's largest theatre "Thangam Theatre" is located in Madurai.

Hospitality

Gateway Hotel (Taj Garden Retreat)

In the recent years, the city has seen growth in the hospitality industry. A luxury five star hotel "Heritance Madurai" is one of the top luxury hotels in India. Some of the other top rated hotels are Royal Court, Hotel GRT Regency, the Park Plaza, the Gateway Hotel (Taj Garden Retreat), Hotel Germanus, North Gate, Madurai Residency, Hotel Sangam and Hotel Fortune Pandiyan. South Indian, Punjabi, Mughalai consitituting bulk of Indian variety and also Chinese, Continental food are available in hotels/restaurants of the city. Madurai is known for its idlies which is available with variety of chutneys in almost all the restaurants. Murugan Idly Shop at west Masi Street and railway station is famous for its idly all over Tamil Nadu.

Healthcare

Madurai is a boon in the field of medicare for the people of South Tamil Nadu. Govt.Rajajai Hospital which is more than a century old is being extended with ultra modern facilities in the place of Erstwhile Anna bus stand.
. Adding one more feather to the cap of Madurai's health care is the AIIMS hospital being constructed at Thoppur, Madurai in a proposed cost of 150 crore rupees and scheduled to be completed by September 2010. Adding one more feather to the cap of Madurai's health care is the AIIMS hospital being constructed at Thoppur, Madurai in a proposed cost of 150 crore rupees and scheduled to be completed by September 2010. In addition to Government Rajaji Hospital, many private hospitals such as Aravind Eye Hospital, Apollo Specialty Hospital, Bose Hospital, Meenakshi Mission Hospital,Vasan Eye Care and Research Center, Vadamalayan Hospital and Quality Care Hospital, make the city a destination for health care combined with heritage tourism at an affordable cost.

Aravind Eye Hospital at Anna nagar

Madurai is a home to Aravind Eye Care System founded in 1976 by Dr.Govindappa Venkataswamy. Today it is one of the finest eye hospitals in the world. Today, in addition to the hospital in Madurai, there are four other Aravind Eye Hospitals in Theni, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, and Puducherry with a total of 3,590 beds. Aravind Eye Hospitals has gained national and international reputation for its service orientation, modern ophthalmic techniques and its community-based outreach activities which deliver quality eye care to the rural masses. 2,313,398 outpatient visits were handled and 270,444 surgeries were performed at the Aravind Eye Hospitals in 2006. Two-third of the outpatient visits and three-fourth of the surgeries were serviced to the poor, free of cost.

Apollo Specialty Hospitals, Madurai was founded in 1997. The hospital has an overall success rate of 98% and sees an average of 15,000 patients a year. A 24-hour panel of super-specialists are present at the hospital. The hospital has first Intensive Care Unit for Nephrology and first Renal Artery Angioplasty in South India. It is the No. 1 Centre in India and 5th in the world to perform Laparoscopic Renal Transplantation (Donor Nephrectomy).

Festivals

Lot of festivals are celebrated by Madurai People. Some of the important festival are, Meenakshi Tirukkalyanam, The Chittirai Festival,Car Festival etc.

Meenakshi marriage & The Chittirai festival

The annual Bhramhotsavam celebrated in the month of Chittirai (Aries) is the most important one and it ties in the legends related to the Madurai temple such as the coronation of Meenakshi, the Divine marriage etc. The Chittirai festival also coincides with the annual festival at Tirumaaliruncholai. The Divine marriage involves a procession of deities from Tirupparamkunram as well, and hence during this time the entire area in and around Madurai is transformed into one of a great celebratory space.

The Chittirai festival begins on the 5th day of the bright half of the month of Chittirai. The key events fall on the 8th, 9th and the 10th days of the festival. The eighth day of the Chittirai festival witnesses the coronation of Meenakshi and procession on silver thrones, while the 9th day is the digvijaya festival. The 10th day (Chitra Purnima) marks the wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar.

Legend has it that Vishnu gave his sister away in marriage to Shiva. In commemoration of this legend, an image of Vishnu is brought in procession from Tirupparamkunram to Madurai. Since Subramanya is the presiding deity of the Tirupparamkunram temple, an image of Subramanya leads the procession. Following the wedding, images of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar are taken out in a grand procession on a palanquin and a silver elephant respectively. (It is to be noted that the Tirukkalyaanam festival is celebrated on Chitra Pournami in all Shiva temples celebrating the annual Bhramhotsavam in the month of Chittirai).

During this time, Kallazhagar from Azhagar Koyil (Tirumaaliruncholai) makes a visit to Vandiyur, near the Vaigai river, on the eastern outskirts of Madurai. It is believed that Kallazhagar realizes that he is too late for his sisters wedding, so refuses to cross the river and returns disappointed to Azhagar koyil.

Historically, the chittirai festival used to be celebrated in Maasi, hence the festival processions use the Maasi streets. The festival apparently was moved to the month of Chittirai in the period of the Naik kings so that the timing would synchronize with that of Azhagar Koyil.

The Ther (chariot) festival is celebrated on the 11th day of the annual festival.

Pongal Festival & Jallikattu

A bull tamed by a Tamil youth

A bull decorated for Mattu pongal celebrations

Mattu pongal is celebrated on the next day of Pongal (Harvest Festival) to honour bulls, who work hard throughout the year. Bulls are bathed, their horns are painted, and in some villages they wear new dresses too. In Alanganallur, ferocious bulls are left open in a festival ground and a youth who holds its hump until the victory line is considered victorious. Bulls were harmed for this game, which provoked animal activists to take the matter to the Supreme Court of India which imposed a ban on this activity. Finally, after an undertaking given from the Government of Tamil Nadu to ensure that animals are not being harmed, the apex court lifted its ban with certain conditions. In Alanganallur, located 17 km North west of Madurai city, Jallikattu is conducted with whole spirit on the 3rd day of the Tamil month of thai, which falls on 16 January every year.

The Santhanakoodu festivals

Santhanakoodu festivals are celebrated in Darghas as a remembrance of the saints in the respective darghas. Darghas in and around madurai and their Santhanakoodu festival dates.

Dargah	Name of the saint	Location	Date of Santhanakoodu festival (Hijri calendar)
Kazimar Mosque	Qutbul Akbar Ghouthul Ashar Hazrat Seyyidina Imam Nooruddeen Abul hasan Ali Ash Shadhili	Kazimar Street	Shawwal 12
Sikandhar malai	Hazrat Sulthan Sikandhar Badhusha Shaheed Razi..	Thiruparankundram	Rajab 16
Melakkal Kanavai	Hazrat Varushai Syed Ibrahim waliyullah Razi..	Melakkal	Rabi' al-thani (Rabiul Aakhir) 2
Thiruvedagam	Hazrat Sha Husain Parhez Razi...	Sholavandan	Muharram 26
Karseri	Hazrath Syed Ibrahim Shaheedh Razi..	Sakkimangalam	Jumada al-thani (Jamaadil Aakhir) 15
Pallichandai Silaiman	Hazrat Syed Saalaar Sha Shaheed	Silaiman	Jumada al-thani
Kazimar Pallivasal	Hazrat Kazi Syed Tajuddin Razi..	Kazimar Street	Rajab 15
Goripalayam Mosque	Hazrat Sulthan Alauddin Razi.. Hazrat Sulthan Shamsuddin Razi..	Gorippalayam	Rabi' al-awwal 15
Therku Vasal Dargah	Gousul Aalam Muhaiddeen Abdul Qadir Gilani razi..	Therku Vasal	Rabi' al-thani 11
Madurai Maqbara	Hazrat Meer Ahmad Ibrahim Razi.. Periya Hazrat	Kazimar Street	Ramadan 13
Madurai Maqbara	Hazrat Meer Amjad Ibrahim Razi... Chinna Hazrath	Kazimar Street	Shawwal 28
Madurai Maqbara	Hazrat Syed Abdus Salaam Ibrahim Razi... Saalim Hazrat	Kazimar Street	Rabi' al-thani 18

Thepporchavam

Mariamman theppakkulam (temple tank)

There is a temple pool called Theppakulam belonging to Vandiyur Mariyamman temple. It has become quite a picnic spot now. There is an artificial island at the centre, made of stone. It was built sometime around 1500 AD. The Thepporchavam festival celebrated in the month of January, on the full moon day of Tamil Month Thai. The ornamented icons of the Meenakshi and her consort are taken out in a colourful procession from the Meenakshi Temple to the Huge Mariamman Teppakulam. The icons are floated in the tank on a raft decked with flowers and flickering lamps.

See also

• Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple
• Software industry in Madurai
• List of colleges and institutes in Madurai district
• Madurai Junction
• Madurai Airport
• Mattuthavani
• Madurai Maqbara
• Madurai Kamaraj University
• Madurai Nayak Dynasty
• Madurai (Lok Sabha constituency)
• Madurai district
• Madurai Dialect
• Vaigai River