Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
South India & Kerala's Top 10
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8
Built in the 17th century, Madurai's brilliant Meenakshi Amman Temple (
Click here
)
is
dedicated to Sundareswarer (a form of Shiva) and his consort, Meenakshi (an incarnation
of the goddess Parvati). 'Meenakshi' means 'fish-eyed', which, in classic Tamil literature,
is a reference to perfect eyes. The complex is a feast of deftly crafted pillars, friezes and
figurines, which are flanked by ornate
gopurams
(pyramidal gateway towers). A star attrac-
tion is the 1000-Pillared Hall, its columns artfully embellished with delicately sculptured
celestial beings.
