14 Best Attractions Of Madurai Tourist Places

Madurai tourist places: Madurai, the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities of India. Ruled by Pandya kings for the longest time in its history,

it’s called because the ‘Lotus City’ because it was planned and inbuilt the form of a lotus. Madurai is known for Meenakshi Amman Temple, dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi with a sanctum for her consort, Sundareshwarar.

There are many temples in Madurai, including the Thiruparankundram. It is one of the important old temples dedicated to Lord Muruga(Karthikeya) and is located on a hillock approximately 8 km from the city.

Having trade ties with ancient Rome, the place holds an excellent cultural heritage. With  good street food, Madurai has heritage walks conducted throughout the day.

Tamil speakers and long-term visitors could also be curious about the classes and workshops offered in subjects as diverse as tai chi and native herbs. Madurai is instrumental in promoting Tamil language and preserving the culture.

14 Best Attractions Of Madurai Tourist Places

Vaigai Dam Madurai tourist places

Vaigai Dam, a magnificent human-made structure, is constructed over River Vaigai near Andipatti, Theni District in the South Indian State of Tamil Nadu.

Andipatti lies about 70 kilometres from Madurai and travellers on their thanks to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary often visit this massive and wondrous dam.

Over the years, the location has become a favorite picnic spot because it gets beautifully illuminated within the evenings especially on weekends, and one can spend hours admiring the luxurious view.

The soft and warm sunrises by the reservoir are worth experiencing too.On one side of the dam is a beautiful garden known as Little Brindavan maintained by the management for the visitors.

Little Brindavan has a variety of exotic flowers and plants and is a preferred getaway for nature lovers living nearby. The play area made especially for children is a relief for parents as they watch their little ones have fun in the unpolluted air.

Picturesque hills border the river on the other side, and the lush greenery surrounding the 111 feet tall dam will take your breath away. The massive dam was inbuilt 1959 and is usually mentioned because the lifeline of the region because the areas have flourished by leaps and bounds from its waters.

Vaigai Dam is that the central source of water for drinking and irrigation purposes in Madurai and hence of great strategic and political importance.

Meenakshi Amman Temple Madurai tourist places

The historic Meenakshi Amman temple is found on the southern bank of the Vaigai River, Madurai, Tamil Nadu . constructed the year 1623 and 1655.

Meenakshi Temple is primarily dedicated to Parvati, referred to as Meenakshi, and her spouse, Shiva. What makes this temple different from the others is that the incontrovertible fact that both God and Goddess are worshipped together.

According to the mythology, Lord Shiva visited Madurai to marry Parvati and it’s been the sacred abode of Goddess Parvati since her birth.

Meenakshi temple was hence built here to commemorate an equivalent and to pay respects to the Goddess. The most striking feature of the temple is its facade, which has highly minute details with great art pieces incorporated within the walls and pillars.

Meenakshi Amman temple complex is formed in accordance to the Shilpa Shastra and has 14 gateway towers or ‘gopurams’, golden ‘vimanas’, holy sanctums and shrines dedicated to the revered Goddess Meenakshi and many others.

It is a major tourist attraction, with thousands of devotees visiting the shrine on a daily basis.

Alagar Koil Madurai tourist places

Alagar Koil is an exquisite temple situated within the north east of Madurai. The temple is that the rest place of Lord Vishnu and is that the sacred place for several followers of Lord Vishnu within the region.

It is situated within the Alagar hills and is additionally referred to as Azhagarkovil. The statue of the lord is formed entirely of stone and may be a splendid masterpiece created from kallalgar.

A variety of statues in several postures of the Lord are all kept within the temple under an equivalent roof and is that the best sort of distinct temples in southern India.

H73The people of the region consider Lord Vishnu to be a particularly knowledgable,humble yet powerful king and therefore the ruler of the world.

The devotees offer holy prayers from rock bottom of their hearts. The temple has spectacular halls and other facilities to perform different rituals with sacred mantras within the holy environ.

Thirumalai Nayakar Palace Madurai tourist places

Thirumalai Nayakar Palace was built in 1636 AD in the city of Madurai, by King Thirumalai Nayak. The palace depicts the perfect blend of Dravidian and Rajput styles.

After Independence, this palace was declared as a memorial and till date continues to be one among the spectacular monuments of Southern India. The magnificent palace is found within the vicinity of the very famous Meenakshi Amman Temple.

It was built during the rule of Nayak Dynasty and is widely considered as the illustrious monument built by the Madurai Nayak Dynasty. The Thirumalai Nayak Palace was the residence of King Thirumalai Nayak and was approximately fourfold bigger than what’s seen today.

The exterior, also because the interiors of this palace, are richly adorned. One can notice the excellent stucco work done on the arches and domes of the palace.

It showcases an array of architectural wonders ranging from the massive pillars to the over-all daunting structure. There are a complete of 248 pillars during this grand palace.

Visitors also can enjoy a powerful sound and lightweight show at Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal. The main palace is split into two sections, namely Swargavilasa and Rangavilasa.

In these two parts, there are various sections of the royal residence, theatre, shrine, apartments, armoury, royal bandstand, pond and garden.

This glorious palace is widely considered because the most illustrious monument constructed by the Madurai Nayak Dynasty. Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal was built to mark the shift of the capital of King Thirumalai Nayak from Tiruchi to Madurai, which was finished strategic and administrative reasons.

Samanar Hills Madurai tourist places

Samanar hill is Located in Keelakuyilkudi village near Madurai, Samanar Hills or Samanar Malai may be a beautiful hill rock complex which was originally home to Tamil Jain monks.

The hill caves are a popular place of tourism and have elaborate carvings and drawings of the monks, on the interior walls. The spot also features a beautiful lotus temple located within the premises.

Gandhi Memorial Museum Madurai tourist places

The Gandhi Memorial Museum serves as a remembrance and tribute to the efforts of our very own father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi.

Established in 1959 in his cherished memory, eleven years after his demise, it is one of the few Gandhi Museums in the country. Located within the heart of Madurai, the museum houses a wealth of remarkable mementoes related to Indian history like the bloodstained cloth Gandhi was wearing when he was assassinated in 1948.

It is one of the five great Gandhi Museums in the country which depict the life of the Father of the nation and India’s freedom struggle from 1757 until 1947.Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated the premises on 15th April 1959, and the illustrations and graphic representations convey an understanding of the struggle for freedom during the British era.

The enclosure is associated with a rich history, and the building itself is a former 17th-century palace. Gandhi Memorial Museum in Madurai comes under the Peace Museums Worldwide selected by the United Nations Organization (UNO).

The galleries of the museum display the chronicles of the pre-independent nation during an era when unfortunate atrocities were committed by the British. Special collections include historical stamps of British ruled India and letters written to and by Mahatma Gandhi.

The letters sent to the poet, activist Subramania Bharati and infamous dictator Adolf Hitler are kept here! The most exciting part of the museum is the sections containing 124 rare photographs of Gandhiji’s personal life.

It has photographs depicting various stages from his childhood days until being taken to the crematorium. A bloodstained cloth used by him on the day of his assassination is also kept at this museum. The museum is also home to around 100 relics and replicas of artefacts about Gandhiji.

St Maryes Cathedral Madurai tourist places

St Maryes Cathedral may be a gothic style Catholic Church situated in East Veli Street in Madurai. The striking architecture may be a mixture of European, Continental and Roman designs.

The statue of virgin Mary installed inside is wearing a saree. The church receives a regular influx of visitors all year long.

Koodal Azhagar Temple Madurai tourist places

Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the Koodal Azhagar Temple, located within the centre of Madurai city of Tamil Nadu may be a unique and famous temple of historical significance constructed within the Dravidian style of architecture and supposedly built by the Pandyas.

Koodal is another name for the town of Madurai and Azghar in Tamil translates to ‘beautiful one’, pertaining to Vishnu as Koodal Alagar and his consort Lakshmi as Mathuravalli.

Beautifully sculpted and carved by adding different reminder colour, the majestic temple imposes itself within the eyes of the beholder. With Lord Vishnu because the main deity within the sort of Sri Koodal Azhagar, this temple is one among the 108 Divyadesams and lies on the 65th spot.

This ancient temple is situated near the famous Meenakshi Amman Temple. Six pujas are performed in this temple which covers an area of 2.5acres. What makes this temple so rare and unique, is that the presence of three different postures of Vishnu at such proximity to every other.

The temple complex is big and  inbuilt traditional style with big front Gopuram and delightful vimanam. Thousands of pilgrims flock here a day and most significantly during the Tamil month of Vaikasi (May – June) to supply their prayers.

Glorified in the words of ancient literature, from the Sangam period to the works of Alvars, the temple is the present embodiment of unparalleled craftsmanship of a past era.

Pazhamudhir Solai Madurai tourist places

Pazhamudhir Solai may be a beautiful temple created within the memory of Lord Subramaniya who is worshipped by several people in southern India.

It has sculptures of Lord Subramaniya carved in wood and marble and may be a fantastic temple with large steps within the front of it.

People worship the temple by moving across the temple a several number of times, with the hope that their wish would come true. It is the enormous temple of Lord subhramaniya in southern India and one among the foremost beautiful too.

It is situated on the hills of Azharar koil and falls in Madurai in Tamil Nadu.

Tirupparankundram Murugan temple Madurai tourist places

Tirupparankundram Murugan temple is one among the pilgrimage places within the southern India. The temple is a superb master piece of art and is dedicated to mother earth for the benedicts it’s bequeathed on the holy earth.

The region has a hilly terrain and is also known as southern Himalayas of India. It is a divine and blissful destination where the sun and moon can be seen together at several instances of the day.

It is looked upon as a sanctum for marriages and most of the marriages within the suburbs happen during this temple itself. The marriage of Lord Subhrahmanya was celebrated during this temple and sseveral people are bound within ahead of the god during this temple.

Vandiyur Maiamman Teppakulam Madurai tourist places

Vandiyur Maiamman Teppakulam may be a tiny pond located near the premises of Vandiyur Maiamman Temple in mandir.

Teppakulamê literally meaning temple pond is connected to the river Vaigai through underground tunnels and its water is employed for temple rituals. The pond also has a Mandapam in the centre with a Ganesha Temple and a tiny garden.

Kutladampatti Falls Madurai tourist places

Kutladampatti Falls may be a beautiful waterfall and its a masterpiece of nature. It is serene and delightful .These falls are about 30 km northwest of Madurai city in Tamil Nadu.

The best time to go to these pretty falls is between September and February. This cascade may be a small local attraction, where one can spend a cheap evening. A 2 kilometers step trek from the highway, results in the Kutladampatti Falls, which are recently constructed by the governing authorities of the world.

The falls get their name from the village Kutladampatti, during which they’re located.Ashram is another place of attraction, located within the downhill.

The Ashram is surrounded by mango farms and is a home for peacocks. The ashram also has various shrines and may be a excellent place for meditation and spiritual relief.

Goripalayam Dargah Madurai tourist places

Goripalayam Dargah is additionally referred to as Hajha Syed Sultan Alaoudeen Syed Sultan Samsudeen Aouliya Dargah and is situated in Madurai. Done in green and white paint,

the mosque has towering minars and a powerful dome; and it houses the shrine of Hazrat Sulthan Alauddin Badusha and Hazrat Sulthan Shamsuddin Badusha.

Arittapatti Shivan temple Madurai tourist places

Arittapatti Shivan temple, also referred to as Kalinjamalai and Thiruppinaiyanmalai may be a hill village located at 7 kms West of Melur and 12 kms East of Azhagar hill Azhagar koil – Melur route.

It is famous for an  Shiva cave temple. On the eastern face of Capitol Hill may be a cavern with a drip-ledge dig the outer face of the rock. On the cave is found a Bramhi inscription which has been dated to between the second and first century B.C.

This Siva temple may be a fine example of the first Pandya rock-cut temple architecture. This simple but beautiful , which belongs to the 7th – 8th century CE, has a garbhagriha and a front mandapa.

Now the lpeople call this temple as Idaichchi mandapam. The Siva linga of this temple has been chiseled within the centre of an equivalent rock.

The bas-relief sculptures of the Vinayaka and Siva as Lagulisa adorn the 2 niches of the outside wall of the front Mandapa. This is one of the rare Lagulisa sculptures found in Tamil Nadu.

How to Reach Madurai

Madurai By Air:

      Madurai airport (IXM) 10 km away and is well connected with other major city like Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi and major part of other states.

Madurai By Train:

      Madurai Junction (MDU) is the main railway station of Madurai with good connectivity with other major railway station. Cabs, taxis and public transport can be used to reach the Hotels or desire location.

Madurai By Bus:

       Madurai Mattuthavani Bus terminal provide good connectivity with other major state like Andhra Pradesh, Tilangana, Kerala, Karnataka etc. Offline and Online bus service are also available.

Where to stay in Madurai

Madurai railway station or Airport is located centrally. One can easily get good hotels and It cost under 1000-2000/- Per Night, depends on Pick and Off seasons. It is located centrally so one can book car also. This itinerary based on Madurai Railway station. One can change as per own choice.

Best Time To Visit Madurai

The summer and rainy season are marked by hot sunshine and rainfall. The winter season is consider as the best season for all places and to do sightseeing. October to February is the ideal month to visit Madurai.

Madurai Itinerary-How to Explore Madurai

The most ideal way to visit Madurai is by doing a 3 day and 2 night stay. Book your hotel near Madurai railway station which is located centrally. From there you can book Hotel, and taxi for stay and sightseeing also.

It is also enable you to easy check-in and check-out option. Choose your itinerary as you are comfortable.

Madurai Travel Guide

How to explore Madurai in 3 days or 4 days.

Day 1: Day 1 can cover by local transport only.

Day 2: Book full day car as one has to cover 4-5 places.

Day 3: Book full day car for these two places as you has to go waterfall and return in day 3.

Day 4: One can book full day tour for day 4 as they have to cover 4 places.

Madurai Itinerary

Madurai tourist places Day 1

• Pazhamudhir Solai
• Koodal Azhagar Temple
• Sri Meenakshi Temple
• Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal
• Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam
• Gndhi Memorial Museum
• Gorippalayam Dargah

Madurai tourist places Day 2

• Subramaniya swamy temple(Thirupparamkunram Murugan Temple)
• Samanar Hills
• Alagar Temple
• Arittapatti Shivan Temple

Madurai tourist places Day 3

• Kutladampatti Falls

Madurai tourist places Day 4

• Vaigai Dam

Madurai Travel Cost for 1 Couple for 2 Night & 3 Days.

* Food-3 Days                             : 1500/-

* Travel cost                                : 6000/-

* Hotel-3 Days                              : 4500/-

* Other Activity                              : 1500/-

Total cost around 3000-12000/-Rs for One Couple for 2 Night & 3 Days. You Can Negotiate and plan your own trip as per Distance, Enjoyment, Food, Transport and stay.

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