The Meenakshi temple is believed to have been founded by Indra (king of Deva celestial deities) while he was on a pilgrimage to atone for his misdeeds. He felt his burden lifting as he neared the swayambu lingam (self formed lingam, a representation of Shiva used for worship in temples) of Madurai. He ascribed this miracle to the lingam and constructed the temple to enshrine it. Indra worshipped Shiva, who caused golden lotuses to appear in the nearby pool. Tamil literature speaks of the temple over the last two millennia. Thirugnanasambandar, the famous Hindu saint of Saiva philosophy, mentioned this temple as early as the 7th century, and described the deity as Aalavai Iraivan. The temple is believed to have been sacked by the infamous Muslim invader Malik Kafur in 1310 and all the ancient elements were destroyed. The initiative to rebuild the structure was taken by first Nayak king of Madurai, Viswanatha Nayak (1559–1600) under the supervision of Ariyanatha Mudaliar, the prime minister of the Nayak Dynasty and the founder of the Poligar System. The original design by Vishwanatha Nayak in
Nearby Shrines
Gandhi Museum - 3.4kms
Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal - 1.2 kms
Samanar Monuments Road Alagar Hills - 24.1 kms
Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy 15 kms
Gandhi Museum - 3.4kms
Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal - 1.2 kms
Samanar Monuments Road Alagar Hills - 24.1 kms
Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy 15 kms
Pongal Festival
Chithirai Festival
Festival of Cradle
Festival of Cradle
Most Visited Shrines
