Madurai or "the
city of nectar" is the oldest and second largest city of Tamil
Nadu. This city is located on Vaigai River and was the capital of
Pandyan rulers. The Pandyan king, Kulasekhara had built a gorgeous
temple around which he created a lotus shaped city.
It
has been a center of learning and pilgrimage, for centuries. Legend has
it, that the divine nectar falling from Lord Shiva's locks, gave the
city its name - 'Madhurapuri', now known as "Madurai".
Origin
Of The Meenakshi Temple The Sri Meenakshi Sundareswara temple
and Madurai city originated together. According to tradition, Indra once
committed sin when he killed a demon, who was then performing penance.
He could find no relief from remorse in his own kingdom. He came down to
earth. While passing through a forest of Kadamba trees in Pandya land,
he felt relieved of his burden. His servitors told him that there was a
Shivalinga under a Kadamba tree and beside a lake. Certain that it was
the Linga that had helped him; he worshipped it and built a small temple
around it. It is believed that it is this Linga, which is till under
worship in the Madurai temple. The shrine is called the "Indra
Vimana".
Once Dhananjaya, a merchant of Manavur, where the
Pandyas had arrived after the second deluge in Kumari Kandam, having
been overtaken by nightfall in Kadamba forest, spent the night in the
Indra Vimana. When next morning he woke up, he was surprised to see
signs of worship. Thinking that it must be the work of the Devas, he
told the Pandya, Kulasekhara, in Manavur, of this. Meanwhile Lord Shiva
had instructed Pandya in a dream to build a temple and a city at the
spot Dhananjaya would indicate. Kulasekhara did so. Thus originated the
temple and city.
When the next Pandya, Malayadhvaja, and his
queen, Kanchanamala, performed a sacrifice for a child, Lord Shiva
caused Goddess Parvati Herself to step out of the fire as a little girl.
She had three breasts. Lord Shiva told the couple that the third breast
would disappear when she set eyes on he who was to be her husband. They
were to name her "Thadathagai" and bring her up as if she were
a boy.
She succeeded her father to the throne at his death. She
gained many military victories. Finally she marched on Kailasa itself.
When she saw Lord Shiva, her third breast disappeared. The Lord told her
to return to Madurai and said that He would marry her there. The divine
marriage was celebrated. This is the theme much beloved of Madurai
artists. There is a superb sculpture of this in the temple. The crowning
of Meenakshi, for She was the same as Thadathagai, is celebrated as a
festival in the temple.
The Lord performed many miracles at the
wedding. These are described in a celebrated poem, the "Tiruviayadal
Puranam". Under the name of "Sundara Pandya", the Lord
ruled the land as a mortal. After sometime, crowning Lord Muruga, their
son, who was named "Ugra Pandya", Sundara Pandya and
Thadathagai went into the temple and assumed divine forms as "Lord
Somasundara" and "Goddess Meenakshi" respectively.
About
The Meenakshi TempleWhile the temple originated in times to
which no date can be assigned, the structures that are standing today
date mostly from the twelfth to the eighteenth century. They occupy a
vast space, 258 m by 241m. There are the two main shrines, no less than
twelve Gopuras, a tank and innumerable Mandapas. At every turn there is
superb sculpture, magnificent architecture.
