Madurai is called Athens of the East because of the way myth meets life here. Originally called Madhurapuram because honey (madhu) is said to have dripped off the locks of Shiva here, Madurai is now the second largest city in Tamil Nadu.Legends of warrior princesses, the gods falling in love and divine promises abound. Always an important city politically, it is now among the most important pilgrimages for Hindus. The chief attraction at Madurai is the imposing Meenakshi temple, which was built mainly by the Nayaks.

Madurai was important to all the major south-Indian empires. From seesawing between the Cholas and the Pandyas, to being captured by Muslim invaders, and then being regained by the Vijayanagar kings to finally being taken by the Nayaks in 1565, Madurai has had a rich and exciting past. In 1781, Madurai passed into the hands of the East India Company.