Description of sree Meenakshi Temple (A Self Explantory 1)

Description of Sree Meenakshi Temple (A Self Explantory)

Sree  Meenakshi Temple is one of the greatest temple of South India.It is situated in the heart of the city of Madurai.Its towers can be seen even from a distance' An aerial view of the temple will be simply grand.

Goddess Meenakshi is the main deity of the temple,Hence it has become customary to go into the temple through the entrance on the eastern side,facing Sree Meenakshi.

This entrance is twenty five feet high and eighteen feet broad .There is no big tower at this entrance as the other entrances .However, the beautiful

 sculptures of Lord  Vinayaga and Lord Subramanya find a place at the sides of this entrance .At the centre ,we find the wedding scene of Sree Meenakshi ,worked out in fine mortar.

This entrance leads up to Asta Sakthi Mandapam the Abode of Eight powers.We find on the left four these power,namely Goddessess Gowmari,Rowmari,Vaisnavi,and Mahalakshmi .On the right are the idols of Yagnaroopani,Shyamalai,Maheswari and Manonmani.Besides these eight Powers there are two Dhwara Balagies in front .There are also the statues of Lord Ganapathy and Lord Muruga.

The Asta Sakthi Mandapam also houses many other beautiful drawings and coloured sculptures.These depict a few stories relating to the Thiruvilayadals.(Deeds of Lord Siva).

For instance ,the events leading to the birth of Sree Meenakshi and Her later rule find a place among these drawings.

In this context,it will be interesting to know what the legends say.

One Vidhyavathi became so attached to Goddess Uma (Parvathi) that she came to live in Madurai.Here she observed all the fasts.performed all the rites and worshipped Goddess Angayarkanni(Parvathi) with all devotion.

One day Goddess Angayarkanni (Parvathi) appeared before Vidhyavathi as a three year old girl.This divine child asked Vidhyavathi to tell her desire,Vidhyavathi begged the Goddess to favour her with eternal bliss at Her feet.This wish was readily granted.The Apparition then asked Vidhyavathi what also she wanted.At this Vidhyavathi told Goddess Angayarkanni that she should be born as her child in the same form as she stood before her then.

The Apparition agreed to Vidhyavathi's request. It informed her that in her next birth she would become the wife to Malayadhwaja Pandyan,the ruler of Madurai.After that ,the Goddess would be born as her daughter.

  Accordingly  Vidhyavathi became Kanchanamala and married Malayadhwaja Pandyan.The king had no child for a long time .So he performed a number of Yagnas (Holy Prayers with fire).In  one of them a girl of three,came out of the sacred fire.The child at once ran to kanchanamala and sat on her knees 

This was a surprise to  one and all.The king ,however was sorry that he did not get a male child .Moreover ,the girl had three breasts.

But a divine voice was soon heard .It asked the king to name the child as Thadadhagai,bring Her up like a boy and crown Her.It also declared that

Her third breast would disappear as soon as she faced her Husband .