Golden lily tank-sree meenakshi temple

Golden Lily Tank -Sree Meenakshi Temple

(pottramarai kulam)

From the Mudali Pillai Mandapam ,we come to an important part of Sree Meenakshi Temple.A beautiful rectangular tank face its right across its northern bank is situated the sanctum sanctorum of sree Meenakshi.There are big stone corridors on the four sides of this tank.

The Golden Lily Tank is 165 feet long and 120 feet broad .There are stone steps on all the four sides leading almost to its bottom .The tank is filled with water during the major part of the year.Only very rarely does the tank get dry.

Before entering sanctum sanctorum .Hindus who go into the temple bare footed,wash their feet in the tank's water.

After washing their feet (and incidentally perhaps their sins)the pious Hindus sprinkle some water on their heads take a handful of the water,get up the steps spray the water on a step ,stand on the portion ,face themselves towards the main deity put their palms together and pray with eyes closed for a new and better life.They then get up the steps and go to the Lord Vinayaga immensed in the sacred ash.

The south western corner of Golden Lily Tank present a grand view to one coming in from the Mudali mandapam .In the background .We see the upper part of the majestic southern tower of the temple.

Wooden boards ,bearing the paintings (now removed)depicting the holy prays of Lord Siva,are fixed on the walls of the northern and eastern corridors now those paintings can be seen in the Art Gallery (Thousand Pillar Mandapam).

From the centre of the eastern corridor ,we can see two small towers covered with golden plates in the midst of the eight towers of the temple.The idols the deities of the temple namely Sree Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswara are rooted just below the golden towers. 

On the southern wall there are marble stones on these the 1330 stanzas of Thirukkural,the Holy scripture of the divine poet Thiruvalluvar are engraved.

On the western wall of the northern corridor .The models of the portions of the temple,relating to Sree Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswara are painted,Exquisite painting on the ceilings of the corridors also attract our eyes.

There are several pillars in the northern corriders. The figure of the poets the Tamil Sangam's (Association of poets)Last period of engraved on this pillars .While there were 89 poets during the Last period of the sangam we find the statues only 24 of them.

On one of the pillar in the centre ,we see the figures of  Kulasekara Pandyan who built the temple and the city in the good old days .On another there is the figure of Dhanajayan who informed the Pandyan king about his discovery of the foot of Lord Siva in the Kadamba forest.

Sitting on the steps of the Golden Lily Tank,one forget the worries about the world by looking at the people of all sorts assembling there.

There is lily with golden leaves floating at the centre of the tank,this testifies to the name of this tank.