History and description of madurai sri meenakshi temple

History and decription of madurai sri meenakshi temple

Origin and growth:

The origin of sree meenakshi temple at madurai in south india goes as far back a 1600 B.C. The puranas (scriptures) tell us an interesting story about the temple's origin.

In a forest kadamba trees ,there was a lingam (semi cylindrical stone) of Lord siva under a kadamba tree .This lingam is believed to have been installed by Lord Indra who come to the earth to wash  of his sins.Indra built the sanctum sanctorum and vimanam (small tower over this Lingam).

Later ,dhananjayan, a merchant,happened to see this divine temple in the midst of the forest. Atonce he informed the king kulasekara pandyan.

The king's capital was then at Manavur.

Kulasekaran cleared the kadamba forest and built a small town round the tower with the siva lingam.

This town was the nucleous for the big city that came into being during later years.

Growth:

We also come to know that the greater part of sree Meenakshi temple was built between the thirteenth and nineteenth centuries.Many persons contributed to its constructions.Still the temple present a compact appearance.

It should have been built of wood at first and replaced by brick and mortar.Round about 700 A.D. Stones should have found a place in the temple .At that time ,the pallava rulers began building temples in and around conjeevaram with stones.

Poet thirugnanasambandar ,who lived in the seventh century ,has reffered to the Madurai temple 'koodal alavai'.At that time,the temple covered only the area round the inner pragaram (path surrounding the deity) of Lord siva's idol.

Kulasekara pandyan built several mandapams(pavilions) like the swami(lord) koil,Arthamandapam, Mani mandapam and Maha mandapam.He also constructed a great part of the city round the fort.The Malaimagal (Daughter of the mountains) temple too was raised by kulasekaran.

The king also constructed temples of protective deities on the four sides of the city.These were Iyyanar koil in the east,Vinayagar koil in the south,kariamar Perumal koil in the west and Kali koil  in the north.

Of these the kariamar perumal temple was destroyed by the muslim invaders.The kali koil is now called Chellathamman koil.