The Nayak rulers of Madurai and certain other towns introduced a new style of constructing open courtyard called parakramas. The Meenakshi temple at Madurai (in Tamil Nadu) was built in the 17th century A.D. by th Nayak rulers. It looks like a fortified citadel from outside. The Temple is contained with a complex of columned Mandapas, tanks, stores, shrines and, at the core, the two temples of Shiva as Sundareshvara and Devi as Meenakshi.

The sanctuary of Shiva has an assembly hall, a vestibule and a cella which is surmounted by a small shikara which penetrates through the flat roof covering of the whole portion of the temple . The sanctuary of Meenakshi is half the size of Shiva's sanctuary. The outer wall of the Meenakshi temple is 258 metres long and 220 metres wide. The temple has the "pool of lilies", measuring 49.5 m by 36 m, surrounded by steps and has a pillared portico on four of its sides.

The Gopuras at Madurai are among the most elaborately adored in southern India. The temple is adorned with eleven gopuras . Four among them are 45 metres in height. Each gopuram is a pyramidal structure with a straight or slightly curved slope. The gopurams with life size sculpture of figures from Hindu mythology are the striking features of this temple.

The towers are of brick and plaster with openings and porticos at each level to admit light to the hollow chambers. All of these elements are entrusted with plaster decoration and painted in vivid colours (recently restored). A doorway flanked by images of Ganesha and Subrahmanayam leads into a columned mandapa used for shops, stores and stables. Continuing westwards towards the Meenakshi shrine, the courtyard of the Pottamari Kulam is reached.

The 'bed chamber'on the north is where the image of Sundareshvara is brought each night. There is the Viravasantaraya mandapa, in which an image of Nandi is placed. To the south, is the Kalyana Mandapa, where images of Minakshi and Sundareshvara are brought at the festival that celebrate their marriage. The door jambs, which are more than 15m (49 ft) height , are finely carved with scroll work. The temple has many pillared halls, one of which is known as the "Hall of thousand pillars".
http://www.vaisnava.cz/fotky/madurai/Madurai1-v.jpg
http://www.angelfire.com/realm/bodhisattva/madura3.jpg
http://www.tourism-in-india.com/travel-by-themes/gifs/meenakshi-temple-madurai.jpg
http://www.coxandkings.co.uk/img/india/tours/cctm_temple_inside.jpg
http://www.tourmartindia.com/destination-india-guide/gifs/meenakshi-temple-madurai.jpg
http://www.india-unveiled.com/india-unveiled/photos/img0096x.jpg
http://www.vaisnava.cz/fotky/madurai/Alagarkoil-Temple6-v.jpg
http://www.vaisnava.cz/fotky/madurai/MaduraiMariman1-v.jpg
http://www.vaisnava.cz/fotky/madurai/Madurai-Minaksi2-v.jpg

8/10

Off the scale... easy 10/10

9/10 amazing

8.5

What's amazing is that today's constructions don't even last a century, and monuments like this one have been around for 1300 yrs or so! Apparently, in some cases, technology has actually went backwards!

6/10

sorry, but I really don't like it

9/10

Here's some more - A medival skyline!

http://www.thehinduimages.com/hindu/ImageLoader?IMAGE=p002fa3c.jpg&IMAGE_TYPE=WATERMARK

http://www.thehinduimages.com/hindu/ImageLoader?IMAGE=p002fa41.jpg&IMAGE_TYPE=WATERMARK

http://www.thehinduimages.com/hindu/ImageLoader?IMAGE=p002fa43.jpg&IMAGE_TYPE=WATERMARK

9!

wonderful, 10/10

9,5/10. A very good one

10 from me.

8,5/10

No brainer easy 10/10

Classic and one of India's most loved and revered monuments.

Here are some more pics... not the greatest quality though

http://img181.exs.cx/img181/2894/17tb.jpg
^ Model of the Temple complex

http://img181.exs.cx/img181/4493/20cp.jpg

http://img181.exs.cx/img181/25/39vr.jpg
^ The many pillared halls

http://img181.exs.cx/img181/8520/43db.jpg

http://img181.exs.cx/img181/3273/51ri.jpg

..

10/10. Beautifull!

http://www.dinodia.com/photos/images/HSA-14356.jpg

http://www.dinodia.com/photos/images/ASM-13871.jpg

http://www.dinodia.com/photos/images/MAK-16519.jpg[/QUOTE]

great architecture indeed and nice selection of pics Tony, but I am afraid some of them are not that of the temple in Madurai ( the one wit hthe green hill ib the background, and the one with the large pond )

Still 9.5 or me !

great architecture indeed and nice selection of pics Tony, but I am afraid some of them are not that of the temple in Madurai ( the one wit hthe green hill ib the background, and the one with the large pond )

Still 9.5 for me !

lol.. blame google

http://www.maduraidirectory.com/images/meenakshi_big.jpg

9
impressive

http://img75.echo.cx/img75/6261/meenachikovildetails8bi.jpg

Just look at the details :eek:

http://img52.echo.cx/img52/479/hindmadurai1xy.jpg

10/10.

9/10

9.5/10 WOW, never seen such a building before, very interesting!

8/10

Pretty details.

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/9999/18ja.jpg

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/4116/28gp.jpg

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/6981/37zh.jpg

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/7031/46mx.jpg

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/9599/59hd.jpg

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/3254/68ge.jpg

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/2082/70aw.jpg

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/4527/81su.jpg

http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/5324/image46jj.jpg

Easy 10 :)

10/10. :) . This is stunning piece of architecture. huge, colorful & extremely creative. simply beautiful.

9.5/10

9.5/10

some of the pictures is meenakshi temple others are madurai thapakulam,nayakar mahal palace and the last one i think is alagarkoil

9.5/10 Love them. :)

Dunno how anyone can give this less than 10 - 1000 year year old skyscrapers craved out of solid Indian granite, and lined with unbelieveable detail.

Better than the Taj by far.

Dunno how anyone can give this less than 10 - 1000 year year old skyscrapers craved out of solid Indian granite, and lined with unbelieveable detail.


The trolls who gave it low marks are the usual suspects from you-know-where.


Better than the Taj by far.

That's my opinion too. Taj Mahal is good no doubt, but this is far better. I mean how many structures that tall are found in the world from that era?

i love my india

9/10

3/10

9/10

9/10

8,5/10

Brilliant 10 without doubt

Pls Scroll --->
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/4132/383448112tt3.jpg[/URL]

9/10

9/10

8.5 nice color scheme.

The temple is simply beautiful. Since i come from Madurai, the city where the temple stands, i have had the opportunity to see this spectacular monument many times.

I would give it a 10/10.

SUUPER 10!!!! :banana:

9.5/10

A new day dawns in the "Temple City"

Copyright : PrasoonRana

Source : www.flickr.com


http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/3058/3597108792428f4f047ord4hg2.jpg

North Tower - Meenakshi Temple

A view on the majestic North Gopuram of the Meenakshi Temple enlightened by spots and streetlights at night. The Temple has 4 of these impressive gates as an entrance. The newer the Temples the higher the Gopurams, compared to the old Temple in Thanjavur the Gopurams there are small but the Sanctuorum is immens.

This Gopuram is by the local people also called 'mottai Gopuram' or bald headed cause this tower was never finished, it has only a few small statues, the other 3 Gopurams has more statues. As you can see between the small pillars on the left side there are no statues.

The Meenakshi Temple is a lively meeting place for pilgrims from all over India.

Text and Copyright : Oochappan

Source : www.pbase.com

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/8760/56180118img1691di5.jpg

7/10

3/10

I wonder, do u ever experience happiness in life ? I think you are eternally suffering from jealousy, fear, inseurity, ur ideological fanatism etc etc...
LOOSER...

10/10

10 from me as well..

8.5/10

9.5/10

9/10

http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp348/rammanpandu1/10b1e1a5.jpg

Look strange :shocked: 9,5/10

7/10

7/10

10. Excellent. Regards.

10/10

Corridors:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3664/3460092583_f704da98c8_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cjb22222222/3460092583/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3647/3460887058_6fab5c0306_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cjb22222222/3460887058/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3224/3113070299_43ce38486b_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuart-lee/3113070299/sizes/l/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3529/4019407782_245a61316f_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40112784@N03/4019407782/sizes/l/

perfect 10!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2423/3922258925_99bb77c252_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulthy/3922258925/sizes/l/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3529/3881907226_857fd35de8_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/loveontherun/3881907226/sizes/l/

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2480/3891617377_14b3d48fdc_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/redeemer/3891617377/sizes/l/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3438/3833555684_49837cf371_o.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pvraghav/3833555684/sizes/o/

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2490/3796229002_01329456ba_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/robotsergio/3796229002/sizes/l/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3610/3577946349_928ac98b05_o.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vipinsehgal/3577946349/sizes/o/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3597/3458409493_e37f32aa7e_o.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23828055@N02/3458409493/sizes/o/

:applause:

Nice collection there Marathaman.

10/10:cheers:

Virtual Tour: Meenakshi Amman Temple - Madurai by Tamil Nadu Tourism

http://www.view360.in/virtualtour/madurai/

Other sites
http://www.tamilnadutourism.org/virtualtour/index.html

10/10

Virtual Tour: Meenakshi Amman Temple - Madurai by Tamil Nadu Tourism

http://www.view360.in/virtualtour/madurai/

Other sites
http://www.tamilnadutourism.org/virtualtour/index.html

:eek2:

9/10

10/10

Detail:

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/1751/42702929039cc0acae10o.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9221512@N08/4270292903/in/pool-architectural_asia

Main Entrance:

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/609/404291472998ab8de8a4b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/briji/4042914729/

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/2879/43950051987703875355b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thegman/4395005198/

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/829/43942405852288efa838b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thegman/4394240585/

http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/2295/438547815255c651670fo.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alaskankangaroo/4385478152/

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/5020/mee360.jpg

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/3751/meen3602.jpg

http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/4215/meen3603.jpg

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/6236/meen3.jpg

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/8995/meen4m.jpg

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/479/meen5.jpg

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/1992/meen6.jpg

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/8519/meen7.jpg

8/10. A temple like this needs to bee seen for real. So much details everywhere.

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/4388/dsc0238kd.jpg

thankkkkkkss secret biil gates book mollinaire www.moneymoney2.tk www.easymoneynow.tk

10/10

8/10

amazing 10/10

8.5/10

7/10

8/10

8/10

10/10