Meenakshi Temple | Tamil Nadu, India

tonymathew · January 23rd, 2005, 01:30 PM

Quote:

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".

Raine · January 23rd, 2005, 02:00 PM

8/10

Tall Rog · January 23rd, 2005, 02:36 PM

Off the scale... easy 10/10

B@dGuYoM · January 23rd, 2005, 03:13 PM

9/10 amazing

Ellatur · January 23rd, 2005, 11:42 PM

8.5

Madhusudhan · January 24th, 2005, 12:16 AM

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!

Fabio · January 25th, 2005, 07:52 AM

6/10

sorry, but I really don't like it

DamienK · January 25th, 2005, 09:41 AM

9/10

kshatriya · January 28th, 2005, 02:10 PM

Here's some more - A medival skyline!

kshatriya · January 28th, 2005, 02:11 PM

9!

hify_ameet · January 28th, 2005, 02:13 PM

wonderful, 10/10

***Matthieu*** · January 28th, 2005, 04:46 PM

9,5/10. A very good one

centralized pandemonium · January 28th, 2005, 04:49 PM

10 from me.

Arpels · January 28th, 2005, 10:05 PM

8,5/10

barneybuck · January 28th, 2005, 10:12 PM

No brainer easy 10/10

kronik · January 31st, 2005, 05:11 AM

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

Jai · January 31st, 2005, 05:52 AM

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

^ Model of the Temple complex

^ The many pillared halls

Jai · February 3rd, 2005, 12:20 PM

..

Renzo · February 8th, 2005, 11:14 AM

10/10. Beautifull!

tonymathew · February 13th, 2005, 11:18 PM

[/QUOTE]

View Poll Results: What do you give this
10	53	52.48%
9.5	10	9.90%
9	16	15.84%
8.5	7	6.93%
8	7	6.93%
7.5	0	0%
7	3	2.97%
6.5	0	0%
6	1	0.99%
5.5	0	0%
5	1	0.99%
4.5	0	0%
4	0	0%
3.5	1	0.99%
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Voters: 101. You may not vote on this poll

January 23rd, 2005, 03:13 PM	#4
B@dGuYoM Funk Master Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Beauvais, FRANCE Posts: 3,871 Likes (Received): 0	9/10 amazing __________________ ThE SkY iS ThE LiMiT

January 25th, 2005, 07:52 AM	#7
Fabio Go Habs! Go! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Montréal-QC Posts: 5,092 Likes (Received): 2	6/10 sorry, but I really don't like it __________________ Vive la joie de vivre Montréalaise!

January 28th, 2005, 04:46 PM	#12
*Matthieu* Administrateur Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Tarbes, the capital of the world Posts: 12,311 Likes (Received): 88	9,5/10. A very good one __________________ "To erect a tall building is to proclaim one’s faith in the future, the skyline is a seismograph of optimism." Jean Nouvel

January 28th, 2005, 04:49 PM	#13
centralized pandemonium Satyameva Jayate Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Can-duh-a Posts: 2,906 Likes (Received): 0	10 from me. __________________ Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he gets drunk and sunburned every weekend. www.ironaddicts.com

January 23rd, 2005, 02:00 PM	#2
Raine ... Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Szczecin Posts: 10,215 Likes (Received): 43	8/10

January 23rd, 2005, 02:36 PM	#3
Tall Rog Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Wroclaw, Poland Posts: 261 Likes (Received): 0	Off the scale... easy 10/10

January 23rd, 2005, 11:42 PM	#5
Ellatur Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,523 Likes (Received): 0	8.5

January 24th, 2005, 12:16 AM	#6
Madhusudhan BANNED Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 362 Likes (Received): 1	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!

January 25th, 2005, 09:41 AM	#8
DamienK Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Perth Posts: 3,258 Likes (Received): 11	9/10

January 28th, 2005, 02:10 PM	#9
kshatriya His Royal Highness Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,533 Likes (Received): 0	Here's some more - A medival skyline!

January 28th, 2005, 02:11 PM	#10
kshatriya His Royal Highness Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,533 Likes (Received): 0	9!

January 28th, 2005, 02:13 PM	#11
hify_ameet Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Delhi, Bangalore. Posts: 164 Likes (Received): 0	wonderful, 10/10

January 28th, 2005, 10:05 PM	#14
Arpels Αλέξανδρος Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Guarda/Moita Posts: 52,624 Likes (Received): 3	8,5/10

January 28th, 2005, 10:12 PM	#15
barneybuck BANNED Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: australia Posts: 255 Likes (Received): 0	No brainer easy 10/10 __________________ Melbourne a great place to live and love.

January 31st, 2005, 05:11 AM	#16
kronik Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: DED, LKO, PHL Posts: 4,494 Likes (Received): 1	Classic and one of India's most loved and revered monuments.

January 31st, 2005, 05:52 AM	#17
Jai ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Haleiwa, Oahu, HI :. Waianae, Oahu, HI :. DETROIT, MI Posts: 3,855 Likes (Received): 8	Here are some more pics... not the greatest quality though ^ Model of the Temple complex ^ The many pillared halls

February 3rd, 2005, 12:20 PM	#18
Jai ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Haleiwa, Oahu, HI :. Waianae, Oahu, HI :. DETROIT, MI Posts: 3,855 Likes (Received): 8	.. Last edited by Jai; September 24th, 2005 at 12:31 AM.

February 8th, 2005, 11:14 AM	#19
Renzo Since 2004 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Buenos Aires Posts: 1,756 Likes (Received): 0	10/10. Beautifull!

February 13th, 2005, 11:18 PM	#20
tonymathew \m/(>.<)\m/ Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Shrewsbury, UK Posts: 74 Likes (Received): 0	[/QUOTE] __________________ My deviantART :)

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