Thread by @GanKanchi

Sri Meenakshi Amman Temple ❤🇮🇳
Sri #Meenakshi Amman Temple, Tamil Nadu In the ancient temple city of #Madurai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, on the southern bank of Vaigai river, stands the magnificent Meenakshi #Amman Temple. It is dedicated to

Meenakshi (Sanskrit term meaning 'fish eyed'), a form of #Goddess Parvati, consort of Lord #Shiva, worshipped here as Lord Sundaresvara. The goddess Meenakshi is the principal deity of the temple, unlike most Shiva temples in #South India where Shiva is the principal deity.

Meenakshi Amman Temple was built in 12th Century during the reign of King Kulasekara of #Pandya dynasty. However the temple and the presiding deity are mentioned in the Tamil Sangam literature, with the goddess temple mentioned in 6th Century AD texts. #Kulasekara Pandya is

credited with the construction of the main shrine as well as the shrines (koil) each for Natarajar and Surya near the main temple, Ayyanar in the east, Vinayagar in the south, #Kariamalperumal in the west and Kali in the north.

Temple was also expanded during the reign of Maravarman Sundara Pandyan I.
In the early 14th century, the armies of Delhi Sultanate under #AlauddinKhilji led by #Muslim Commander Malik Kafur plundered and destroyed the Meenakshi temple, looted it of its immense wealth, gold and

silver along with many other temple towns of South India. A muslim governor was apointed in the town who later defected and established an independent #Madurai Sultanate. During this period, temple was in ruins and no active worship was allowed.

It was Kumara Kampana, the son of Deva Raya II of the Hindu #Vijaynagara Kingdom who crushed the Madurai Sultanate and liberated the #Temple. Massive reconstruction was undertaken and old glory of the shrine was restored. In the 16th century, the temple complex was further

expanded and fortified by the Nayaka ruler #Vishwanatha Nayakar and later others.
The restored temple complex is embedded inside three walled enclosures and each of these have four gateways. There are fourteen gopurams at present ranging from 45–50m in height, with the southern

gopuram tallest at 51.9 metres (170 ft). Each #gopuram is a multi-storeyed structure, covered with sculptures painted in bright hues. The outer gopurams are high pyramidal tower serving as a landmark sign for arriving pilgrims, while the inner gopuram are smaller and serve as

the entrance gateways to various shrines.
The temple has two separate shrines for the goddess #Meenakshi (Goddess Parvati) and god Sundaresvara (Lord Shiva), just like most Shaiva temples. Both the shrines face towards east direction.

The goddess shrine has the green stone image of Meenakshi, standing in bent-leg posture. Her raised hand holds a lotus, on which sits a green parrot. Her left hand hangs by her side. This image is set in a square garbha griya (central sanctum).

A copy of this image has been made from metal and is kept in the temple complex. The metal version is used for a festive procession. A distinct feature of Meenakshi in terms of iconography is the presence of parrot in her right hand.

The parrot is generally associated with the Vaishnava azhwar saint Andal.
The Sundareswarar shrine has a stone shivalinga in its square plan sanctum, and this anicon is shaded under a stone cobra hood. In the northeast corner is another stone image of his consort.

None of these travel during a festive procession. Rather, Sundaresvara is represented in the form of Somaskanda image. Both the Meenakshi and Sundaresvara shrines have gold plated Vimanam (tower over sanctum). The golden top can be seen from a great distance.

Ancient Temples