Meenakshi Amman Temple

The basics

The temple is the most significant site in Madurai and is among Tamil Nadu’s most famous temples. It’s a pinnacle of South Indian temple architecture and features a dozen gopuras (entry towers) covered with intricately carved, colorful depictions of deities and other mythological beings. Most city tours spend a significant amount of time exploring its vast interiors, and going with a guide can be useful if you want to learn about the temple’s history and features, as not much is signposted beyond rules and regulations.

Things to know before you go

• The Meenakshi Amman Temple is a must-see for first-time visitors to Madurai and anyone interested in spirituality or architecture.

• The temple is wheelchair-accessible, and loaner wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

• You must remove your footwear before entering the temple, but free footwear stands are available at all five entrances.

• Foreigners and non-Hindus are barred from entering certain parts of the temple.

• Photography and videography (including with cell phones) are not allowed in the temple.

How to get there

The Meenakshi Amman Temple is located in the heart of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, about a 10-minute walk east of the Madurai Junction railway station and about 20 minutes from the airport by car. Pre-paid, fixed-rate taxis will take you straight to the temple from the airport, and auto-rickshaws are widely available to get to the temple from other parts of the city.

When to get there

The Meenakshi Temple opens very early in the morning, before sunrise, closes for lunch for a few hours, then reopens in the late afternoon, remaining open well into the evening. The weather in Madurai is most pleasant between October and March when there’s not typically much rain and temperatures are a few degrees cooler.

Highlights of the Meenakshi Temple

There’s lots to see inside the temple, so give yourself plenty of time to explore. Highlights include the Golden Lily Tank, a massive water tank used for pre-ritual bathing, located on the southern end of the complex. The Aayiram Kaal Mandapam (or Thousand-Pillar Hall) is another must-see. It features intricately carved columns supporting a colorfully frescoed ceiling and a lot of art, most of which is religious in nature.