MADURA STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE

MADURA TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE

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CHARACTERISTIC F E AT U R E S

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CHARACTERISTIC F E AT U R E S

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MEENAKSHI TEMPLE, MADURAI

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MEENAKSHI TEMPLE, MADURAI

• Meenakshi means the lady with the eyes like a fish. Minakshi was a local goddess. Later she came to
be identified as Parvathi the wife of Shiva. Sundareshwara is another name for Shiva.
• The Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple is located in the heart of Madurai city, Tamil Nadu ,covering an
area of around 45 acres. The greatest architectural marvel of India is dedicated to Lord Shiva in the
form of Sundareswarar and his wife the Goddess Parvati in the form of Meenakshi.
• Also called Meenakshi Amman Temple was built by Pandya King Kulasekara and reconstructed later by
Ruler Thirumalai Nayak, the temple has patronized literature, Art, Music and Dance ever since its
inception.The Nayak Dynasty In The 16th And 17th Centuries enlarged The Complex And Re-designed
The Surrounding Streets In Accordance With The Sacred Tradition Of The Vastu Shastra.

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MEENAKSHI TEMPLE, MADURAI

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MADURA STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE
MEENAKSHI TEMPLE, MADURAI

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MADURA STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE
MEENAKSHI TEMPLE, MADURAI

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MADURA STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE
MEENAKSHI TEMPLE, MADURAI

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MADURA STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE
MEENAKSHI TEMPLE, MADURAI

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MEENAKSHI TEMPLE, MADURAI
GOPURAMS

The tallest gopura rises to approximately

170 feet and contains more than 1500
figures.

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MEENAKSHI TEMPLE, MADURAI
M A N D A PA S
The temple also has numerous pillared halls called ‘Mandapams.’
These halls were built by various kings and emperors and they serve
as resting places for pilgrims and devotees. Some of the most
important ‘mandapams’ are given below:
• Ayirakkal Mandapam – It literally translates to ‘hall with
thousand pillars.’ The hall, which was built by Ariyanatha
Mudaliar, is a true spectacle as it is supported by 985 pillars.
Each and every pillar is sculpted magnificently and has images
of Yali, a mythological creature.
• Kilikoondu Mandapam – This ‘mandapam’ was originally built
to house hundreds of parrots. The parrots that were kept there in One of the pillared halls in Meenakshi Temple
cages were trained to say ‘Meenakshi’. The hall, which is next to
the Meenakshi shrine, has sculptures of characters from
Mahabharata.
• Ashta Shakthi Mandapam – This hall houses the sculptures of
eight goddesses. Built by two queens, the hall is placed in
between the main ‘gopuram’ and the gateway that leads to the
Meenakshi shrine.
• Nayaka Mandapam – ‘Nayaka Mandapam’ was built by
Chinnappa Nayakkar. The hall is supported by 100 pillars and
houses a Nataraja statue.

Thousand Pillar Hall, Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

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MEENAKSHI TEMPLE, MADURAI

Rising up to 170 feet in the air, the 12 adorned towers

of the Meenakshi Temple are covered in an impressive
display of around 33,000 sculptures - all accentuated
with a riot of bright colours.
In addition to the Hindu gods being honoured on the
temples, the site includes figures depicting tales of
battle scenes and honouring warriors

CHAULTRY- THE RESTING PLACE

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S R I R A N G A N AT H A S WA M Y T E M P L E , S R I R A N G A M

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S R I R A N G A N AT H A S WA M Y T E M P L E , S R I R A N G A M
The Temple Of Srirangam Is
Situated At 10 Degrees 52’N And
78 Degrees 42’ E Towards The
Southern Tip Of India On An Island
Formed By Two Arms Of The River
Cauvery. The Temple Covers A Vast
Area Of About 6,31,000 Sqm. (156
Acres). The Temple Consists Of
Seven Concentric Rectangular
Enclosures Round The Sanctum
Sanctorum.

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S R I R A N G A N AT H A S WA M Y T E M P L E , S R I R A N G A M
GOPURAMS

2- STORIED
4- STORIED

3- STORIED 7- STORIED VELLAI GOPURAMS

There are 21 gopurams (tower gateways), among which the towering Rajagopuram (shrine of the main
gateway) is the tallest temple tower in Asia.

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S R I R A N G A N AT H A S WA M Y T E M P L E , S R I R A N G A M
RAJAGOPURAMS

• The Rajagopuram (the main gopuram) did not reach

its current height of 73 metres (240 ft) until 1987,
when the 44th Jiyar (acharya, chief counsellor) of
Ahobila Matha began collecting donations to
complete it.
• The whole structure was constructed in a span of
eight years.
• The length and breadth at the base of the
Rajagopuram is 166 and 97 feet (50.6 and 29.6 m),
while the length and breadth at the top is 98 and 32
feet (29.9 and 9.8 m).
• The 13 glistening copper 'kalasams' atop the tower
weigh 135 kg each, are 3.12 m high with a 1.56 m
diameter vessel.

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