Known as the Athens of the East,
Madurai, the second largest city in Tamil Nadu is situated
on the banks of the river Vaigai. An ancient city, more
than 2,500 years old, Madurai is believed to have been built
by the Pandyan King Kulasekara in the 6th century BC. .
The city is said to have got its name from the drops of
nectar (Mathuram) that fell from Shiva's locks when he came
to bless its people for constructing a temple for him. Originally
named Madhurapuri or the 'land of nectar', the name later
got modified as Madurai. From such legendary beginnings,
the actual history of Madurai emerges sometime during the
3rd century BC when it was the prosperous Pandya's then
capital which had trading contacts with Greece and Rome.
Apart from a brief period when it fell to the Cholas, Madurai
remained with the Pandyas until the decline of the empire.
The next major rulers of Madurai were the Vijayanagara kings
who won over the territory in 1371. They appointed the Nayaks
as governors who, in time, became powerful in their own
right. The 200 - year old reign of the Nayaks marks the
golden period of Madurai when art, architecture and learning,
scaled new heights. In fact, the most beautiful buildings
in the city including its most famous landmark, the Meenakshi
temple, are Nayak contributions.
South
India Tour Packages
Best of Karnataka Tour (Duration
: 8 Days)
(Mumbai - Bangalore - Mysore - Hassan - Bangalore -
Mumbai)
