Meenakshi Temple

The Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai is one of the greatest Dravidian temple complexes in the world, dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi and her consort Lord Sundareswarar. The temple covers 45 acres in the heart of Madurai and is dominated by 14 towering gopurams, the tallest rising to 52 metres, each encrusted with thousands of brightly painted stucco figures. The complex contains the sacred Porthamarai Kulam (golden lotus tank), multiple mandapams, and a hall of a thousand pillars. The current structure was largely built during the Nayak period in the 16th and 17th centuries. The daily rituals include a ceremonial procession of Sundareswarar's image to Meenakshi's chamber at night, re-enacting their divine union. The annual Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival draws over a million pilgrims to the city.