Madurai is the seat of Tamil culture from the days of sangam and is watered by vaigai.

Deity : Meenakshi & Sundareswarar.

The goddess incarnated as the daughter of the Pandya king reigned as the princess and married the Lord Sundareshwara who performed 64 miracles for his devotees. The temple buildings occupy an area of 847 ft x 792 ft on the massive outerwalls stand 4 towers, the tallest of which is the 169 feet high South tower with parabolic curves. It is customary to worship Devi first. Hence people enter the temple through the Ashta sakthi mantapam on the eastern side.Over the ashtashakthi mantapam is the sculptured representation of the wedding of goddess Meenakshi. This mantapam is so called after the figures of the 8 Sakthis represented on the pillars on two sides. On the walls are paintings and sculptures from scenes in thiruvilayadal puranam. Passing through the Meenakshi Naickar mantapam and mudalipillai mantapam, one comes to the golden lotus tank(Potraamarai kulam) . (This has special significance to Tamil Sangam and poetry)

The tank is surrounded by spacious corridors,the walls of which carry paintings, that depict the 64 miracle performed by lord sundareshwarar. Adjacent to the tank is the Unjal mantapam and the kilikootu mantapam. The long rows of pillars here contain delicately carved figures. Crossing the kilikootu mantapam one enters the shrine of Meenakshi in the sanctum, Devi Meenakshi the fish eyed goddess stands with a parrot and a bouquet.

After worshipping the Devi, the devotee passes through a gate surmounted by a middle gopuram. A colossal idol of vinayaka (Mukkuruni Vinayakar) is located on the way to sundareshwara's shrine. In front of the sundareshwara shrine is the Kambathadi mantapam. This contains many finely sculpted pillars and meenakshi's wedding is depicted here. Other pillars contain siva in various forms the avatars of vishnu are also represented . There is also the hall of thousand pillars(Ayiram kaal mandapam). The equestraian statue of ariyanatha mudaliyar who built this treasure house of art greets one at the entrance. On either side are the statues of kannappar, Bikshatana, Chandramathi, Kumaran and Kurathi. The Chakram carved on the ceiling denotes 60 Tamil years. The 985 pillars are so arranged that from whichever angle they are viewed, the appear in a straight line.

The images of Arjuna, Rathi, Mohini, kalapurasha, virali are magnificant carvings. A beautiful image of Nataraja is installed at the farthest end of the hall. At the outskirts of the city are the vandiyoor theppakulam also known as mariamman theppakkulam, measuring 1000 ft x 950 ft. On the island in the middle of the tank, there is a beautiful mantapam surrounded by 4 smaller ones the illuminated floating festivals on Thai poosam is a wonderful sight.

Madurai is the city of festivals. The archakas take active part in enacting the different thiruvilayaadals of Siva during the festivals. The important festivals are in the months of Chithirai, Avani and thai. The wedding of the goddess Meenakshi on chitra pournami and the procession of Alagar to vaigai (who as the brother of Meenakshi) comes to give away her hand in marriage) is famous. The city was discovered by a merchant Dhananjaya. On a somavara (Monday) he observed Indra worshipping here, the swayambu linga. He reported this to the king and he built a temple. The shape of the town is in the form of a snake (Haalasya) and suggested by Siva Himself. A serpent was sent and it helped to mark the boundary of the city.

On chitrapournami, Indra worships here to expiate the sin of incurring the displeasure of Brihaspathi.Meenakshi is identified with Raja matangi or mantrini the minister of lalitha tripura sundari.

The dhyana for this form is:

I meditate on Rajamathangi decked with precious jewels, who is in ecstasy over potations of Madhu, whose locks are adorned with kadamba flowers, who carries a veena on her lap and plays on it exquisitely, wears apparel of red colour, is adorned on her forehead with Kasturi, who has a crescent for head-wear, who wears on her ear conch-like ornaments, whose body lustre resembles that of the parrot , and who holds a parrot symbolic of all arts.. Upanga deva is Vagvadlini Pratyanga deva is Nakuli

This Vishnu temple located twelve miles East of madurai is atop a hill.

Deity : Sundararaja Perumal. (Azhagar & Andal.)

Mythology has it that he comes to Madurai to give his sister's hand in marriage to lord sundareshwara, on Chitra pournami.Azhagar is supposed to have been graced and accepted the offering of a group of Kallar tribes there and hence he is called “Kallazhagar”. This festival is celebrated at Madurai temple also. On the 4th day, Azhagar is taken to Madurai.

The marriage of Andal will Azhagar is also celebrated here

There is a fresh-water spring called Noopura Ganga two miles uphill. This is used for the daily abhishekam of the bronze image and any other water blackens the image.

There are many mantapams with images and sculptures. The walls of the Vasantha mantapam have frescoes with the story of Ramayana. The Vimana is called Ashtanga Vimana.

This is about seven miles south of Madurai and is a cave temple

Deity: Muruga with Deivayanai

This is one of the Arupadai Veedu(six houses) of Muruga.After quarelling with Surapadman, he was married to Indra's daughter Deivayanai. The temple is on the Northern side of a hill. The gopuram is 150 ft high and inside the temple is the kalyana mantapam with a number. of statues. The sanctum is carevd out of a rock and the lord's wedding with Deivayanai is depicted here. No abhishekam is done except to the vel. Besides Muruga there are images of Karpaga Vinayaka, Satyagiri Mathar, Durga and Vishnu. At the top of the hill is a shrine dedicated to Kasi Vishwanathar. The image of Nakkeerar the Tamil poet is seen standing with reverence.

This is also one of the Arupadai veedu of Muruga. This is at the top of the alagar hill. This is associated with the Tamil Poetess Awaiyar & the famous 'Sutta Pazham' incident. There is also Vinayaka, where Awai is seen praying.