| CHITHIRA
SABHA - 1000 Pillars
Kanagasabha
and Rathana sabha - First prakar Rasitha sabha - Veilliambalam
Deva Sabha - Nootrukkal Mandapam Chithira sabha - 1000
pillars.
The vimana of Lord Sundareswarar is called Indra vimanam
which is shouldered by 6 elephants in the outer and
two in the inside. In total, there are several Mandapams
which were built by several dynasties in age and construction.
The street surrounding the main shrines is called adiveethi,
It is adorned by four gigantic storyed towers. The south
tower was constructed by Sevanthi Chettiar in the 16tgh
century. The north tower otherwise know an Mottai Gopuram
is without any striking artistic work. The oldest tower
on the eastern side was constructed in the 13th century
by Maravarman Sundara pandyan. The west tower was constructed
in the 14th Century by prakaram pandiyan. There are
also smaller towers which added mere beauty to the temple.
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North
tower - Nine stores hight 160`6" It containes leaser figues
of Sudhai than other outer towers.
West
Tower - Nine storyes height 163`6" This Gopura Has 1011 shudhai
figures.
South
Tower - Nine storyes height 171`6" this tower has 1511 sudhai
figues.
Mahatma
Gandhi visisted Tamilnadu 20 times out of it 5 times he cam
to Madurai but it he did not visited the Meenakshi as it
was not open to Harijans. Gandhiji's visit to Meenakshi temple
effected on 3-2-1948, only after the Harijans were allowed
to enter the temple. Now the temple is open to all.
PUDUMANDAPAM
The
puthumandapam is infront of the East Gopuram, puthumandapam
is otherwise known as Vasanth Mandapam construed during the
reign of thirumalai Nayakar. It is the Summer resort of Sundaraswarar
and Meenakshi. On the granite pedestal at the centre the deities
are placed during festivals. Wonderful stone images of Thadathagai.
Meenakshi`s weddings, Ravana lifting Mount kailas and the
stone elephant eating sugarcane decorates this mandapam. The
Nayakar rulers are immortalised by their statues here.
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