Divine Diwali - Madurai Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Temple

This Diwali was different from any other we've celebrated. We drove to Madurai to visit the magnificent Meenakshi temple, which is truly one of the most beautiful temples in India. Madurai is located 140km from Tuticorin, and with the extemely well maintained NH45B, the drive takes less than two hours.

The East side entrance to the Meenakshi Temple 

The Meenakshi temple is believed to have been founded by Indra himself, and it was built in the form it is today, by the Nayaker dynasty who ruled Madurai in the 1500's and 1600's. Thirumalai Nayaker was the ruler who was responsible for expanding the temple to what it is today. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvati as Meenakshi (with eyes like fish), and her consort Shiva as Sundareshwarar. This is one of the very few temples where the main deity is a Goddess with the male deity as her consort.
There are 10 Gopurams, some of which were built during the Pandya rule, surrounding the sanctum.

One of the Gopurams of the Meenakshi Temple

We were quite lucky because Diwali is one of the three occasions in the year when Meenakshi is decked up in her most beautiful form, with a diamond crown and a diamond parrot sits on her hand.

The temple tank is called "Porthamarai Kulam" or the Pond with the Golden Lotus.

The Porthamarai Kulam - The Pond with the Golden Lotus

One of the famous halls in the temple - the Hall of Thousand Pillars. It actually contains 985 pillars, each carved with figures such as a lion, Lord Ganesha, Shiva, and yalis, or mythical lions.

Entering the Hall of Thousand Pillars

The beautifully sculpted pillars in the Hall of Thousand Pillars

The temple, with its architectural beauty, and lyrical charm succeeds in making you feel truly blessed. After the darshan of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Shiva, we spent more than a couple of hours just walking through the cool stone interior of the temple. Thousands of devotees thronged to see the Goddess in all her splendour on Diwali day, and the temple was a carnival of fesitivity. However, even amidst the crowds and activity, there is a harmony which engulfs you as you walk through this lovely temple.
I haven't gone into the history and architectural details of this temple. You can read about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meenakshi_Amman_Temple , and also http://www.maduraimeenakshi.org/