Meenakshi Temple is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Thirukamakottam udaya aaludaiya naciyar. Meenakshi, a form of Parvati and her consort, Sundareshwar, a form of Shiva.
The 13th century Tamil text Tiruvilaiyatarpuranam-compsing stories of Lord Shiva dating back to 3000 BC. mentions king Malayadhwaia Pnadya and his wife Kanchanamalai who performed a yajna seeking a son for succession. Instead a daughter is born who is already 3 year old nd has three breasts. Shiva intervenes and says that the parents should treat her like a son, and when she meets her husband, she will lose the third breast. They follow the advice. The girl grows up, the king crowns her as te successor and when she meets Shiva, his words come true, she takes her true form of Meenakshi.
The Meenakshi temple is the physical center of the city of Madurai as well as its economic, mythical, and spiritual heart. Its importance radiates outward from the central shines through Madurai to the entire Tamil-speaking region in south India, and beyond.
The grandeur of this twin-temple complex and its historicity reflects the old-world charm of the city. But today, Madurai is one of the most important cultural and commercial centers of India. Modernity has reached the city, but not at the cost of its rich culture and tradition.
Today, approximately 20,000 people per day visit the Meenakshi Temple's almost 700,000 square feet of space, including the two principal sanctuaries and dozens of shrines of varying sizes. Bordered by high walls and gateways, it is a bewildering collection of indoor and outdoor spaces: small, cramped shrines, vast halls, low and high ceilings, darkness, light, hustle and bustle, quiet spaces, and chaos. All told, it contains around 30,000 sculptures.
