Things to do in Madurai
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Sri Meenakshi Temple
The Sri Meenakshi Temple is the abode of the triple-breasted, fish-eyed Goddess Meenakshi Amman (‘fish-eyed’ is an adjective for perfect eyes in classical Tamil poetry), is considered by many to be the height of South Indian temple architecture, as vital to the aesthetic heritage of this region as the Taj Mahal is to North India. It’s not so much a temple as a 6-hectare complex enclosed by 12 gopurams, the highest of which towers 52m over Madurai, and all of which are carved with a staggering array of gods, goddesses, demons and heroes.
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Tirumalai Nayak Palace
What the Meenakshi Temple is to Nayak religious architecture, the Tirumalai palace is to the secular. Unfortunately it’s in a state of rot today, but the shell that remains is still impressive. The main event is the entrance gate, main hall and Natakasala (Dance Hall), with their faded yellow plasterwork, lion and makara (crocodile-elephant creature) sculptures and a series of fabulous murals that hints at the opulence the Nayak rulers once enjoyed. The rectangular courtyard, 75m by 52m, is known as Swargavilasa (Celestial Pavilion), and while time has taken its toll, you still get the sense the plaza fully deserved the name. The Indo-Saracenic palace was built in 1636 …
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Jayaram Fast Foods
There’s a busy (and yummy) bakery downstairs, and a crisp and clean restaurant up top that does a nice line in Indian fare, plus burgers and pizzas. While the latter aren’t winning any awards, this is as good a piece of pie as you’ll find in Madurai.
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Gandhi Memorial Museum
Housed in the tamukkam (old exhibition pavilion) of the Rani Mangammal is the excellent Gandhi Memorial Museum, set in spacious and relaxing grounds. The maze of rooms contains an impressively moving and detailed account of India’s struggle for independence from 1757 to 1947, and the English-language signs pull no punches about British rule. Included in the exhibition is the blood-stained dhoti (long loincloth) that Gandhi was wearing at the time he was assassinated in Delhi in 1948; it’s here because he first took up wearing the dhoti as a sign of native pride in Madurai in 1921.
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Puthu Mandapam
Madurai teems with cloth stalls and tailors' shops. A great place for getting cottons and printed fabrics is Puthu Mandapam, the pillared former entrance hall at the eastern side of Sri Meenakshi Temple. Here you'll find rows of tailors, all busily treadling away and capable of whipping up a good replica of whatever you're wearing in an hour or two. Quality, designs and prices vary greatly depending on the material and complexity of the design, but you can have a shirt made up for around Rs150.
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Mariamman Teppakkulam Tank
This vast tank, 5km east of the old city, covers an area almost equal to that of Sri Meenakshi Temple and is the site of the popular Teppam (Float) Festival, held in January/February, when devotees boat out to the goddess temple in the middle. When it's empty (most of the year) it becomes a cricket ground for local kids. The tank was built by Tirumalai Nayak in 1646 and is connected to the Vaigai River by underground channels.
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Vegetable & Flower Market
Just north of the Sri Meenakshi Temple, before you get to North Avani St, the daily vegetable market is a labyrinth of bustling laneways strewn with aromatic herbs and vegetables. In the thick of it, on the 1st floor of a nondescript cement building, is the gorgeous flower market. Vendors dexterously heap mountains of marigolds and jasmine onto scales for the temple flower sellers here.
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Sound-and-Light Show
There’s a nightly sound-and-light show which can be fun at the Tirumalai Nayak Palace the mosquitoes and people carrying on conversations throughout come at no extra cost. The palace is a 20-minute walk from the Sri Meenakshi temple.
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sightseeing tours
The tourist office organises half-day sightseeing tours that include the Tirumalai Nayak Palace and Gandhi Memorial Museum, and finish at the Sri Meenakshi Temple. Tours start at 07:00 and 15:00 and cost around Rs125 per person (minimum six people).
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Surya Restaurant
The rooftop restaurant of Hotel Supreme offers a superb view over the city and a nice pure veg menu, but the winner here has got to be the cold coffee, which might as well have been brewed by God when you sip it on a dusty, hot (ie every) day.
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West Veli St
The fixed-price government shops are conveniently located together in West Veli St, including Poompuhar, Kerala Handicrafts and Khadi Bhavan (khadi is the homespun cloth made famous by Gandhi's decision, taken in Madurai, to wear it).
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Madurai Government Museum
Inside this museum is a neglected collection of archaeological finds, sculpture, bronzes, costumes and paintings. A shady children’s park with pay-as-you-go rides and slides is alongside the museums’ entrance driveway.
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North Chitrai St
Every tout, driver, temple guide and tailor's brother will lead you to the Kashmiri craft shops in North Chitrai St, offering to show you the temple view from the rooftop - the views are good, and so is the inevitable sales pitch.
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Taj Restaurant
This non-veg extravaganza is packed with happily masticating families in the evening, no doubt enjoying specials like the Mughal biryani (only available Sundays) and the intriguing, occasionally offered pigeon masala.
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Temple Art Museum
Within the Sri Meenakshi temple complex, housed in the 1000-Pillared Hall, is the Temple Art Museum. It contains painted friezes and stone and brass images and good exhibits on Hindu deities.
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Dhivyar Mahal Restaurant
One of the better multicuisine restaurants not attached to a hotel, Dhivyar Mahal is clean and bright. The usual curries go down a treat, and where else are you going to find roast leg of lamb in Madurai?
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Taj Garden Retreat
This indoor-outdoor restaurant is perched in the gardens above the city, with stunning sunset views. If you’re hankering for spag and salad in relaxed surrounds, this is the place to come.
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Temple View
The nightly rooftop restaurant at the Hotel Park Plaza serves multicuisine veg and nonveg dishes. Butter chicken masala is good value and the tandoori chicken is especially succulent.
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Emperor Restaurant
It’s all veg all the time at Hotel Chentoor’s rooftop restaurant, but that karmic goodness is a bit undone by the fact this spot basically becomes a very popular bar come nightfall.
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Anna Meenakshi Restaurant
Among the cheap and cheerful South Indian veg restaurants in the old town is Anna Meenakshi Restaurant, a busy place good for thalis.
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Shoppers Shop
Shoppers Shop is a well-stocked grocery store which also includes a good selection of Western foods.
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Sree Sabarees
Sree Sabarees always has a crowd at the outside chai and snacks stand; stop by for a cuppa or eat veg food inside.
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Turning Point Books
A 4th-floor bookshop opposite New College with a good selection, especially the shelves on Indian religion.
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Malligai Book Centre
Opposite the train station; the left-hand side has a decent selection of English-language titles.
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Gandhian Literary Society Bookstore
The Gandhian Literary Society Bookstore is behind the Gandhi Memorial museum.
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