Introduction: Madurai is an ancient city of around 2500 years old. Kulasekara, the Pandyan king, expectedly built this city. It was the capital of the Pandyan Dynasty. According to a legend, when Lord Shiva came to bless his devotees who were building a temple for him, a drop of nectar (maduram) fell down from his lock. The history of Madurai is constituted of four parts starting from 2000 years back. The Cholas came in for sometime and faded away. The rule of the Nayaks for 2000 years is known as the age of golden era. There was a new advancement in arts, architecture, and learning during their age.

History: Madurai being one of the oldest Indian cities, its existence is dated back to the Sangam period of the Pre Christian Era. Malik Kafur ransacked the city of Madurai during the starting of the millennium. After that the Vijayanagar Empire took over Madurai. When the Nayaks came into ruling, the prosperity of Madurai returned to its glory. The Sangam Literature contains ultimate glory in all aspects starting from the pre Christian period and early stage of first millennium. Madurai also served the seat of Sangam learning. Megathanes visited Madurai during the early 3rd century BC followed by many travelers from Rome and Greece.

Places of interest: The twin temple of the Meenakshi Sundareswara is the center of Madurai civilization. All the housings are built concentrating around the temple. Enclosing these two shrines is four massive gateways and one can easily gets fascinated by the paintings and sculptures of this temple. Thirumalai Nayak Palace, which was built in 1636, is about one and a half km distant with Meenakshi temple. It is famous for its domes and impressive arches. Thirupparankundram Temple is regarded as one of the six abodes of Lord Subramania. The shrine of this temple is made of cut solid rock. Alagar Koil is a worshipped Vishnu temple dedicated to Lord Alagar.

Travel information: Madurai stands 101 meters above the sea level. It has a tropical type of climate. The climate is pleasant in all around that makes it a round the year tourist spot. The people of Madurai speak Tamil, English and Saurashtra. The Meenakshi Temple of Madurai is celebrating all months throughout the year. The regular airlines connect Madurai with the cities of Chennai, Bangalore, Tiruchi and Coimbatore. The airport is just 10 km far from the main city. Madurai being the main junction of southern railways, it connects Madurai with rest of the important cities of the nation. The roadways have service connecting Madurai with rest of the major south Indian cities.