Madurai (Tamil Nadu)

Hotels & Resorts in Madurai

Hotel	Grade	Rate per couple	Plan
Hotel Park Plaza	********	Tariff	Room only
Hotel President	**	Tariff	Room only
Hotel Supreme	**	Tariff	Room only

Madurai, Tamil Nadu Madurai or the "city of nectar" is the oldest and second largest city of Tamil Nadu. This city is located on Vaigai River and was the capital of Pandyan rulers till the 14th century. The Pandyan king, Kulasekhara had built a gorgeous temple around which he created a lotus shaped city. Mythology says when city was being named; Lord Shiva blessed the city and its people. On the auspicious occasion some Divine nectar ("Madhu") fell from the matted locks of Shiva and hence the city was named "Madhurapuri". This sacred town of south attracts thousands of pilgrims and visitors from India as well as abroad.

The life of Madurai revolves around the Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple. This magnificently carved temple is the main attraction of Madurai and its huge Gopurams towers over the city. Meenakshi temple has a thousand pillared 'Mandapam'. Precisely there are 985 pillars and each of them is delicately and exquisitely carved. Among these are the musical pillars, which produce music when tapped. Surprisingly, these musical pillars are carved out of a single granite rock. The temple has been a hub of Tamil culture and has been sponsoring literature, art, music, and dance in the region for a long time. The temple also has an art museum. The city apart from temple is crammed with shops, street markets and temples, pilgrims choultries, hotels and restaurants. Though Madurai is considered as pilgrimage but it has also developed as a business centre and is famed for its traditional handicrafts in bronze and brass.

PLACES TO VISIT

Meenakshi Temple- 1.6 kms
Tirumalai Nayak Palace- 2 kms
Mariamman Tank
Koodal Alagar Temple
Gandhi Museum and Government Museum (Timings: 1000-1300 hours & 1400-1800 hours. Closed on Wednesdays)

EXCURSIONS

Alagar Koil (21 kms)
Tiruparan Kundram (8 kms)
Pazhamudhirchglai (25 kms)
Srivilliputhur (74 kms)
Vaigai Dam (69 kms)
Kodaikanal (120 kms)
Trichy (142 kms)

HOW TO GET THERE?

Air : Indian Airlines connect Madurai with Chennai, Calicut and Bombay. Vayudoot Services also connect Madurai with Chennai & Pondicherry. East West Airlines also connect Madurai with Bombay.

Rail : Madurai is Connected by rail via Chennai with all the main places in India.

Road : Madurai is connected by good motorable roads to Chennai (472 kms), Trichy (142 kms), Rameshwarm (139 kms), Kanyakumari (232 kms), Tirunelveli (151 kms), Kodaikanal (120 kms), Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (136 kms), Palani (122 kms), Thanjavur (223 kms), Bangalore (446 kms), Bombay (1454 kms).

Bus : Regular bus-services connect Madurai with Chennai,Bangalore,Tanjore,Palani, Courtallam,Kanyakumari,Kodaikanal,Periyar,Tiruchirapalli and Trivandrum.

Local Transport: Taxi, Autorickshaw, City bus, Cycle-rickshaw available here.