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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Infobox temple<br />
| name = Meenakshi Temple <br />
| image = <br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu<br />
| map_caption = Location in Tamil Nadu<br />
| coordinates = {{coord|9.920150|N|78.119210|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}<br />
| country = [[India]]<br />
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]<br />
| district = [[Madurai district]]<br />
| location = [[Madurai]]<br />
| elevation_m = <br />
| deity = Meenakshi ([[Parvati]]), Sundareshwar ([[Shiva]])<br />
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]<br />
| temple_quantity = <br />
| monument_quantity= <br />
| inscriptions = <br />
| year_completed = <br />
| creator = [[Pandya dynasty]]<br />
| website = <br />
}}<br />
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'''Meenakshi Temple''' (also known as Meenakshi Amman Temple or Meenakshi Sundareshwara Temple) is a [[Hindu]] temple in [[Madurai]] in the [[States and union territories of India|Indian state]] of [[Tamil Nadu]]. The presiding deities are Meenakshi, a form of [[Parvati]], and her consort, Sundareshwar, a form of [[Shiva]]. The temple complex has 14 gopurams (gateway towers}, the tallest rising to a height of 51.9 metres (170 feet). The complex has pillared halls with artistic sculptures.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://maduraimeenakshi.hrce.tn.gov.in/hrcehome/index_temple.php?tid=31962 |title= Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundaraswarar Temple, Madurai - 625001, Madurai District [TM031962] |publisher= Thirucoil | access-date = 15 November 2023}}</ref><br />
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==History==<br />
According to Hindu mythology the temple has divine origins. More than 3,500 years ago, [[Indra]] the king of the [[Deva (Hinduism)|devas]] built a temple as a symbol of his devotion to [[Shiva]]. Other gods added more temples and the religious centre started growing. The local king; Kulashekhara Pandya, also built a temple there. His daughter, Meenakshi, had divine symptoms at birth and she married Shiva later. However, it is also believed the oldest amongst the present structures was possibly built in the 7th century by the [[Pandya dynasty]] and later fully developed by the [[Madurai Nayak dynasty]], in the 16th and 17th centuries. This is the temple complex one sees today.<ref name= "madurai">{{cite web| url = https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-asia/south-asia/x97ec695a:1500-1850-deccan-south/a/the-meenakshi-temple-at-madurai | title= The Meenakshi Temple at Madurai | work= by Edward Fosmire |publisher= Khan Academy | access-date = 23 October 2023}}</ref><br />
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==The temple complex==<br />
The Meenakshi temple complex is spread over almost 700,000 square feet of land. It has two principal sanctuaries and numerous shrines of varying sizes. It contains about 30,000 sculptures. The two principal sanctuaries are dedicated to Meenakshi and Sundareshwara. Pilgrims bathe in the Golden Lily Tank before engaging in worshipping. The thousand pillared hall is a huge [[mandapam]].<ref name= "madurai"/><br />
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The Meenakhi Temple is a fine example of [[Dravidian architecture]]. It attracts approximately 20,000 people every day. During the 10-day long Tirukalyanam Festival, about a million people visit the temple. It has been declared as the ‘Best Swachh Iconic Place’ (cleanest iconic place) in India.<ref name= "madurai"/><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.culturalindia.net/indian-temples/meenakshi-temple.html | title= Meenakshi Temple |publisher= Cultural India| access-date = 15 November 2023}}</ref><br />
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==Meenakshi Temple Gallery== <br />
<gallery widths="160px" heights="120px"><br />
File:Main Gate of Meenakshi temple, Madurai.jpg|Main Gate<br />
File:Meenakshi Amman West Tower.jpg|Meenakshi Amman West Tower<br />
File:Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai.jpg|Meenakshi Amman Temple<br />
File:Madurai si0677.jpg|Golden Lily Tank<br />
File:Meenakshi Temple, madurai, eastern gopuram (1) (23674803218).jpg |Eastern Gopuram<br />
File: A view of the Thousand-Pillared Hall, Meenakshi Temple at Madurai.jpg|Thousand Pillared Hall<br />
File:Meenakshi Temple, madurai, eastern gopuram (5) (23674775058).jpg|Eastern Gouram<br />
</gallery><br />
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==References==<br />
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[[Category:Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu]]<br />
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{{Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu}}</div>CleanupBot