See all Deals for Madurai
|
Top Madurai Hotels
|
Hotels(100)|Ratings(524)|Reviews(524) Last rated May 22nd 2013
|
|
#1 |
Rs. 1500
1
|
|
|
|
#2 |
Rs. 800
2
|
|
|
|
#3 |
Rs. 400
3
|
|
|
|
#4 |
Rs. 900
4
|
|
|
|
#5 |
Rs. 600
5
|
|
|
|
#6 |
Rs. 1700
6
|
|
|
|
#7 |
Rs. 4000
7
|
|
|
|
#8 |
Rs. 4800
8
|
|
|
|
#9 |
Rs. 6000
9
|
|
|
|
#10 |
Rs. 3800
10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| State: Tamil Nadu | District: Madurai |
| Famous for/as: Heritage | Languages: Tamil |
| Best Season: Jan - Mar, Oct - Dec | Weather: Summer 26 to 41°C, |
| Altitude: 8 m | Winter 18 to 32°C |
| Pin Code: 625001 | STD Code: 0452 |
|
Madurai, also called the Temple City, is located in the state of Tamil
Nadu. It is also one of the oldest inhabited cities of India. Apart from
the Temple City, a few other names for the city are the ‘City of Four
Junctions’, ‘City of Festivals’, ‘Athens of the East’ and ‘Sleepless
City’, all pointing to one or other aspect of Madurai.
The name Madurai is supposed to have originated from the word ‘Madhura’
in Sanskrit, which means ‘sweetness’. The history of Madurai dates as
far back as the 3rd century BC. The city finds mention in the works of
Megasthenese as well as Arthashastra by Kautilya. Madurai was ruled by
the Kalabhras until the 6th century, after which, it was subsequently
ruled by many other dynasties, viz. the Pandyas, Cholas and Nayaks.
The British took control of Madurai in 1801, and it was then that it was
made a part of the Madras Presidency. Madurai holds significance in
India’s independence struggle as well. The city was home to leaders like
NMR Subaraman, Mohammad Ismail Sahib and Meer Ibrahim Sahib. It was
Madurai where Mahatma Gandhi decided to wear the loin cloth and shunned
trousers as he was inspired by the agricultural labourers here.
Madurai is known to have a mix of cultures and religion, which is
evident from the presence of many religious structures belonging
Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. Some of the important religious
structures of Madurai, which also serve as tourist places, are
Goripalayam Dargah, Meenakshi-Sundreswar Temple and St. Mary’s Cathedral
Church. Gandhi Museum is another tourist attraction of Madurai.
The Chithirai Festival, which
will be celebrated in Madurai from April 22 to May 4, 2012, is a major
tourist attraction. Organised every year at the Meenakshi Temple, the
important facets of the celebrations include the coronation of Goddess
Meenakshi; a wedding marked by rituals between the deities and the
Chariot Festival. According to mythology, Lord Vishnu came to Madurai to
attend the wedding of his sister, Goddess Meenakshi. But as he was
late, he missed the wedding and became extremely angry, which is why he
went back home. This legend has resulted in a grand procession that
marks the end of the festivities where Lord Kallazhaga, an avatar of
Lord Vishnu, is carried back to the temple.
Madurai has come to be called the ‘sleepless city’ because of its 24x7
work culture. There are plenty of food joints here, which remain open 24
hours, along with the transport, which is operational late at night.
The city is well connected to other parts of the country. It has an
airport, a railway station and a reliable public transport system, which
commuters can use for intercity as well as intracity travel. Being a
major city, Madurai is well connected domestically by air, road and rail
transport. The Madurai airport is at a distance of 10 km from the city
centre. Taxis are available from the airport. The nearest international
airport is in Chennai.
It is also well connected by rail including major cities like Mumbai,
Kolkata, Mysore, Coimbatore, Chennai and others. By bus, it is connected
to several cities within the state as well as neighbouring states.
Frequent services are available to Chennai, Coimbatore, Bangalore,
Thiruvananthapuram etc. Services are provided by the TSRTC as well as
private operators.
Lying at an elevation of 101 m above sea level, Madurai experiences a
hot and dry weather throughout the year. The day temperature during the
summer months hovers at about 40° Celsius while the same during the
winters is between 20-25° Celsius. It is best to avoid visiting Madurai
during the rainy season from June to August when the south-west monsoon
hits the city. The best time to visit Madurai is from October to March.
Read More >>
|
| |
|
- Was this review useful?
- YES
- 0 votes, be the first to vote.
0
- Was this review useful?
- YES
- 0 votes, be the first to vote.
1
- Was this review useful?
- YES
- 0 votes, be the first to vote.
2
- Was this review useful?
- YES
- 0 votes, be the first to vote.
3
- Was this review useful?
- YES
- 0 votes, be the first to vote.
4
|
Madurai is one of the largest cities in Tamil Nadu, located on the banks of River Vaigai. It is one of the ancient cities in the history of civilisation and is known to be the city of temples. Tourists and devotees throng this destination to visit numerous places of attraction including temples and museums.
Travellers can visit Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Koodal Azhagar Temple and Thiruparankundram Temple. These are some of the ancient temples in the destination that are famous for their religious importance and architecture.
Furthermore, Azhagar Koil and Pazhamudhir Solai temple over the hilltop and Goripalayam Dargah are some of the attractions visited by tourists. St. Mary’s Cathedral Church offers visual delight to travellers in terms of European and Continental style of architecture.
Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal is also visited by tourists for its historical past. Besides, the Gandhi Museum displays memorabilia of the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi. The museum exhibits facts about his life along with his blood stained dhoti and other items.
Traveller can also visit Vandiyur Kanmoy Tourist Complex that provides an opportunity to enjoy and relax. Some of the other prominent sightseeing attractions in the destination are Adhisyam, a water theme park and Rajaji Park.
|
|
