Madurai

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Fast Facts

State: Tamil Nadu District: Madurai Famous for/as: Temples Languages: Tamil, English Best Season: Oct - Mar Weather: Summer 26-38°C, Winter 20-29°C Altitude: 8 m Pincode: 6250xx STD code: 0452

Must See/Do: Meenakshi Temple

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Experience More in Madurai

  by Madhav Srinivasan  on Jan 30, 2012
With magnificent temples dotting its landscape, it’s no wonder that Madurai has come to be known as the temple city. But it’s not just all temples – there is much more that you can experience in Madurai.

The Rolling Hills of Meghamalai

  by Madhav Srinivasan  on Nov 15, 2011
The mighty hills of Meghamalai are located in the Western Ghats, in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu. Situated at a height of 1500 meters above sea level, this hill station has abundant cardamom and tea plantations.

History

The history of Madurai goes back to the 3rd century BC when Megasthenese mentioned the city in his document. Madurai was then known as ‘Methora’. The city also finds its mention in the Kautilya’s Arthshasta and in the Sangam Literature, wherein Madurai was described to be under the rule of Pandyan Dynasty. Madurai is also known to have been mentioned by the Roman historians – Pliny the Younger and Ptolemy and Greek geographer, Strabo.

After the Sangam period, almost all of Tamil Nadu is known to come under the reigns of Kalabhra rulers, which continued till the mid of 6th century C.E. It then came under the wings of the Pandayan rulers before being conquered by the rulers of Chola dynasty. The great Indian epics, Mahabharata, Ramayana also contain mentions about the city.

In the year 1323, Madurai came under the rule of Tughlaks and the Delhi Sultanate. The Madurai Sultanate then seized the city and till the acquisition by the Vijayanagar Empire, the city functioned as an independent state. After the fall of the next rulers of Madurai, the Nayaks, the city constantly changed hands between the Chanda Sahib, Arcot Nawab and Muhammed Yusuf Khan.

It was in the year 1801, when Madurali like the whole of India, came under the rule of the British East India Company. To cater to the vast increase in population, the city was expanded in 1837 on the orders of John Blackburn. Since then Madurai remained under the British till the independence in 1947.

Travel within city

Madurai is an important city locates in Southern India, and is the second largest city in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is a very important destination commercially, and is one of the prime destinations that is rising in the southern part of the country. Travelling through the city of Madurai is easy, as many buses, auto rickshaws, cabs and cars are available for easy commute.

Bus

You can opt for the government run local buses in order to travel around the city, and this is one of the easiest modes of travel in Madurai. The local buses cover the entire expanse of the city, and by taking one of the regularly plying buses, you can reach any destination in a matter of minutes. You can also opt for deluxe buses which are slightly more expensive but less crowded and more comfortable. Travelling by bus through the night is also safe, so buses are the best mode of travel in Madurai. Bus fares will range from Rs 3 to 8. There are four major bus stands and these are Periyar Bus Stand, Arapalayam Bus Stand, Shopping Complex Bus Stand and Matthuthavani Bus Stand.

Auto Rickshaw

Auto rickshaws in Madurai do not run on meter and a fare should be negotiated beforehand. Day time travel will cost you around Rs 10 per kilometer and night fares are Rs 15 per kilometer. These are easily accessible, present in all major locations.

Hotels

You can find 31 hotels in Madurai under following categories:

• Madurai Budget Hotels (19): Grand Central Hotel, Hotel Rathna Residency, Hotel Chentoor
• Madurai Medium Range Hotels (11): Hotel Park Plaza, The Madurai Residency, Hotel Germanus
• Madurai Luxury Hotels (1): Heritance
• Madurai Resorts (1): Quality Inn Sabari Resorts