Madurai
Madurai is the second largest city in
Tamil Nadu, after Chennai and is one of the
oldest cities
in India, over 2,500 years old. Madurai is situated on the
banks of the Vaigai River. The city evokes the glory of a
bygone era. A land so soaked in history that every
sculpture in every temple tells a story. A city with
marvellous monuments, places of worship and a fine blend of
tradition and modernity. Come to Madurai to travel down the
stream of time. Reference to Madurai is made in the Indian
epic Ramayana and Kautilya's, Arthasastra, making it one of
the
oldest cities in the country. Like many other places in
Tamil Nadu, Madurai has a legend. It is said that the
Pandya king Kulasekara
built a great temple in a big city
for Lord Shiva. On the day when the lotus city built by the
king, was to be named, Lord Shiva himself, happy with his
devotee's gesture, made his divine appearance and showered
the nectar from his matted locks and all over the city.
This gave the city the name Madhurapuri (Madhura means
nectar) which became the capital of the Pandya Kingdom. The
city's visitors list include Marco Polo, who visited this
city in 1293 AD.