Madurai

Among several other Madurai temples, Meenakshi Amman temple also known as Madurai Meenaskhi temple has gained special recognition.
Meenakshi Madurai temple has gained prominence for the 12 impressive gopuarams which are situated in the high walled enclosure of the temple. Meenakshi Madurai temple has the core with two sanctums for Lord shiva (Sundareshwara) and Goddess Parvati (meenakshi) which are surrounded by several shrines of other deities. This temple is also famous for the thousand pillar hall which in reality only has 985 pillars, all the towers are this Madurai temple are erected on solid granite bases, the towers are covered with mythological animals, deities and monsters works.
The thousand pillar of Madurai temple is considered to the wonder of the palace and each pillar has a sculpture inscribed from Dravidian culture. Outside this thousand pillar mandapam there is another one called musical pillars, each of which when struck produces different musical sounds, to the south of this thousand pillar mandapam of Madurai temple there is a kalyana mandapam where the marriage of shiva and parvati is celebrated every year.
This Madurai temple is said to the only temple in Tamil Nadu which celebrates festivals almost through the entire year. Some of the pillars in thousand pillar mandapam have glimpses of the sculptures which represent the original story for this temple to come into existence. The second Pandyan king performed a holy puja in order to become father of a child, impressed with this puja Goddess parvati herself emerged from the holy fire. The king was shocked to see her having three breasts, according to the divine instructions it was said that once she encounters her prospective bride she would become normal. After succeeding her throne, the princess started invading other worlds and after conquering all the worlds she came face to face with Lord Shiva with whom she instantly fell in love with and later on all the marriage rituals was performed.