The Golden Lotus Tank

This spectacular Tank which is located in Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, is 165 ft x 120 ft wide. Steps lead into the pond from all sides. Devotees use the pond to clean themselves before entering the temple. Hindus are expected to be physically clean when entering the sanctum. Spiritual cleaning takes place later.

Earlier, the water for the pond used to be of natural flow from under ground springs from the surrounding areas. However with the drying up of natural inflow, water has to be pumped in from underground resources. Also, rain water collection from the flow off from the roof, has been cumulated and directed to flow into the pond.

Situated very near the entry point into the Meenakshi Shrine, the Tank forms a beautiful landmark. In the olden days, it also became a public reference point, where new Tamil literature was floated out on the water, for acceptance by Royalty and the Public.

A metallic Lotus has been installed inside the pond, which stands out prominently. The Golden Lotus Pond finds a place in the annals of history, as this was the site for very many outstanding events related to the Temple, the Tamil Language, as well as to the Pandya Kingdom:

• A character in the bye lanes of Puranic stories indicates that a man having taken a bath here, wanted to partake of a fish in the tank, but realizes his mistake, beseeches the Lord to kill his sinful body. He also requests that in future no fish or frog should live here, so that this crime was not repeated. Till date it is said, no frog or fish lives in the tank.
• The Tank formed a testing ground for the Poets of the Sangam Era, when Shiva is said to have provided a plank for the Poets to stand on, which floated on the water. Though the tale formed a part of the Thiruvillayadhal Tales, in essence it proved as an outlet for the frustrated Poets, to compete and try and excel one another.
• The four Corridors around the Golden Lotus Pond, is a focal point for literature and poetry. The entire Thirukkural has been sculpted on the Eastern Corridor. The 2000 years old Kural, one of the most widely quoted sayings in common speech, is acceptedly as one of the greatest literature pieces. While Nayak Style Paintings used to fill the Northen Corridor earlier, with the unknowing delineation of these drawings in mid 20th century, the Temple authorities have arranged for and have commisioned new drawings of ancient themes, to be drawn in old ancient style (though this is not of Nayak Style). There is also The Vibhuthi Pillaiyar on the South Western corner of the Corridors - a favorite of the masses. The Western Corridor is the most crowded corridor, with the sculptured pillars and the ticket counters. Entry into the Meenakshi and Shiva Shrines takes off from here, beside the Nandhi Lamp, the Flag Staff, the Pallee Pea-dom - all located here.
• On the Northern Side of the Pond the two figures of Kulasekara Pandyan and Dhananjan-purportedly the founders of the Temple, could be seen sculpted on the pillars.
• On the Western Corridor we also see the Oonjal Mandapam, where the Utsava Idols are on display on Friday evenings, on swings.
• The Killi Kuttu Mandapam is the center of action, where the big scales to measure goods/ or even oneself, is located, when the magnanimous heart opens up, and the rich and resourcefull are in a mood to donate to the almighty - by way of grain, silver, agricultural produces, and very other thing that the devotee is keen on donating.
• Viewed from the Eastern side of the Pond, one would be able to see the Tower top of the Meenakshi Shrine Sanctum, beside very many of the other gateway Towers of the temple.
• The tank is mentioned frequently in Shiva's Sixty Four Thiru Villayadhal Purana incidents including' Indrans release from his Brahma Hathi Dosha,' 'The White Elephant freed from its Curse', the incident related to 'the Stork that attained the feet of the Lord', 'The incident when Dharumi the poet was honored with the Golden Parrot', When 'Nakkeran was rescued from the Pond', and finally when 'Nakkeeran was taught the finer points of Literature'.
• Finally at the Oonjal Mandapam, at the small hall projecting into the Lotus Pond, on the inner roof, one could see the remnants of the old drawings of the Nayak Period (1689-1706 CE), mercifully left out by the destroying maintenance gang.
• The Pond and the steps around the Pond were built during 1562 / 1573 / and 1578 CE
  

Temples in the Temple City

Temple	Description
The Aadi Chokanadar Temple	One of the oldest Shiva temple at Madurai- The Temple is within walking distance, of the Meenakshi Temple. Being a small temple, all the rituals are visible from the street.
Immaiyil Nanmai Tharuvar Koil	An old Shiva Temple. Possibly older than Meenakshi Amman Temple. It is situated in West Masi street. The Kumbha Abhishekam was celebrated recently (2006)
Cave Temple of Narasimhar	This temple is situated 8Kms from Madurai,along the Yannai Malai,2Kms from Othakkadai, on the Melur Madurai Road. It is a cave temple of the 8th century. Situated next to this temple is an unfinished temple, of an earlier period called the Ladamuni Temple
Alagar Koil	Situated 18Kms from Madurai, is the famous temple of Alagar. An incarnation of Vishnu, he is adored by the local, rural folk. Myth and Puranic tales indicate him to be the brother of Meenakshi. His visit to attend his sister's wedding is the biggest festival of Madurai
ThiruparamKundram	The cave temple Of Murugan, at the hillock, situated 8 kms from Madurai on the National Highway, is a popular temple having a big draw. One of Murugans six Padai Veedu, it also has an older Jain and a Pandya Temple, on the flanks of the hill.
Koodal Alagar Temple	Situated 500 meters from the Central bus stand in the heart of the town ,is this Vishnu Temple. It is associated with his Matcha Avathara (as a Fish). It is also related with the feats of Periyalwar, one of the Vaishnavite Saints, and a man of letters.
Kamatchi Ekambareshwarar Temple	Located on the South Masi street, this is said to be the place where Parvathy came over to give relief to Brahma, after he had been cursed by Shiva to perpetual Poverty, Indigence, and Destitution
Madapuram	Meenakshi as Kali is the presiding deity here in this temple, located 19Kms from Madurai. The guardian deity –‘ Iyyanar’, is the local hero, portrayed as Meenakshi's security and guide.
Chellathu Amman Koil	This temple erected in memory of Kannagi, whom we see in a soft mode (she is usually shown in a foul mode, with the anklet in her hand stature), is a popular temple.
Kochadai Temple	The Temple is 5 kms from the centre of the town, due West. The temple is dedicated to Shiva, and it highlights the Thiruvillayadhal story, wherein Manicka Vasagar goes astray in the purchase of horses, and prays to Shiva to help him out of the predicament. The Lord turns foxes into horses, and the situation is aggravated further. He later brings about a flood in the Vaigai, and the King gives out a call to the people to help in strengthen the embankments. The Lord calls on Vandhi, an old woman, to lend a hand in the river works. One of the biggest Lingam in the area is at the Temple. The idol of Meenakshi is a treat to watch here.
Thiru Vappudaiyar Temple	On the Northern banks of the town, this is a Pancha Bootha Sathalam. The Temple recounts the story of the Pandya King, who on a hunt in these areas, falls down in a swoon. A hunt for a natural outcrop, to pray to, leads the king to a wedge of wood. Later a closer inspection proves him wrong, but the Lord appears before him, to console him. The same temple is illustrated in another Thiru Villayadhal story related to a Priest, who was laid low with hunger, and was helped out by the Lord.

There are numerous other temples at Madurai, possibly at every street corner. However the above list of temples indicates the bigger and more popular temples at Madurai.

The Unsung songs of the Meenakshi Temple

The construction of the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai was one of dedication and of sacrifice.

To build and enlarge the Temple, the Nayaks, and earlier, the Pandyas, settled on the idea, that there need be contribution by the public in substantial measure. Each family in the town was issued a clay pot, to which they were asked to throw in a handful of rice, prior to cooking each meal. The assessment was the pots would fill up by about the month end. Actually it filled up well with in a week. This rice, sold in the free market, brought in the much needed contribution for the Temple expenses. The Mandapam behind the Vibhoothi Pillaiyar, on the side of the Golden Lotus Pond, was built purely with this contribution.

Other measures to collect public contribution, varied. Amongst them:

• Kulasekara Pandyan insisted on a cess on Agricultural yield from the land. In this case tax was waived.


• Booty from war victories was a good contributor.


• Marutha Pandiyar (from Ramnad District), contributed nearly 50% of his entire budget for Temple expansion.


• It took nearly 120 years to (re)build the Meenakshi Temple. It consists of 33 million statues and plaster figures, 12 gopurams (Towers) and the cost then was 12 million rupees.

The major features of the Temple we see today, was envisaged and originally planned and built by Kulasekara Pandyan. However Mallick Kaffur of the Delhi Sultanate razed it to the ground during 1310 CE. Possibly the Sanctum was spared or survived (one does not know), and the latter Vijayangaram Kings and the Nayaks, rebuilt it. Several rules and regulations were passed, to get contributions for temple building, enhanced. Amongst these:

• Kulasekara Pandyan asked for contribution of labor, with one man and one woman from each family. They labored without taking any wages, it is said.


• Families without children, were asked to write a will, requesting them to donate their wealth to the cause of the Temple building.


• Mara Vartman Sundarapandyan, deputed sealed containers (Hundial collection boxes), for collecting money (dropped in), from the public. Also, festivals were confined or stopped completely and expenses for these diverted for Temple building.


• The Kariya Manickka Perumal Temple (an old Temple, and a thriving one at that), was dismantled and the building materials used for this, was removed and utilized for the building of the Meenakshi Temple. The five Pancha Pandava Sculptures (in the Kariya Manickka Perumal Temple) were transferred to the Meenakshi Temple. These are now situated at the Killi Kootu Mandapam in front of the Meenakshi Sanctum entrance at the Temple.


• Believe it or not – people standing three to four feet apart – right from Ramnad to Madurai –a 100 kms distance, transported bricks manufactured at Ramanathapuram – by hand. This pathway used for the above, is now a part of the National Highway.


• The stone masons who worked tirelessly at the Temple, labored for a pittance at a wage of “one quarter Pannam” and ten measures of paddy.


• The daily laborers were paid “one third Pannam” plus 5 measures of paddy. They worked for 17 hours a day
  


• The Priests, if they died without children, their property automatically reverted to the Temple


• There was a ceiling on the extent of land holdings. Above this, the land reverted to the Temple.


• Criminals indicted, had to pay a fine to the Temples.


• Temple staff and priest, who were convicted for any illegality, had to pay a fine to the Temple fund.There came into force, certain restrictions on the Temple Management also:


• The King was not allowed to interfere in Temple affairs.


• The Temple Administration and Daily Pooja rituals were separated and two groups nominated to look after these separately and individually.


• The in-charge of these works were rotated amongst those nominated among the group.


• They were sanctioned a percentage of the income from monthly collections and no salary was given.


• Priests family gave up their rights to Pooja, to their (Sampanthy) daughter-in-laws families (for a few months), when they were married off, in lieu of any ‘Seer’ (which was otherwise usually given by the brides family to the groom).


• Thirumalai began audit checks on Temple expenses. He also brought into practice, the system of closing of Temple accounts in conjunction with the agricultural season, so both came to a close at the same time.


• He also enforced strict rules and regulations, that anyone spending more than the budgeted amount, action would be initiated against him directly.

The History of The Dravidian Civilization

The Dravidians were the original, brown skinned, straight haired (No ! they were not curly haired African decendents), settlers of India (who would swear they were here, in "God's own country", even before Adam and Eve saw the light of day). They were the ones who habited the entire surface area of this holy land, south of the Himalayas and Hindu Kush mountains, since the time of the great Harrappan and Mohanjo Daro Civilizations (these definitely well prior to 1300BCE). Nothing is known of the religion they practiced earlier, though it is an accepted fact that quite a few Dravidian Gods worshiped then, have found a place in the Aryan religion being practiced now. The Dravidians had migrated and had cumulated in the southern portion of the sub-continent subsequently. The reason of their migration is not known, but this could have been due to natural calamities amongst others, or possibly due to immigrant pressure likely from the Aryan immigration into the North. With the advent of the Aryan settlers, who also ventured south partially, in restrictive numbers, subsequent to their settling down in the North, the Aryan customs, their Vedic religion & beliefs and practices also gradually spread out and seeped through the populace to the South.

Many stories prevail on where the Dravidians came from originally. No definitive ideas have concluded on this, till date. However there is a line of thought that the Dravidian Tamils migrated from the Lands of Lemuria (called as Kumari Kandam), which was situated south of the Kanya Kumari region. This land was said to be virtually contiguous with the existing southern territory and, it is said to have been submerged due to a Tsunami during the 6th to 4th century BCE (or possibly even earlier). In the absence of Indian archaeological data on this, we lean on SriLankan ancient literature: Maha Vamsam, Deepa Vamsam, and Erasa Valee, which indicate several Tsunami during the period of 504 and 305 BCE.

The Vedic religion did not have any worthwhile effect, on the Dravidian civilization. There were mainly two reasons for this:

• There was not enough time for the cross culture to take root - from the period the period the Aryas ventured into India in the North with the Vedas (from about 1300BCE), till the practice of the Vedas faded out (around the 4th century BCE).
• The Aryas' penetration down South, was more pronounced, only after the Vedic religion was on a downward trend. The Vedic religious practices were high handed, personal, restrictive and rather costly to keep in touch with. However the Brahminical religion, subsequently modified, to the Agamic stance, made deep inroads and came to be adopted gradually in their midst - this possibly came about only from the 2nd / 3rd century CE onwards. There was stiff opposition from the Jain and Buddhist stalwarts, amongst the populace, who did their utmost to thwart this move - but with little success.

The Language and population of the various Dravidian groups

• Southern Dravidian Group: Includes those who spoke Thulu (5.1L), Bhadaga (0.71L), Kodhugu (0.8L), Tamil (305.6L), Malayalam(170.1L), Kannada(174.2L), Thoda(0.01L), Kodha(0.80L)
  
• Middle Dravidian Group:Includes those who spoke Telugu (376.7L) and 7 of its branch languages- Kondi-(15L), Konda (13L), Bhengo and Mandha (0.13L), Kuyee (9.4L), Kuvee (1.91L), Kollamee (0.5L), Parjee (0.2L), Nayakee (0.15L), Kadhabha (0.8L), besides Sillur and Oolari.


• The Northern Dravidian Group: Includes those who spoke Kurruk (11.4L), Maltoe (0.9L), Praguey (3L), Koya

All figures relate to number of people speaking the language in lakhs (L) / hundred thousand of the population, in 1961.Totally there are about 33 numbers in all, in the Dravidian Language Speaking Group.