10 Temples in Madurai You Must Visit

Considered one of the holiest spots to get married, Meenakshi Sunderesgwar Temple is a temple you must visit when you’re in Madurai. Here’s an interesting story behind it! Legends go that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married at this place! Though not the oldest temple of Madurai, this shrine dates back to 1190 CE, offering you a sight of ancient architecture. When you reach here, you will be taken aback by its gorgeous Dravidian-style architecture featuring 14 gateways and over 30,000 sculptures. Go in to convey your prayers to Shiva and Parvati and if you get lucky, you might get to witness a wedding or any religious festivals conducted here. Also remember, the temple is open between 5 am to 12.30 pm and 4 pm to 10 pm.

Second, on our list is one of the 108 Vishnu temples or Divyadesam located near Madurai. Here, you will find the idol of Lord Vishnu resting on a bed of snakes. Besides, you can explore annexed shrines housing other idols. When you come here to worship, you can feel a divine ambience all around. Not to forget, the colourful carvings and pillared mandapams will be a treat to your eyes. To visit this temple, you have to come here between 6 am to 12.30 pm and 6.30 pm to 8 pm. A suggestion here, try to come here in the month of April if you want to witness the famous Chithirai festival.

Our Madurai temples list will remain incomplete if we don’t mention this renowned temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. You will be mesmerised seeing the beauty of this temple and then you will understand why this temple is named Azhagar, meaning ‘the beautiful one’. You can plan your visit to this temple at a convenient time between 5.30 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 9 pm. But the best time to visit the temple is the 10-days festival held on Masi Magam day.

Dedicated to Lord Murugan, son of Lord Shiva, this temple is another sacred place for marriage. And, if you’re a newly-wed couple, you must consider worshipping at this shrine. When you go inside, you will see idols of Lord Shiva, Vishnu, Vinayaka and Goddess Parvati. You will be surprised to know that the idols of Lord Vishnu and Shiva face each other in this shrine, which is quite a unique feature. After your prayers, come outside and take some time to admire the architectural beauty of the temple and the beauty of the natural surroundings. By the way, the temple remains open for visitors from 8 am to 12.30 pm and from 4 pm to 7.30 pm. So, make sure you plan your visit accordingly.

Let’s tempt you with an intriguing story about this temple! Locals say the idol of Lord Vigneshwara was obtained from the bottom of a large tank that is placed in the centre of this temple when the tank was dug in bygone times. Feeling like visiting this unique shrine? Well, just plan a day trip to this shrine any time between 6 am and 9 pm. You will be awestruck to see the enormous water tank. Once you’re done soaking in the outside beauty of the temple, you can move on to see the various religious festivals that are conducted here frequently.

Head to the Azharar Kovil hills to find the largest temple in South India that is dedicated to Lord Subramaniya. As you approach the temple, you will be welcomed by striking architecture and plenty of sculptures of Lord Subramaniya made of wood and marble. You can worship by walking across the periphery of this temple as locals believe that your wishes will come true if you follow this. And if you’re planning to come here, know that the visiting hours are between 5.30 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 9 pm.

You must have heard of this temple! If not, visit here once and you will see how popular this shrine is among Indian and international devotees. Flocked by thousands of pilgrims every day, this temple is devoted to Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha. The moment you enter the premises, you can sense an auspicious aura around, which is elevated by the constant chanting of mantras and devotional songs. After finishing your prayer, look out for the corner where prasad offered to Lord Krishna is distributed among the visitors. You can also try some snacks from the pure veg eatery placed inside the compound. You can explore this temple during its visiting hours, which is between 5 am to 12.30 pm and 4.15 pm to 8.15 pm.

Next on our Madurai oldest temple list is this shrine dedicated to the avatar of Lord Shiva, Edaganathar. You have to reach the banks of the Vaigai River to spot this temple. When you come here, you will find two gateway towers making way for the two shrines of Lord Shiva and his consort. Plan your visit here around February-March to be a part of the renowned Muthu Pandal festival celebrated every year. On regular days, you can enter the temple between 6 am and 8.30 pm.

Come here between 6 am to 12.30 pm or between 4 pm to 8 pm to pray to Mother Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas. Besides, you can also pray to other deities like Shani, Guru and Sri Santoshi Madha. Did you know this temple was built to heal the damage caused by the horrific fire incident in Madurai? Well now that you do, you can guess why people believe that the temple can control the five elements of the Earth. Not only the awe-striking stories associated with the temple but also its gorgeous architecture will lure you.

The last ancient temple on our list that is locally known to have mystical qualities awaits you in Periyar. Here, you will get to see three different avatars of Lord Vishnu in the form of idols, namely Lord Veera Raghava, Ustavar and Narasimha. Let’s intrigue you more! Locals say that the tank placed near the temple is known to have healing and wish-granting properties. So, don’t forget to convey your wishes near the tank. Make sure you come here within the opening hours, which is between 6 am to 11 am and 4 pm to 8.30 pm.

Wondering which temple to visit? We say you explore all the holy places to visit in Madurai mentioned above as each is unique and charming in its own way.