Madurai Tourism, Tamil Nadu

History of Madurai

Madurai has a well recorded history, with multiple mentions in Kautilya’s Arthashastra, Sangam literature, and Greek text. Madurai was ruled by the Pandyas around 550 CE, who were then removed from power by the Chola dynasty during the early 9th century. Madurai later came back under the rule of Pandyan Empire, with the last Pandyan king being King Kulasekhara. After the death of King Kulasekhara, Madurai was controlled by the Delhi Sultanate for some time before being overtaken by the Vijayanagar Empire. Madurai later became independent form Vijayanagara Empire in 1559 under the Nayaks.

About Madurai

Madurai is the oldest city in Tamil Nadu that lies on the bank of River Vaigai. Madurai is a place of great historical and cultural importance with its history dating back to 4th century B.C. The city of Madurai is an important Hindu pilgrimage center with numerous temples built by Pandyan and Madurai Nayak kings in Dravidian style of architecture.

Madurai was the capital of the great Pandya kings and has a long range of cultural heritage. The Pandyan King Kulasekhara built a great temple and created a lotus shaped city around the temple. Madurai was an important cultural center in the historical times. Madurai was known to be the centre of learning and pilgrimage for centuries.

As per the legends, Madurai was named from Madhurapuri, which was named based on the dream of King Kulasekhara who saw Lord Shiva in his dream with drops of nectar or Madhu falling from Lord Shiva’s hair.