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No minimum number of attendeesNo minimum number of attendees is required for the tour
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Free booking and cancellationFree payment tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free
Two Hours Meenakshi Temple and Hall of Thousand Pillars Walking Tour
Guru:
Dhanabalan Perumal
Registered on September 17, 2019
Hello! My name is Dhanabalan and I have been a tour guide in Madurai for the last Fourteen Years. I am specially passionate about the history of Madurai and different walks of life in the city I was born and raised in. I also enjoy meeting and learning from the people I meet whilst guiding. I pride myself on providing interesting and informative tours to my clients, and I really look forward to hearing from you and showing you the city. Do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to customize or personalize any tour. Please just ask, and we can create together the perfect trip for you combining any mixture of places in Madurai.
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Tour description
The city has been described as the 'lotus shaped' city in one of the Tamil literatures. Since immemorial times, Madurai has been a well planned city in terms of construction of roads and buildings. Meenakshi Amman temple is the centre point for the formation of all the roads. The Meenakshi Amman temple is one of the largest in India. Something is always happening here – ceremonies, musicians playing, weddings, prostrating pilgrims, festivals – making it a compelling place to spend time and enjoy temple life. The temple is the geographic and ritual centre of the ancient city of Madurai and divided into a number of concentric quadrangular enclosures contained by high masonry walls. It is one of the few temples in Tamil Nadu to have four entrances facing four directions. This temple has four towers each intricately decorated with thousands of colored figures.There are eight more towers and a hall with a thousand decorated pillars.
What to remember :
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship
- No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed.
- Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women.
- Guests may not be allowed to enter if you fail to comply with these dress requirement.
- All kind of electronic items are not permitted to carry into the temple.
Exclusions:
- Entrance fee at the Temple
- Tipping for the Guide
Promotional Video ( Courtesy : Tamilnadu Tourism )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgK7NnHizgY&t=16s
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Highlights
What will we visit on this tour?
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View on mapMeeting point:W499+4J8, S Chitrai St, Valaiyal Kada...W499+4J8, S Chitrai St, Valaiyal Kadai, Madurai Main, Madurai, Tamil Nadu 625001, India
MADURAI Bazaar Post Office 0452 234 0756 https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZEE2Tdr9ym3uWK9r6
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1Entrance not includedMeenakshi Amman Temple
To Explore into the Temple.
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2Entrance not includedThousand Pillars
The thousand pillar mandapam is regared as the 'wonder of the palace'. There are around 985 beautifully decorated columns. Each pillar is beautifully sculptured and presents the glory of the Dravidan sculpture. This hall also houses a Temple Art Museum, where you can see icons, photographs, drawings, etc., exhibiting the 1200 years old history. Other than this mandapam there many smaller and bigger mandapams in the temple.
How much does this tour cost?
Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end of the tour the amount that he or she considers appropriate (these usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).
Tour opinions
Dennis
10 Sep 2023
Verified booking
Travelled in couple -
Jul 2023
This tour is incredible! The enthusiasm and knowledge Dhanabalan is fantastic and will give you a experience you will remember.
Through our trip to the south of India we can honestly say this tour has been the best tour we have had. Not only in terms of what you get to see, but also in terms of great information and level of details.
We fired a lot of questions about the temple and the Hindu religion and the guide was able to answer all of them. Moreover, after the tour he sent loads of additional pictures and videos for us to enjoy.
If you are looking for a great guide and an incredible experience in Madurai, you have found your guide.
Dhanabalan, thank you for this great experience. We won’t forget it.
anonymous
13 Aug 2023
Verified booking
Travelled in couple -
Aug 2023
It was a really good experience.fortunately we have a chance to see the ceremony into the temple and Dhanabalan explained very well about the temple and its stories.thank you.
danii
12 Aug 2023
Verified booking
Travelled alone -
Aug 2023
i did the tour in the early morning and it was a wonderful experience. dhanabalam explained everything very welly not just about the temple, but about the whole tamil society nd history. you could feel his love for his tamil culture. i highly recommened the tour!
kanika
08 Aug 2023
Verified booking
Travelled in couple -
Aug 2023
I ended up doing 5 tours with Dhana , each one was different but his kindness , enthusiasm and knowledge was abundant in each tour .
I learnt so much about the Tamil culture and history as well as about day to day lives . Nothing was rushed and his skill as a guide was superb
Definitely book
Buddhi
30 May 2023
Verified booking
Travelled in couple -
May 2023
We had an amazing time with Mr.Dhanabalan. He was very knowledgeable about all in Sri Meenakshi Temple in Madurai.We had enough time at the temple and everything was explained well. He was very attentive and even protected us from the touts who were harassing us in the street. Would very much recommend.
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Who is this tour for?
Accessibility
Suitable for people with reduced mobility.
Groups
Does not accept large group reservations.
Pets
Not suitable for pets.
What should you know?
Minimum of attendees
There is no minimum number of people required for the tour.
Additional costs:
The tour requires the payment of entrance fees or additional expenses.
Free cancellation
If you will not be able to attend the tour, please cancel your booking, otherwise the guide will be waiting for you.
Payment methods
Only cash payment is accepted.
When do you want to go?
Sun
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