Meenakshi was born to the king of Madurai, who had been childless and prayed for a successor. The child was special. She was trained in all the 64 arts and went on a military campaign. She defeated everyone until she came to Shiva. She fell in love with him and couldn't start the battle.
Vishnu gave her in wedding to Shiva, establishing to everyone that she was another incarnation of Shakti.
Meenakshi temple in Madurai has exquisite, and I repeat, exquisite granite stone sculpture in front of the Sundareshwara shrine. It is the finest sculpture I have seen-with exquisite iconographic detail, proportion and beauty of faces and features. There is no ready example of a photo to share as people seem to have been basically clicking the gopurams and pillared halls. I was not allowed to take a camera inside.
What is special about Meenakshi?
She is beautiful and human. She has only two arms, no weapons. She holds a flower on which sits a parrot. There is a beautiful balance in her grace. The parrot to me symbolises how we can harness the human mind to pursue godhood. The parrot is a keen learner and symbolises the human mind.
She is beautiful and human. She has only two arms, no weapons. She holds a flower on which sits a parrot. There is a beautiful balance in her grace. The parrot to me symbolises how we can harness the human mind to pursue godhood. The parrot is a keen learner and symbolises the human mind.
The actual stone image of the main deity seems a bit worn out through the ages. But the symbolism is perfect.
Go visit Madurai. Spend lots of time roaming the temple. Don't bother about the crowded side streets.
Meenakshi temple in Madurai has exquisite, and I repeat, exquisite granite stone sculpture in front of the Sundareshwara shrine. It is the finest sculpture I have seen-with exquisite iconographic detail, proportion and beauty of faces and features. There is no ready example of a photo to share as people seem to have been basically clicking the gopurams and pillared halls. I was not allowed to take a camera inside.
To help you decide, they have up together a 360 degree virtual tour!!!
http://www.view360.in/virtualtour/madurai/
