Madurai is a large town that centers on the colorful and massive Sri Meenakshi Temple complex. We did tour other sights in town but kept coming back to the temple and the busy scenes around its walls. The Sri Meenakshi temple is amazingly gaudy, with four huge towers punctuating the outer walls. Every inch of the 9-story high towers seethes with brightly painted stucco figures of gods, mythical animals and monsters. Multiple heads can portray varying aspects of a deity's character, multiple arms show the immense power and ability of the deity to perform several feats at the same time.

Close up view of deities with multiple arms and heads

Toothy top of tower

One of the four temple towers

Temple towers sport deities from top to bottom

Monkey business

Hard to count all the heads


The painted towers get a complete facelift every twelve years. The figures of the deities are repaired, repainted and ritually reconsecrated. We got there in the nick of time before the towers were hidden from view behind scaffolding. Although the paint was peeling in places, the towers were still a colorful and dizzying sight. Ted's last visit to Madurai was in 1983, just after the figures were freshly painted. After comparing photos of the same subject, it is clear that the color schemes as well as artistic license and abilities change over the years.

	Fading God Kartikeya in 2008	Freshly painted God Kartikeya in 1983

Within the walls of the temple, there are many alcoves and sanctums for the gods, and the ceilings of the long, pillared hallways are decorated with beautiful painted mandalas. Along the walls, frescoes are being restored to their former glory.

Detail of restored fresco

Mandalas decorate walkway ceilings

Puja to Hanuman

Couple giving thanks after birth of child

Rays of light tell time; it is almost noon.

Woman deep in prayer

Outside the temple walls, crowds of pilgrims bustle around the markets. Anne got a salwar kameez outfit made to measure in one hour in one of the back alley shops.