Madurai - The Temple City

Though there are many special and unique aspects about the Temple city one of the interesting aspect is the names given to streets. Since immemorial Madurai is well known for it's excellence in planning and architecture.

The Streets of Madurai were said to be designed by the Pandyan Emperors centuries ago. Whatever it may be whether it's the architecture or the roads the residents now living have to praise their intelligent ancestors.

Named After Months

Unlike other cities Madurai is built with The famous "Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple" at it's centre surrounded by streets which are square shaped. The Temple is a Perfect square which can be seen from the aerial view of the temple with it's towers locating the Magnetic directions perfectly.

The streets surrounding the Temple are named after Tamil Months

The First street Aadi Veedhi (Aadi street) is inside the Temple Campus

The Second street Chiitirai Veedhi surrounds the Temple

Consequently they are followed by Concentric squares of larger dimensions

namely the

Avani Moola street

Masi Street

And the outermost square is called as Veli Street meaning the outer street.

One of the Old Literature depicts that the city is "Lotus shaped".

Named after Occupation

As a resident of Madurai I have went rides through these streets a numerous times.

In ancient times people of same occupation working in temple and in king's palace were given a particular street and later on these streets came to be called by their respective occupations of the residents there. The following are some examples of streets named after the profession

1. Chitirakaara theru ( Street of Artists )

2. Kollan Pattarai theru ( Street of Iron Smiths )

3. Mettukara theru (Street of Music Composers )

4. Uppukaara theru (Street of Salt sellers )

5. Saayakaara theru (Street of Dye Merchants)

6. Sunnambu kaara theru (Street of Lime makers)

Apart from these many streets are named after the business taking place there.

1. Valaiyal kaara theru (Street of Bangle Merchants)

2. Nagaikadai theru (Street of jewellery)

3. Vethilai pettai (Area selling betel leaves)

4. Nel Pettai (Area selling paddy)

5. Thavittu Sandhai (Area selling Husk)

and Much More

In addition to these uniqueness is the presence of cultural diversity of the city which outsiders dont know. The City has a substantial population of people speaking Telugu, Sourashtra, Rajasthani apart from Tamil people for many centuries and all are mingled well and are living with peace

Proud to be Madurai kaaran.