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Stone Inscriptions and Paintings in Meenakshi Temple

The Madurai Meenakshi Temple is wonderful temple known for its sculpture, paintings and stone inscriptions. 

Paintings in Meenakshi Temple Madurai
The drawings depicting incidents of the Thiruvilayadal or  miraculous dramas of  Lord  Shiva belong to the Naicker period.

There  are paintings  depicting the  64 miracles of Lord  Shiva, all of which  were enacted in Madurai. These  aesthetic drawings can be seen on the  northern  wall facing the Pottamarai kulam of tank of the golden lotus. These drawings are at present  being  given a facelift  by using natural dyes  at  a cost  of Rs 26.25  lakhs.
 
Many  paintings have been damaged due to neglect  are  now being  kept in the museum in the  1000 pillar hall or mandapam  of the temple.
 

Thiruezhukootrikkai  drawings

 
These drawings explain the meaning of the songs sung  by Nakkeerar  have been  drawn in the shape of a charriot in the Petchiakkal mandapam.
 

Panchakkasabhai  drawings

 
    
Drawing in Meenakshi Temple Madurai
These drawings shows the five  sabhas  or Panchaga sabhas of  Tamil  Nadu can be seen opposite to the Velliammbala  Nadarajar  Sannithi.

 

          

Art belongs to Rani Mangammal period

 
Drawings can be seen  on the roof of the Palaya unjal  mandapam (old swing hall)  in the eastern  side of the  unjalmandapam which depict  Queen  Mangammal and her  court  watching the Meenakshi Thirukalyanam or celestial wedding.  The  drawings of  the six abodes of  Lord Muruga  can be seen  at  the  entrance of the New glass unjal mandapam.
 
There  are drawings of  the deities  like  Lord  Ganesha,  Lord  Muruga,   the Goddess and God and eight  Sakthis or engery forms on  the roof of the Kilikoondu (parrot cage) mandapam.
 
The drawings of  the Meenakshi Thirukalayanam  and Pattabishekam  in  the entrance of the  Amman Sannithi  have also been touched.
 
       

Diagramatic representation of heaven  and earth

 
There are drawings depicting earth  and heaven on both sides of the  wedding stage  in the old Kalyana  mandapam.  The Kalyana mandapam also has drawings of  64 Thiruvilayadal  and other celestial incidents.


Stone Inscriptions

 
There are about 44 stone inscriptions on the walls of the corridors of the Sundareswarar shrine and that of Meenakshi Amma shrine.
 
The inscriptions contain details of lands donated to the temple, the rituals for worship, the list of articles used for performing neivethiyam, the religious status of the people in ancient days, government procedures and social habits.

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