Madurai · Tamil Nadu · Shaiva · Shakti
Meenakshi Amman Temple – Timings, Darshan & Seva Booking
The 14-gopuram heart of Madurai, home of the celestial wedding. Today’s darshan timings, pooja schedule, seva ticket prices and festival days for Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai, from the official HR&CE temple portal.
Goddess Meenakshi & Lord Sundareswarar
- 5:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- 6 daily poojas
- Sevas from ₹5
- Temple lodges
Tickets are booked on the government HR&CE portal, which opens in a new tab. If the portal is down, that tab waits and opens it as soon as it’s back.
Right now at the temple
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About Meenakshi Amman Temple
Meenakshi Amman Temple sits at the very centre of Madurai, with the old city laid out in concentric streets around it. The goddess Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, is worshipped here as the ruling queen of Madurai, with Lord Sundareswarar (Shiva) as her consort; by tradition devotees visit her shrine first.
The complex is famous for its towering, brightly painted gopurams — the southern one is about 160 feet tall and carries more than 1,500 stucco figures — the Golden Lotus Tank, and pillared halls such as the Thousand Pillar Mandapam. Every April–May the Chithirai festival re-enacts the wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar and draws lakhs of pilgrims.
- Twelve major gopurams, the tallest about 160 ft with 1,511 stucco sculptures
- Potramarai Kulam — the Golden Lotus Tank inside the temple
- Meenakshi Thirukalyanam during the Chithirai festival (April–May)
- Temple-run pilgrim lodges at West Chithirai Street and Ellis Nagar
Temple Timings
Time at the temple (India)
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- Open for darshan
- Darshan paused
- Pooja
The ring shows the AM (midnight to noon) hours.
Open for darshan
- 5:00 AM – 12:30 PM
- 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Nadai closed
- 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM
- Mobile phones and cameras are not allowed inside; use the cloak rooms at the entrances.
- Wear traditional dress — dhoti or pants with shirt for men, saree or salwar for women.
- Mornings before 8 AM and weekday afternoons after 4 PM are the least crowded.
Daily Pooja Schedule
6 poojas are performed every day. Times are India time and change on festival days.
5:30 AM
to 5:45 AM
Thiruvanandal Pooja (Maha Shodashi)
6:30 AM
to 7:15 AM
Vila Pooja (Baalai)
10:30 AM
to 11:20 AM
Kalasandhi Pooja (Gowri)
4:30 PM
to 5:15 PM
Maalai Pooja (Panchadasi)
7:30 PM
to 8:15 PM
Arthajama Pooja (Mathangi)
9:30 PM
to 10:00 PM
Palliyarai Pooja (Shodashi)
Seva & Darshan Tickets
All sevas on HR&CEFees for booking online on the Tamil Nadu HR&CE portal. Tickets are issued by the temple; Trypdeals does not sell them.
Stay at the Temple
Book a roomRooms run by the temple near the shrine, bookable online.
| Room | Type | Per day |
|---|---|---|
| Birla Vishram Lodge - 2 Bed Non AC Room | 2 beds · Non-AC | ₹200 |
| Birla Vishram Lodge - 2 Bed AC Room | 2 beds · AC | ₹500 |
| Yatriniwas Ellisnagar - 2 Bed Standard Non AC Room | 2 beds · Non-AC | ₹750 |
| Ellisnagar Pilgrims Rest House - 4 Bed Non AC Room | 4 beds · Non-AC | ₹900 |
| Birla Vishram Lodge - 4 Bed AC Room | 4 beds · AC | ₹1,000 |
| Yatriniwas Ellisnagar - 3 Bed Standard Non AC Room | 3 beds · Non-AC | ₹1,000 |
| Yatriniwas Ellisnagar - 4 Bed Family Deluxe Non AC Room | 4 beds · Non-AC | ₹1,200 |
| Yatriniwas Ellisnagar - 3 Bed Family Deluxe Non AC Room | 3 beds · Non-AC | ₹1,500 |
| Yatriniwas Ellisnagar - 6 Bed Family Deluxe Non AC Room | 6 beds · Non-AC | ₹2,000 |
| Yatriniwas Ellisnagar - 8 Bed Family Deluxe Non AC Room | 8 beds · Non-AC | ₹2,500 |
| Yatriniwas Ellisnagar- 10 Bed Dormitory Non AC Room | 10 beds · Non-AC | ₹2,500 |
| Ellisnagar Pilgrims Rest House - 50 Bed Dormitory Non AC Hall | 50 beds · Non-AC | ₹3,750 |
| Yatriniwas Ellisnagar- 20 Bed Dormitory Non AC Room | 20 beds · Non-AC | ₹5,000 |
Gopurams & Temple Tanks
Towers drawn to scale by height; shapes are illustrative.
- Potramarai Kulam (Golden Lotus Tank)· 14,530 sq ft
Shrines inside
- Sevantheeswarar
- Kaasivishwanathar
- Kalyanasundareshwarar
- Yekadhasi lingam
- Sangathaar
- Meenakshi
Dress Code & Facilities
Wear
- Men: dhoti or veshti, or trousers with a shirt
- Women: saree, half-saree, or salwar with dupatta
Avoid
- Shorts and sleeveless tops
- Leather items near the sanctum
- Footwear — leave it at the free stands outside
Facilities
- Free footwear standSituated in all five entrances
- Karunai Illam (care home)Theppakullam
- LibraryIn the south aadi veedhi, inside the temple precinct
- ThulabharamInside temple near golden lotus tank in north side of tank
- Pilgrim accommodationwest chithirai street and ellis nagar
- Battery carInside temple
- WheelchairsNear kumkum production room south and west audi street juction
- Golden chariotOld thirukalyana mandapam
- First-aid centreBirla Vishram Lodge West Chithirai street
- Cloak roomSituated in all five entrances
- RO drinking waterinstalled on five towers entrances
- ParkingEllis nagar,anupanadi
- Silver chariotOld Marriage Hall
How to Reach
Chithirai Street, Madurai, Tamil Nadu 625001 Get directions
- Government Rajaji HospitalHospital3.1 km
- Madurai JunctionRailway station1.6 km
- Madurai AirportAirport10.7 km
City bus routes: C3 (Periyar bus stand – Mattuthavani) · C4 (Mattuthavani circular) · 4 (Arapalayam – Viraganoor Ring Road)
History & Legend
Madurai’s story starts with Indra. Weighed down by the sin of killing the demon Vritra while he was at prayer, Indra roamed from one holy river to another, and only found relief when he reached a kadamba grove in the Pandya country. His men found a lingam beside a pond under a kadamba tree; Indra worshipped it and built a shrine over it. Later, King Kulasekhara Pandya was guided in a dream by Shiva, disguised as a Siddhar, to raise a shrine at that spot and lay out a city around it — the beginning of Madurai.
His successor Malayadhwaja Pandya and Queen Kanchanamalai prayed for a child, and a three-year-old girl with three breasts rose from their sacrificial fire. A divine voice told them to raise her as a prince and promised the third breast would vanish when she met her husband. As Queen Thadathagai she won every battle and marched on Mount Kailash itself — and the moment she saw Shiva, the third breast disappeared. She came back to Madurai and married him there as Sundareswarar, with Vishnu giving away the bride. The Chithirai Thirukalyanam re-enacts that wedding every year.
Madurai is also where Shiva is said to have performed his 64 Thiruvilayadals (sacred plays), and the temple is one of the 274 shrines praised in the Thevaram hymns.
Through the centuries
Early centuries CE
Madurai appears in Sangam literature; the goddess temple is mentioned in 6th-century texts.
7th century
Sambandar sings of the Lord here as “Alavai Annal”.
1168
Kulasekhara Pandya builds the three-storey Swami Gopuram over the entrance to Sundareswarar’s shrine.
1310
Malik Kafur’s invasion destroys much of the temple and its early sculpture.
Late 14th century
Restoration begins once Hindu rulers regain Madurai.
1526–1564
Nayak-period building: the Hundred Pillared Hall (1526), the Nadukattu Gopuram (1559), the Unjal Mandapam (1563) and the Nandi Mandapam (1564).
1613–1633
The Iruttu (“dark”) Mandapam (1613), the Kilikoondu Mandapam (1623) and Thirumalai Nayak’s Pudhu Mandapam (1626–33).
1707
The Meenakshi Nayakkar Mandapam, with 110 pillars each 22 ft tall, is completed.
1877
The Nagarathar community renovates the Nandi hall and adds its ring of pillars.
1960–63
A major renovation: halls cleaned, windows opened in the Dark Mandapam and the paintings redone.
2009
Kumbabhishekam held on 8 April 2009.
2017
Named the best “Swachh Iconic Place” in India on 1 October 2017.
Further reading
- The Great Temple of MaduraiValayapettai Ra. Krishnan
- History of the Nayaks of MaduraR. Sathyanatha Aiyar (1924)
- Madurai Through the AgesD. Devakunjari (1985)
Temple at a Glance
- Site
- About 847 × 792 ft, with five entrances
- Gopurams
- 14, including four Rajagopurams and two golden vimanams
- Holy tank
- Potramarai Kulam — the Golden Lotus Tank
- Inner sanctums
- Open to Hindus only
- Sung in
- The Thevaram (Paadal Petra Sthalam)
- Last Kumbabhishekam
- 8 April 2009
Art & Architecture
Halls, sculptures and paintings worth seeking out inside the temple.
- Thousand Pillared MandapamNorth-east Aadi street · built by Ariyanatha MudaliarAbout 60,000 sq ft and 985 pillars, ending in a shrine of Nataraja. Its front pillars carry the hall’s best-known carvings — the gypsy man and woman, Arjuna, Rathi on her swan, a ten-armed dancing Ganapathi — and in its south-east corner stand musical pillars that ring out the seven notes when tapped.
- Kambathadi MandapamIn front of the Swami sanctumIts pillars show the 25 principal forms of Shiva. The most loved is the wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar, with Vishnu pouring water as he gives away his sister — carved around 1870.
- Pudhu MandapamOpposite the east gopuram · 1626–33Thirumalai Nayak’s 34,650 sq ft hall, with statues of ten Nayak rulers on its central pillars and a black-stone Vasantha Mandapam at its western end.
- Kilikoondu Mandapam1623Named after the parrots once kept here. Its 28 pillars show the Pandavas, Draupadi, Vali and Sugriva, with small panels of the 64 Thiruvilayadals above.
- Unjal Mandapam1563Every Friday the golden festival images of the goddess and her consort are placed on its swing. Paintings show Murugan’s six abodes and portraits of Queen Mangammal and her court.
- Meenakshi Nayakkar Mandapam1707110 pillars, each 22 ft tall, and at its far end a 25 ft brass lamp-stand with 1,008 lamps.
- Iruttu (Dark) Mandapam1613Sculptures of Shiva as the wandering mendicant Bhikshatana and of Mohini, with the sages of the Daruka forest.
Customs & Rituals
Celestial wedding
Over a million people come for the 10-day Chithirai festival (April–May) to see the wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar and the chariot procession.
The Friday swing
Every Friday the golden images of the divine couple are placed on the swing in the Unjal Mandapam.
The Golden Lotus Tank
Devotees sprinkle its water on themselves on new-moon days, the first day of a month and eclipse days before worshipping.
Go Puja at dawn
Each day begins with the worship of a cow from the temple’s own goshala.
Meenakshi first
By custom, pilgrims visit the goddess’s shrine before Sundareswarar’s.
Temple Animals & Services
- 1Parvathi, the temple elephantAs on 28 Jan 2023A female elephant aged about 26, housed in a shed on the east Aadi street. She walks around the Aadi streets three times a day, has a bathing pool built for ₹23.5 lakh and eats from a vet-set diet of rice, ragi, pulses and green fodder.
- 71GoshalaAs on 28 Jan 202320 cattle within the temple and 51 older animals cared for at the Koodal Sengulam farm.
Run by the temple
- Girls’ Higher Secondary SchoolRun by the temple near Teppakulam since 1963, with Tamil- and English-medium sections and about 918 students.
- Karunai IllamA home since 1997 for girls who have lost their parents or come from very poor families — about 34 girls get free board, schooling and medical care.
- Oduvar training schoolA course in Thevaram singing since 2013, with free food and lodging and a monthly stipend; graduates can be appointed as Oduvars in HR&CE temples.
Online Booking Rules
How seva and darshan booking works on the HR&CE portal — worth reading before you pay.
- 1Book only on the official portalDarshan and seva tickets are sold on the Tamil Nadu HR&CE portal. Many temples offer free darshan slots; paid tickets are priced by each temple.
- 2A government ID for every personEach devotee on the ticket needs a government ID number at booking — Aadhaar, Voter ID, PAN, ration card or driving licence.
- 3One ID, one booking at a timeThe same ID cannot be used again until a gap set by the temple has passed. If a booking fails, the ID is released and can be used straight away.
- 4Your e-ticketA confirmed booking produces a PDF e-ticket to download; it is also sent to the email and mobile number you give. The portal’s “e-Ticket Verification” page lets you check a booking and download the ticket again.
- 5If a payment is stuckA pending payment usually settles within 10 to 30 minutes — the portal re-checks with the bank on its own. If money was debited but the booking failed, the bank refunds it in 3–5 working days.
- 6Paid bookings are finalPaid tickets cannot be cancelled or refunded, so check the date and slot before paying.
- 7Ticket won’t open?On older Android phones the PDF sometimes won’t display — download it and open it in an up-to-date PDF reader.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Meenakshi Amman Temple timings?
Meenakshi Amman Temple is open 5:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM; the nadai is closed 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM. Timings change on festival days.
What is the daily pooja schedule at Meenakshi Amman Temple?
6 poojas are held every day, starting with Thiruvanandal Pooja (Maha Shodashi) at 5:30 AM – 5:45 AM and ending with Palliyarai Pooja (Shodashi) at 9:30 PM – 10:00 PM.
How much is the special darshan ticket?
Special Entrance Amman or Swamy: ₹50; Special Entrance Amman and Swamy: ₹100. Tickets are sold on the official HR&CE portal and at the temple counter.
Can I book sevas at Meenakshi Amman Temple online?
Yes — 3 sevas, from ₹5, can be booked on the Tamil Nadu HR&CE portal. Each seva above links to its official booking page.
Does the temple offer accommodation?
Yes, the temple runs 13 room types from ₹200 per day, bookable online.
What is the dress code?
Traditional dress is expected: dhoti or pants with a shirt for men, and saree, half-saree or salwar with dupatta for women. Shorts and sleeveless tops are not allowed.
When was the last Kumbabhishekam at Meenakshi Amman Temple?
The latest Kumbabhishekam (re-consecration) of Meenakshi Amman Temple was held on 8 April 2009.
What ID do I need to book darshan online?
Every person on the ticket needs a government ID number at booking — Aadhaar, Voter ID, PAN, ration card or driving licence. The same ID can be used again only after a gap set by the temple.
Can I cancel a paid seva or darshan ticket?
No. Paid bookings on the HR&CE portal are final and cannot be cancelled or refunded. If money was debited but the booking failed, the bank refunds it within 3–5 working days.
Timings, pooja schedule, fees and festival days come from the official Tamil Nadu HR&CE Thirukoil portal and are refreshed daily (last update 7 Oct 2026). They change on festival days — please confirm on the official temple page before you travel.