On the Vygai River in
Tamil Nadu, India, there is a temple town and a holy spot (tirtha).
The enormous temple devoted to Minakshi, the goddess, and
her husband Sundareshvara is the most prominent attraction in Madurai.
Sundareshvara is a form of the god Shiva, while Minakshi is
a local goddess who has grown into an important regional goddess.
The Nayak dynasty controlled southern India after the
collapse of the Vijayanagar empire in the late sixteenth century, with the
capital at Madurai.
Tirumalai Nayak (r. 1623-1659) erected most of the Minakshi
temple, and his palace is another of the city's attractions.
The streets around the temple are divided into four circular
processional loops, with the temple in the center.
The village was designed to resemble a lotus with layers of
petals, with Minakshi's image at its core, around which everything revolved.
In terms of symbolism, the Minakshi temple was not only the
heart of the city, but also the heart of the world.
Vijayanagar dynasty is another name for the Vijayanagar
dynasty.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.