The wise are instructed by reason, average minds by experience, the stupid
by necessity and the brute by instinct. -Marcus Tullius Cicero, statesman,
orator and writer (106-43 BCE)
Up at 4:45 am after having had a very deep, full sleep. Tip-toed, (Lady Mary is still in Snoresville and her susurrations waft across the room to the desk where I'm scribing.), to the bathroom where I draped a large towel over my shoulders to keep the slight coolness of the air-conditioning, (We have it turned to a very low setting as neither of us like the icy chill it was set at when we first arrived.), off my shoulders. I imagine I'm quite a Ghandi-like figure!
dedicated to Parvati, known as Meenakshi, and her consort, Shiva, here named Sundareswarar. The temple forms the heart and lifeline of the 2,500-year-old city[5] of Madurai and is a significant symbol for the Tamil people, mentioned since antiquity in Tamil literature though the present structure was built between 1623 and 1655 CE.[6][7][8] It houses 14 gopurams (gateway towers), ranging from 45–50m in height. The tallest is the southern tower, 51.9 metres (170 ft) high,[6] and two golden sculptured vimanas, the shrines over the garbhagrihas (sanctums) of the main deities. The temple attracts 15,000 visitors a day, around 25,000 on Fridays,[9] and receives an annual revenue of sixty million₹. There are an estimated 33,000 sculptures in the temple.[9] It was on the list of top 30 nominees for the "New Seven Wonders of the World". The temple is the most prominent landmark and most visited tourist attraction in the city.[10] The annual 10-day Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival, celebrated during April and May, attracts 1 million visitors.
No comments:
Post a Comment