The city that doesnt want to sleep

24 hours in Madurai

Madurai has always been on my wish list. Im not a religious person,

but I heard that Madurai has more to offer than just the meenakshi
temple. Another thing I heard is that Madurai is called thunga
nagaram (Tamil for the city that never sleeps). Many cities seem
carry that tag. But Madurai doesnt boast about its night clubs and
entertainment. What Madurai is proud about is its 24 hour market!

The market is a delight to roam around in. its full of life even at 3 am
in the night. This is how I started my trip. There are shops selling
everything from utensils to clothes. The crown jewel here is the
vegetable market though. Fresh vegetables are brought in from the
nearby villages. The mere sight of it is enough to make a man
hungry! And when that happens, there are numerous restaurants
and street food vendors around to provide you with hot snacks. It is
one of the cities where the food quality is above average at most
places. People are very friendly and its easy to get information
about the sites worth visiting. I chose alagar and meenakshi temple
because of the grandeur in their architecture.

Madurai is like an oven. You can put ice in an oven. But the oven will
surely melt it. You can take multiple showers, but Madurai will make
you sweat. This is what I realized when I left for alagar temple in the
morning. Use prickly heat powder and sunscreen. It might cushion
the blow.

Alagar temple is 40 minutes away from the city bus stand. It is

divided into 2 temples. One at foothill and one at hilltop. According
to Hindu mythology, the alagar temple was built to honor lord Vishnu
when he arrived here. Many families name their son alagar. Its one
of the common names in Madurai.
Its admirable, what our ancestors built. Kings in Madurai took pride
in making artistic structures. A lot of elephants and granites were
used to create these beautiful temples. Kings spared no expense to
make it look religiously and aesthetically appealing.

The whole temple has a pillar based theme. There are huge granite
pillars supporting the entire structure. A constant supply of water
from the interior of the hillock is channeled into a tap. It is one of the
attractions here. People believe that it is holy. Holy or not, its very
sweet and refreshing. You can take a shower under this tap for 5
minutes.

At the foothill, there are snacks available. You can have some fruits
too. A slice of watermelon feels like a dip in the lake. Take the bus to
the city bus stand. Be quick and alert, because it gets very crowded
and its tough to find a place in it.

I reached meenakshi temple at 4 in the afternoon. Theres a huge

market near the east gate. There are tailors, craftsman, artists, cloth
stores, book shops etc. in this market. It has a lot of character. Most
of these businesses have been going on for generations. There a folk
music instruments and rare paintings here. Try to buy something
unique. Im sure youll find something like that.

Youre not allowed to go into the meenakshi temple wearing shorts. I

rented a weshti to get in. when I saw the temple, I understood why
people love it so much. It fills you with a sense of awe. Theres a huge
line for the darshan. It moved swiftly for a while and then stopped.
This gave me a chance to take a nap. Its one of the best naps of
my life. Sleeping while listening to gentle religious chants is heavenly.
You get a 5-6 second window to catch a glimpse of the idol. Make
sure that you are alert.

After the temple, it was time to eat some Madurai specialties.

Madurai is a foodie city. People love eating everything from small
snacks to full meals. Madurai is also at a convenient distance from
towns like Thanjavur, Thirunalveli and Karaikudi. The food here is
influenced by the style of these cities too.

I tried the full meals at Metro. You get 2-3 types of rice, some
vegetables and some stews. The food is very tasty. This restaurant has
been around since 1947. It is one of the local legends. Snacks like
filter coffee and kesari were also delightful.

Murugan idlis is another place which has been around for a long
time. A morsel of these idlis and youll understand why this place has
so many branches around Tamilnadu. I couldnt stop myself after the
first bite and ended up finishing 15-20.

The other thing I wanted to try was a gelatinous sweet called

Thirunalveli halwa. There are certain things you should be careful
about. The halwa cannot be had when it goes cold. So always ask
for a fresh batch. See to it that you dont chew it much. Its more a
melts in the mouth type of dish.

After this I wanted to have some good chettinad food. It originates

from a nearby town called Karaikudi. Another local legend
Anjapar serves this kind of food. Chettinad food is popular for its
sharp spiciness. The spiciness is achieved by adding whole spices
and curry leaves to the dishes. Chettinad Chicken, Mutton and
vegetable curries are delicious. Try the biryanis here. They make a
very peculiar version. Its different from the other biryanis, because
the gravy of the biryani takes Centre stage. Chettinad people are
known to be good restaurateurs and businessmen in general. They
are specific about the quality of service and food. Feel free to tell
the waiters about what level of spices you can handle. I had a great
meal and a great day. Id spent 24 hours in Madurai and loved
every bit of it.
Unlike Chennai, Madurai retains its regional qualities. It has a lot of
character. The spirit of the city is admirable. People are so active
even at the wee hours of the night. To describe them, energetic
would be an understatement. Madurai leaves a definite hangover. If
youre ever in Tamilnadu, do visit Madurai. You can club it with
Dhanushkodi (seaside town), Kodaikanal (hill station) and Karaikudi
(great food and architecture). I look forward to seeing more of
Madurai. But now, I have to wave it goodbye with a promise- I shall
return!