MADURAI , popularly known as the Temple city, also called as ATHENS OF THE EAST, City of Junction, City of Jasmine, CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS and City of four junctions. Madurai is third major economic, industrial, commercial, political centre and a major transportation hub for the southern Tamilnadu. The city is renowned for tourism, festivals and vibrant cultural life in general and is considered to be the states cultural capital. The rich and vibrant natural and cultural landscape with different linguistic and cultural groups coexisting together in its UNIQUE CUSTOMS, TRADITIONS, AND ART FORMS make it a classical example of an urban environment wherein diversity becomes the source of strength rather than conflicts.+ ‘sIVNGANGA, ye STRAGANGIA Yow f x vaMadurai has been described as the seat of the Pandyan Dynasty. The capital of the Pandyan kingdom was initially Korkai, around 600 BCE and was later moved to Koodal ie, Madurai during the reign of Nedunj Cheliyan. The city was home to the third and last Tamil Sangam between 300 BCE and 200 CE.Map of Heritnge Resourees:Traditional planning strategies The old city of Madurai is considered to be designed according to the Rajdhani plan, described in Manasara, one of the Shilpasastra, and has the fivefold concentric rectangular formation with Meenakshi- Sundareshwara Temple at a very centre point. The city was a well planned one with bazaars and many broad streets with high and luxurious mansions on both sides. The city was built around the temple complex as the focal point with a combination of a concentric street pattern.eeStreet pattern The streets concentric to the temple complex formed the major streets viz. Chithirai Streets, Avani Moola Streets and Masi Streets. The next order of streets is perpendicular to the above streets and lead to the temple entrances. The developments within and beyond these streets are on an irregular pattern. A definite hierarchy of street pattern was adopted with the width of the Streets decreasing as they branched out, ending up in stone paved Streets and lanes - the width of some being just 0.60 m. The entire city was enclosed within the fort walls and surrounded by a moat. The fort walls have been razed down and the moat filled up to form the present day Veli Streets.Settlement pattern | Map of Inner city in 1750"s ‘ The settlement pattern of Madurai is planned according to the ancient system of town planning which is based on caste and occupational hierarchies. The map shows the present settelemnt pattern and its relavance with the ancient town planning system. Ancient south indian temple towns are designed by placing the temple complex at the centre with concentric rectangle pattern of streets around. This can be seen in another southem temple town srirangam also. 7 naa LT rr reer ttt cette rant rer er etry iiiDecay Pre eT eS ua on TELnTsg rg Seas eetresters eee etd eet wre et AEEcient town planning system In Madurai, Meenakshi Amman Temple is at the center. Royal Palaces, Brahmins and Priests at the first concentric rectangle.Traders, Kishatriyas = and Vaishnavaites on the second rectangle. The lower caste Sudras and immigrants zoarashitrains in the third rectangle.A EaCLE The city remained under control of the Cholas until the early 13th century, when the second Pandyan empire was established with Madurai as its capital. After the death of the last Pandyan ruler, Kulasekara Pandian, Madurai came under the rule of the Delhi Sultanate. The Madurai Sultanate then seceded from Delhi and functioned as an independent kingdom till its ~~ ijayanagar ‘Empire in 1378. Madurai became independent from yanagar in 1559 and came under the Na Nayak rule ended in 1736 and Madurai changed han Arcot Nawab and Muhamn suf Kha ig eeeee ie ce eve enn ana it = Hi pees oa — =Dee ee eee Geeta cena ea ee