Sri Meenakshi Temple in Madurai is the most beautiful temple I have ever seen in my life. I have travelled a lot and I have seen a lot, but this temple was beyond anything i have ever seen before.
The temple is Dravidian architecture and was designed in 1560 by Vishwanatha Nayak and built during the reign of Tirumalai Nayak, but its history goes back 2000 years to the time when Madurai was a Pandyan capital.
The temple complex is 6 hectares and has 12 very decorative gopurams (towers) ranging from 45-50 meter tall. These towers are decorated with rich carvings of celestial and animal figures.
Inside between the statues and finely sculpted columns, you will find a frantic activity of tailors and shops crammed into crevices.
There is a free admission to the temple, but there is a camera fee and a relatively large video camera fee. However, the temple is an unforgettable experience whether you take pictures or not.
The video below shows a few glimpses of the spectacular temple.