Poetry in stone -Meenakshi-Sundareswarar temple

[Daredevil]

The wonders of the Meenakshi-Sundareswarar temple in Madurai, after its recent renovation.

Read it here. It is very long.

http://www.frontlineonnet.com/stories/20090424260812300.htm

 

[Flint]

I love this temple, but I hate the red-and-white stripe decoration. why....why...

 

[Pintu]

It looks so gorgeous now, I have visited the temple way back in 2000.

Beautiful post, really a beautiful one.

Regards

 

[S.A.T.A]

I love this temple, but I hate the red-and-white stripe decoration. why....why...

The vertical red and white stripes is a classical feature of all Tamil Hindu temples,especially Shaivite/shakti temples.The red represents Rudra(Shiva) and the white Sati/Shakti(parvati in an later avatar)......The stripes are supposed to always be of equal height and width,thus representing the equality of male and female form in all creation.

Its a symbolic embodiment of the Ardhanareshwar.

 

[Flint]

Thanks SATA, but I guess you have to be a local to appreciate the stripes. I tend to associate them with road-divider markings which kinda ruins the experience for me.

 

[S.A.T.A]

I don't remember if non shaivite temples have these vertical stripes,moreover they are usually used only on the main sanctum housing the sanctorum.sometimes they are over done and look gaudy.

 

[Flint]

I don't remember if non shaivite temples have these vertical stripes,moreover they are usually used only on the main sanctum housing the sanctorum.sometimes they are over done and look gaudy.

The Great Chola temples - Darasuram, Brihadesivarar etc. don't have the stripes but I guess that's because they aren't painted at all.

The ones on Arunachaleshwara look decent - nice and wide

These ones look good also:

But they seem to have painted the steps of the central tank in Meenakshi which IMO look hideous. Also, are they using lime (chuna) to paint the pillars and roof? If they are then its sacrilege, because I don't remember any temple having such bright yellow shades.

 

[Daredevil]

I don't remember if non shaivite temples have these vertical stripes,moreover they are usually used only on the main sanctum housing the sanctorum.sometimes they are over done and look gaudy.

There are many non-shaivite temples which have these vertical strips. I have seen them all around the AP where you find majority of temples to be non-shaivite. You can also find these stripes in Tirupati as well.

 

[S.A.T.A]

The stripes perhaps where characteristic of all chola and chola inspired archtecture.......

 

[Samudra]

The stripes are also usually painted to tell people this is a temple boundry and please don't take a leak here.

Check out the Big Temple and other Chola works. Such pieces of art. And here in Stonehenge they charge you Rs. 1500 to walk around a few stones!

 

[Soham]

The stripes are also usually painted to tell people this is a temple boundry and please don't take a leak here.

Rofl !