by Rachna Chopra
As the story goes, when the childless King of Madurai, King Pandya, was performing a fire ritual, a three-year old girl appeared from the sacrificial fire. The girl was pretty, but had three breasts. This worried the King. However, a divine voice assured the king that it would vanish as soon as the girl meets her consort. The girl grew into a bold and beautiful princess, and no sooner did she sight Shiva on the battle-field of Mount Kailas, that her third breast disappeared! The princess was none other than goddess Parvati, and after the couple wed and ruled long over the Pandya Kingdom, they settled in Madurai.

The train sluggishly began to pull forward as soon as I finished hearing this tale from a co-passenger. My journey started towards the famous Meenakshi temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India, where the couple (princess Meenakshi and Sundereshwar Shiva) is residing ever since. As I watched the sky change color and wear a bridal red, I marveled at the strength of their union. Soon the aroma of sambar, dal vadas, and freshly prepared idlis being served on banana leaves permeated the air. I got inspired and wrote a haiku — “The breeze moves the branch, the branch the bird, the bird the breeze”, before I was finally lulled to sleep by the rattling notes of the train. The next morning found me in the relaxed town of Madurai, pulsating with the presence of the Goddess. The temple walls tower out from the teeming streets of the city. Checking into a room near the temple complex, I waited for her call. Admiring the commanding structure from different angles kept my attention gripped for one entire day. The temple looked different from each side, with each of its four awe-inspiring entrances giving a different view of the abode where Parvati disguised as Meenakshi resides with her timeless consort Shiva.

As evening of the next day strolled past, it whispered in my ear an invitation from the Goddess. With an offering of a jasmine flower in my palm, I entered from the eastern street through the Astha Sakshi Mandapam, with its pillars illustrating the eight aspects of Goddess Meenakshi and the miracles performed by Lord Siva in Madurai. It felt as though a perennial celebration is being held here each moment in vibrant color and spectacular ritual. Since in temple tradition, it is customary to meet the Goddess before encountering Shiva, I purchased a one rupee ticket from the counter, and headed towards the shrine of the Pandyan princess. The sprawling area of over 6 hectares boasts of long corridors, towering sculptures and several tall gateways studded with myriad mythological images of Dravidian gods and goddesses. The busy lanes of this temple city are dotted with several dance halls (whose mention is heard in the poetic renditions of Tamil scholars), stunning architectural splendor, and rich legend.

Skipping the line of devouts, I sat facing the two thousand year old dark sanctum sanctorum lit up with a single oil lamp, revealing the illustrious countenance of Meenakshi carved out of a single emerald. The delicately adorned Pandya beauty with high cheek-bones, arched eyebrows, well defined chin and lotus like eyes cast a spell. If her stone image could be so engrossing, how bewitching must she be in flesh and bone, I marveled. I could watch her endlessly, if not for the call of the priest, who signaled me to come forward and receive prasadam - a lotus flower from her feet and a pack of red turmeric - both symbolic of union!

Past the sanctum sanctorum of the goddess, crossing a corridor with mythical lions jumping out of pillars, a gigantic idol of Ganesha, a dancing figure of Nataraja, the ancient tank of Golden Lotuses, past the twelve feet high gatekeepers, eight elephants and twelve lions keeping vigil at the entrance, I proceeded to meet lord Sundereshwara. After all, this deity was the lord of the lords, thus the splendor preceding the shrine had to match his grandeur. Getting ushered into the awe-inspiring thousand-pillared hall was the culmination of my visit. It seemed as though the thousand-pillared hall symbolized the thousand petalled lotus at Sahasrara, the highest energy center in the human body and the pivotal point of bliss attained through yoga. The 985 pillars are arranged such that they appear to be in a straight line from all angles, while the 22 smaller musical pillars have been carved out from a single stone. Each pillar spoke to me a different tale of the beauty and compassion of the divine couple.