Evolution of Madurai town

1. INDIAN TEMPLES
TOWNS

2. TEMPLE TOWN - MADURAI
• Madurai -olderly known as Koodal
• Become the Capital of Pandyan Kingdom on 600
BC
• Megasthenes visited the city being referred to as
‘Methora’
• After Sangam age, most of the present day Tamil
Nadu, including Madurai came under the rule of
the Kalabhras Dynasty which were ousted by the
Pandyas around 550 BC.
• The Pandyas were in their turn removed from
power by the Chola dynasty during the early 9th
Century.

3. • City planning according
to Rajdhani plan
Described in Manasara.
• Manasara It is one of the
silpasastra.
• Fivefold concentric
rectangular formation
with Meenakshi temple
at the very centre point.
• City planned with
Basaars, broad roads
with high and luxurious
mansion on both sides.
• Temple complex was the
Focal point.
• Combination of
Concentric street pattern
TEMPLE TOWN - MADURAI

4. •The streets concentric to the temple complex
formed the major streets viz.,
Chithirai Street,
Avani Moola Streets and
Masi Street.
•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 0.6m. The entire
City was enclosed within the fort wall and
surrounded by the moat
•The fort walls have been razed down and the
filled up form the present day Veli Street.
TEMPLE TOWN - MADURAI

6. TEMPLE TOWN - MADURAI
MADURAI - EVOLUTION

7. TEMPLE TOWN - MADURAI
1900 1937

8. TEMPLE
TOWN -
MADURAI
ELEMENTS OF
PLANNING OF
OLDER CORE CITY
•Meenakshi temple’s
planning was the basis
of core city’s planning.
It extends from the
temple till periphery.
•Residences with its
traditional planning
with courtyards and
thinnai helps with the
hot weather and
provides natural
surveillance.

10. •The settlement pattern of
Madurai is planned
according to the ancient
system of town planning
which is based on case
and occupational
hierarchies.
•The map shows the
present settlement and
pattern and its relevance
with the ancient town
planning system ancient.
•South Indian temple
towns are designed by
placing the temple
complex at the centre
which concentric rectangle
pattern of streets around.
•This can be seen in
another southern temple
Srirangam also.
TEMPLE TOWN - MADURAI

11. • Older core city was a fortified settlement on the southern banks of river Vaigai, few scattered
buildings and agricultural farm lands outside the fort area. After the 1900s, the city’s growth started
towards Northern part with the advent of the railways and other public services. The administration
centre of the city also shifted to the Northern part as a decongestion measure. While the Northern
part of the city provides administrative and civic services, the South city provides commercial and
socio-cultural activities.
MADURAI - URBAN GROWTH AND EVOLUTION
There is a distinct demarcation in the city as Old and New city, North and South city.

13. TEMPLE TOWN - SRIRANGAM
●Vellithirumutha gramam. An island connected with
trichy.
●Famous for the population of Sri Vaishnavites. One
of the Divya prabandham temple
●Dravidian Style of Architecture
●The temple complex is the biggest functioning
Hindu temple in the world as it covers an area
about 6,79,000 sq ft with a perimeter of 4km
●The complex is composed of 7 concentric walled
sections and 21 magnificent towers or gopurams.
●Raja gopuram is 235ft -72m tall built in 8 years by
Ahobila Mutt
●Tallest Gopuram in the asia.
●The 1000 pillar hall is made of granite and was
constructed in Vijayanagara period 1336 -1565 on