When was Madurai first mentioned in Greek accounts?
The 3rd century BCE marked the first documented mention of Madurai in Greek accounts. Megasthenes, the ambassador to the Mauryan Empire, referred to the city as Methora.
Questions about Madurai
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who ruled Madurai after the Pandyan Kingdom was ousted around 590 CE?
Chola forces displaced the Pandyas during the early 9th century. Conflict between these two powers continued until the second Pandyan empire emerged in the early 13th century.
What is the population of Madurai according to the 2011 census?
The 2011 census recorded a population of 1,470,755 within the urban agglomeration. This makes Madurai the third largest metropolis in Tamil Nadu after Chennai and Coimbatore.
How many tourists visited Madurai in 2010 alone?
About nine million one hundred thousand tourists visited Madurai in 2010 alone. Foreign visitors numbered five hundred twenty-four thousand that year.
Which temples form the geographic center of Madurai?
The Koodal Azhagar temple and Meenakshi Temple form the geographic center of Madurai. Viswanatha Nayak redesigned the city according to Shilpa Shastras principles between 1529 and 1564 CE.