Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai

There’s probably no argument that the most impressive of the temples in Tamil Nadu is the one dedicated to Meenakshi in Madurai. What makes the temple even more awesome (and we use the word very consciously here) is the fact that it was constructed some 3500 years ago. The complex of the temple is spread across 15 acres and the temple itself with its 4500 pillars and 12 towers is humongous to put it mildly. The four main towers of the temple face in each of the four major directions — north, east, south, and west and the tallest one is almost 170 feet high. While the presiding deity of the temple is Meenakshi, the temple also houses another shrine dedicated to her husband, Shiva. Every April the temples hosts the Chithirai Festival that re-enacts the wedding of the two.