MADURAI

'Madurai' (,
) is a city and a municipal corporation with a
population of 1.3 million people. It is situated on the banks of
River Vaigai in Madurai district in the Indian
state of Tamil Nadu. Madurai
boasts of a cultural heritage that goes back 2500 years and has
functioned as an important commercial center as early as 550 AD.
Madurai was the capital city of the Pandya kings of South
India. Madurai is the second largest city in Tamilnadu. Today the city of Madurai is the administrative capital of
Madurai district.

Contents

Administration

History

The Classical Connection

The Temples in the City

Muslim Rule

Nayak Rule

British Rule

Geography

Demographics

People and culture

City architecture

Transport

Education

Economy

Industrial development

Present problems

IT industry

List Of Movie Halls in Madurai

List of Engineering Colleges

Music Colleges

List of Medical Colleges In madurai

List of Agricultural Colleges In madurai

List of Paramedical Colleges In madurai

List of Polytechnic

List of ITI Colleges

List of Arts College

Healthcare

Notes

References

External links

Administration

History

Madurai is a city of hoary antiquity. The origins of the city are
cloaked in myth and little of its prehistory has come to light. When
Madurai steps into the limelight of history, namely through the sliver
of literature of the last Sangam (Tamil poetic conclave), it emerges as
a confident and sophisticated society, presupposing centuries of
hitherto poorly documented development. Nevertheless the city enjoyed
its reputation as a magnet for literary and artistic activity during
the early centuries before and after Christ in what is called the
'Sangam Age', named after the bardic conclaves which produced a copious
amount of sophisticated literature under the patronage of the Pandya
kings. The early history of the city, in fact at least until the 13th
century A.D., is irrevocably tied with the fortunes of the Pandya clan
which ruled the far south of India with Madurai as its capital.
Megasthenes, the Seleucid envoy of the Mauryan court in Pataliputra,
bears witness to the greatness of Madurai in the 3rd century B.C.
through his Indica, albeit surviving as a fragmentary record in the
writings of other classical historians. According to the account
Madurai was governed by a queen by the name of Pandeia, the daughter of
Herakles. He also makes note of the kingdom's wealth and like Kautilya
in the Arthasastra makes account of the rich resources much sought by
traders, namely gemstones, pearls and other rare organic produce.
The Pandyas and their kingdom are also noted in other early texts, for
instance in several recensions of the epics (Ramayana and the
Mahabharata - though these may well be later additions), in the work of
the Sanskrit grammarian Katyayana, Ptolemy's Geography, the anonymous
Periplus of the Erthyean Sea and perhaps more famously in the Ashokan
edicts. Little note however has been made of the city's customs and
physical remains though. One interesting exception however is noted by
Megasthenes, namely that of individual households taking turns to
supply the royal house with necessities like clarified butter and
grain. This practice must have been ancient since it is confirmed by
the later Tamil epic Silapadikaram. Tamil sources themselves confirm
the antiquity of the city. According to a late text, the city played
host to the Third Sangam, the first two being held in coastal cities
lost to the sea in distant memory. Whatever the case may be the city of
Madurai has been greatly remembered in popular memory for the immense
literary activity which produced some of the greatest bards and
epic-writers in literary history, ranging from figures like Nakirar of
Sangam fame to the late medieval child-poet Kumaragurubarar. It also
hosted the literary conclaves that produced the first Tamil epics
Silappathikaaram and other literary masterpieces.
Underlying this literary activity was royal patronage and the Pandya
kings were overly enthusiastic in the promotion of literary activity,
some of them being notable poets themselves. Of course such literary
and artistic activity (less attested for the early period) presupposed
prosperity which the city more or less enjoyed throughout the ages with
a few ruptures, the worst perhaps being the invasion of the Delhi
Sultanate and the brief iconoclastic rule of the Madurai Sultans in the
late 13th century. Besides literary prowess the city was also noted for
its artistic activity (especially well documented after the 5th
century) and its role as a religious centre both for the Brahmanic
faith and Jainism. Few, if any, objects of artistic quality survive in
the city from before the 5th century, at least before the rise of the
Pallava king Mahendravarman who was so influential in introducing stone
(more durable) as an artistic medium. Yet literature, both Tamil and
classical, furnish us with some details of the industrial and fine arts
of the city. Mention is made of fine lamps and exotica created for the
Roman market. Sculpture of durable material (e.g. stone and bronze)
could not have been entirely unknown considering the strong links with
Near Eastern ports and later with Greco-Roman traders. In fact mention
has been made in Tamil literature of commemorative statuary produced by
Kings of the early age. Stone however seems to have been less
favourable a medium due to funerary connections. From the 5th century
onwards more material, especially stone statuary, survives to validate
the antiquity of the city's artistic traditions. The Meenakshi
Sundareswara temple which is at the heart of Madurai does not survive
in its original state for much comment to be made of its early
architecture. Nevertheless the temple and its goddess, the tutelary
deity of the Pandyas and according to legend an early progenitor of the
line herself is surely of great antiquity. Much of its early history
like the city's is shrouded in myth and little remains of 'history' to
be gathered. Nevertheless it would suffice to mention that it was built
originally by the early Pandya king Kulasekhara to house the Shiva
Linga, apparently worshipped by the Deva Indra. The walls around the
Sundarewara shrine are surely ancient since they are also attested to
by the Saint Sambandar in his hymns. The artistic tradition of the city
becomes clearer towards the late medieval age, especially in the
Vijayanagar-Nayaka age where enough survives to distinguish numerous
craft industries ranging from ivory carving to bronze-working. Turning
to the religious affiliations of the city, note has already been made
of the city's ancient shrine to Meenakshi and Sundareswara, in effect
the divine pair Shiva-Parvati though it has been proposed that these
were regional deities posthumously identified with Brahmanical deities
in the complicated process of 'Aryanisation'. Nevertheless as attested
by literature the Pandyas were ardent supporters of the Brahmanic faith
and all temples in the city have in the foundation-myths, royal
origins. The archetypal king was of course the great warrior, patron of
arts and letters and above all a model of piety, perhaps surviving in
sculptural form in the Nayaka king portraits in anjali mudra gracing
the mandapas of Madurai's great temple. Also gracing the city in the
early centuries of the first millennium were the Saiva and Vaishnava
saints who produced the devotional literature represented in the
Nalayira Divya Prabhandam (Vaishnava) and the Tevaram corpus (Saiva).
In Madurai's history the child-saint Sambandar was probably most famous
for having performed the conversion of the Pandya king who adhered to
the Jaina faith. In a series of miracles the Saiva saint shamed the
Jaina advisors of the King, who later suffered the terrible fate of
impalement. Jainism was for most of Madurai's early history a
successful rival to the Brahmanic faith. Interestingly the earliest
inscriptions (2nd century B.C) in the Madurai environs belong to Jain
ascetics who inscribed them on nearby granitic outcrops. Many other
notable Jain sites like Sittanavasal are also to be found in the Pandya
domain, most in close proximity to Madurai.

The Classical
Connection

In the early centuries of Christ there existed voluminous sea-trade
between the lands of the Mediterranean, most notably Rome, and the
lands of South India. Augustus Caesar speaks of Indian envoys, hitherto
unknown in Rome and boasts having been the first Roman ruler to entreat
them. The trade in pearls, gemstones, live animals and other exotic
produce brought not just foreign products but ideas and people as well.
The cosmopolitan city of Madurai, though inland benefited greatly from
this trade. No doubt classical influences permeated local traditions
and customs. Mention is made of Yavana (Greco-Roman) bodyguards for the
Pandya royalty and the nearby ports harboured settlements of
Mediterranean merchants. Hoards of Roman coins have been found in
undisturbed coastal sites, the most famous find being further north at
Arikamedu. Little remains of the physical temples and buildings to
suggest classical influence there, nevertheless, the presence of a
Roman-style theatre at Amravati in Andhra and toga-wearing Buddhist
statuary might suggest a similar influence on the Pandyan Madurai
though the suggestion is at best a conjecture due to the paucity of
ancient remains.

The Temples in the City

The Meenakshi-Sundareswarar temple, which stands today as one of
India's cultural and architectural landmarks, was originally built by
the early Pandya King Kulasekara. The ancient city of Madurai was
supposed to be laid out in a lotus-like formation with the temple at
the center and streets and main thoroughfares layered one after the
other in a concentric fashion. Legend has it that on the day the city
was to be named, Lord Shiva blessed the land and its people while
divine nectar showered on the city from his matted locks. The city
hence came to be known as "Madhurapuri" meaning "The City of Divine
Nectar". It is most likely a late legend attempting to Sanskritise the
otherwise Dravidian derivative of 'Madurai'. Perplexingly there remains
another ancient city in the North by the name of Madura of Krishna
fame. Could it be possible that the Southern city found a famous
Northern name just as Madura in Indonesia and Ayuthia in Thailand are
named after the counterparts in India. The appropriation of sacred
geography was nothing novel and was to be repeated in the South's
history perhaps most famously in Rajendra Chola's
Gangaikondacholapuram.
The city has often been referred to as "Athens of the East" perhaps due
to its monumental temples. Much of the monumentalism can be attributed
to the medieval Vijayanagara-Nayaka Kings who embellished the original
structures with numerous prakaras (circumambulatory pathways) and
mandapas (halls). The thousand-pillared hall was one such innovation of
the period. The thousand-pillared hall of the Meenakshi Sundareswara
temple is particularly famous for its beautiful sculptural depictions
of Rati, Kama, Nritya Ganapati and Bhairava amongst countless others.
The Thirukalyanam or Divine Wedding of Meenakshi and her spouse
Sundareswara is rendered in poignant manner by the Nayaka artists. The
temple is a treasure-trove of statuary of varying quality, the new
stucco being somewhat clumsier and gaudy in the face of the austere and
imposing granitic works of the Vijayanagar-Nayaka period. Rarely old
Pandya sculpture is integrated into the newer portions and the sanctum
sanctorum of the temple certainly contains images of great antiquity.
The destruction or rather devastation of the old temple by the raiding
armies of the Sultanate coerced late medieval rulers to rebuild many
portions of the temple. Most famous of all patrons was the Nayaka king
Thirumalai Nayak whose palace also survives in fragmentary state.
Another equally famous site within the temple walls is the Potramarai
Kulam or Golden Lotus Tank, reputedly used to test the quality of
literary works of the Sangam. It is said the didactic philosopher
Valluvar's work was thrown into the tank to test its reputed worth. The
work which miraculously did not sink was accepted by the poetic
conclave of Madurai. The legend is most likely an apocryphal one, used
to boost the reputation of didactic philosopher's work,
The Thirukkural.
The other noteworthy temple of Madurai, whose foundation myth is
intricately connected with the Meenakshi Sundareswara is the Azhagar
Kovil or Temple of the Handsome One, dedicated to Vishnu who in
Madurai's legend appears as the goddess Meenakshi's brother,
officiating her marriage with Sundareswara (Shiva whose name here
coincidently also means the Handsome One - albeit in Sanskrit). The
high onion-dome of the sanctum sanctorum although brightly covered in
later stucco work reveals the outline of an older Pandya plan. The
gold-covered horse vahana (mount) of the deity is a particular
attraction alongside ancient jewelry surviving in some amount (as does
in the Meenakshi Sundareswara - some even donated by British colonial
officials).
A thriving business has been made of selling temple memorabilia and
religious trinkets, often within the temple walls, sometimes obscuring
the fine statuary. The practice of selling mementoes for devotees is
however not novel and examples survive at least from the 18th century
ranging from cloth prints to miniature reproductions of the temple's
main deity for the pocket of the devotee.

Muslim Rule

On the death of Maaravaramban Kulasekara Pandyan I in 1308, a
succession dispute led to conflict between his sons, Sundara Pandya and
Vira Pandya. Vira Pandya took refuge under the Delhi Sultanate. In 1311
AD Madurai was invaded by Malik Kafur, the general of Alauddin Khilji who ruled the Delhi Sultanate. Subsequently,
the sanctum sanctorum of the Meenakshi Temple was closed and the main
deity was shifted to the Ardhamandapam.^[3]
Madurai remained under the control of Muslim rulers for the next fifty
years. However, in 1371, the Vijayanagar rulers of Hampi raided
the city and annexed it to their Kingdom.

Nayak Rule

Vijayanagar rulers appointed Governors known as Nayaks or Nayyakars
to administer this newly annexed territory. By 1545 the Nayaks became
more autonomous, establishing the Madurai Nayak dynasty ruling up
to 1740s. The temple was reopened and the Nayaks, most notably
Thirumalai Nayak, contributed much to the rebuilding of the temple
that had almost been destroyed during the Muslim rule. The Nayaks made
lasting contributions to the city's architecture such as the Raja
Gopuram of the Meenakshi Temple, and the Thirumalai Nayak Palace. After
the Vijayanagar empire collapsed in 1565, the Nayak dynasty continued
to rule Madurai for about two centuries. Rani Mangammal (1689-1704)
was other notable ruler who made large contributions to the city's
structures. During her reign Shivaji Bhonsle, the great Maratha
Ruler, invaded the south; and so did Chikka Deva Raya of Mysore and
other Muslim rulers, resulting in chaos and instability all around.
Rani Mangammal stood up against these invasions. Though her rule lasted
no more than two decades, she was cherished by the people of Madurai
for the prudence, determination and courage she exhibited during a
particularly troublesome period, with very little support from outside.
The kingdom began to break up after her rule as her successors were
weak rulers, and invasions of Madurai recommenced.

British Rule

Madurai soon started slipping into the hands of the British East
India Company. By 1801, the whole of Madurai district, which then was
made up of Dindigul, Palani, Kodaikkanal, Ramanathapuram and Sivagangai
was brought under the control of British East India Company. Madurai
was the birthplace of American academic Vida Dutton Scudder.
American missionary Henry Martyn Scudder came to Madurai in 1846.
Great Tamil Poet Bharathiyar worked in Sethupathi School as Tamil
Teacher for brief time.
Today, Madurai stands on the banks of the river Vaigai. The city is
well known for its spiritual hill Thiruparankundram which abodes lord
Subramaniya. Apart from this the ancient city is also surrounded by
three small prominent hills which are called the Anaimalai, Pasumalai
and Nagamalai from their supposed resemblance to an elephant, a cow and
a snake respectively.

In the post-Independence era, Madurai District, headquartered at
Madurai City, was one of the largest districts of Tamil Nadu. It was
also the administrative headquarters of the neighboring
Ramanathapuram District. However, in 1984, the then huge Madurai
district was bifurcated into Madurai and Dindigul District for
administrative convenience. Again, in 1997, it was bifurcated into
Madurai and Theni District. Like all other districts of India, it
is administered by a District Collector, a person from the Indian
Administrative Service. Mr. T. Udhayachandar is the current District
collector.
A recent attraction is the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court in
Ulaganeri, Madurai, the only location outside of Chennai to have
such a setup.

Geography

Madurai is located at . So
^[4] It has an average elevation
of 136 metres (446 feet).

Demographics

As of 2001 India census,^[5] Madurai had a population
of 922,913. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%.
Madurai has an average literacy rate of 79%, higher than the national
average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 74%. In
Madurai, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. There are 968
females per 1,000 males.^[6]
Population
decline:[1]

Year	Population	Type	Source
1991	940,989	census	----	2001	902,913	census	----	2006	905,645	calculation	----

The population decline in the last decade may be accounted for the
city's stagnant or no industrial development. Due to the software boom,
educated youngsters of the city have no option but to migrate to the
cities like Chennai and Bangalore for lucrative jobs. Successive state
governments took no action to develop the city's industry, and even
closed some companies like Madura Coats. Recent trends assure the
spread of the IT and industrial investments pouring in from the public
and private sectors targeting the highly educated youth.
Tamil is the ''lingua franca'' of Madurai and is understood by
almost everyone. Tamil spoken in Madurai is relatively pure, and devoid
of influences from other languages. The Sourashtra language is
spoken by members of the transmigrant Sourashtra community which
maintains a significant presence in the city. Other languages such as
Telugu, Urudu and Hindi are also spoken by few migrants in the city.
English is understood by almost all educated citizens most of which are
youthful.

People
and culture

The people of Madurai are amicable, hospitable, and deeply respect and
value their traditions. Though Salwar Kameez, a
North-Indian ethnic wear for women, has made deep inroads into the
city's populace, many prefer the traditional Indian wear of Thavani
or Dhavani, also called Half Saree, and Saree. Recently
too, the preference for Western wear has increased. Maduraiites like to
entertain themselves by watching movies and visiting amusement parks.
The city has plenty of Movie Halls, numbering about 50. This is a large
number for a city of Madurai's size, and recently many Movie Halls have
closed down due to High ticket rates. Madurai once had a rich tradition
of Carnatic music, boasting of several stalwarts. Popular carnatic
vocalist M. S. Subbulakshmi was born in Madurai and learnt music
here until she moved to Madras.
Madurai is famous for the Jil Jil Jigarthanda, Paruthi Pal, and sugar
cane juice. Jigarthanda is a delicious drink made of algae, milk and
sugar. Paruthi pal is yet another drink made of cotton seeds, flour of
raw rice, coconut and jaggery. There is also a special 'fruit
mixture' drink that is sold here, mostly near the Meenakshi Amman
Temple. Some of the famous restaurants in Madurai are the Modern
Restaurant (since 1956), Arya Bhavan and the latest Madurai Meenakshi
Bhavan. The specialty of Modern Restaurant is the scrumptious chili
parotha, which is spicy shredded bits of parotha garnished with green
chilies, lemon, and cilantro. Another favorite joint is Murugan Idli
Shop that serves steaming hot idlis and a variety of chutneys to go
with it. One great distinction about Madurai's road side food joints is
that they are available almost all the time. Visitors to Madurai are
recommended to try the dosas and pongals; there
are some 30 varieties of dosas alone. Madurai with its traditional food
is now having the introduction of Cafes here. Coffee Day has its outlet
in the city which attracts lot of "cosmopolitians" in the city. There
are other Fast food openings like Shake Away and Tornado. Hava Valley
is one of the best "Date Spot" in the city on the foothills of
alagarmalai, rendering people with its green and cool climate. Madurai
is also well known for
its fragrant Jasmine flowers. Jasmine is known as ''Malli'' or
''Malligai'' in Tamil. Madurai Malli is an important horticultural
produce. The buds are transported every day to major cities in India,
like Chennai, Mumbai and Bangalore.

City architecture

The City of Madurai was originally built around the Meenakshi
temple.^[7][8][9] Rectangular streets named
after the Tamil months of Aadi, Chithirai and Maasi
surround the temple, symbolizing the structure of the cosmos. Though
there are numerous other temples in Madurai, which is why it is known
as the "Temple City", the Meenakshi temple's architectural splendor
outdoes all of them. The Temple Complex in itself is breathtaking,
given the fort-like walls pierced with lofty Gopurams (Towers), over an
area of 640,000 square feet (60,000 m²). The gopurams are adorned with
figures of Hindu Gods, animals and mythological creatures. Upon
entering the temple, one gets to view the spectacular
"Potraamaraikkulam", meaning the Golden Lotus Pond, surrounded by
corridors depicting murals from the "Thiruvilaiyaadal Puraanam". The
"Ayirangaal Mandapam" (Thousand Pillared Hall) is another exhibit of
impressive craftsmanship whose pillars feature sculptural work beyond
comparison. Madurai has many other famous temples. Some of them are:
Thirupparankundram,
Pazhamuthircholai, two of the six temple shrines of Lord
Murugan (son of Lord Shiva according to Tamil beliefs);
Azhagarkovil, a prominent Vaishnavaite
shrine, Aappudaiyaar temple and Koodalazhagar temple. Present-day
Madurai extends on both sides of the River Vaigai. The parts of the
city adjoining the temple in the southern banks of Vaigai are bustling
commercial hubs where one can find everything from basic necessities to
electronic gadgets. As a result, they are congested and offer little
scope for further expansion. However, across the river, is where one
would find the chic, modern and young face of Madurai with its
relatively spacious roads and structures with plenty of room for
expansion and development. The Madurai Collectorate, Madurai District
Court, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai Corporation
Building, Madurai Race Course, Government Offices, and many schools,
colleges and companies are located in the northern part of the city.

Transport

Madurai is well connected by air, rail and road. The railway station is
one of the busiest in India, with trains from every major city in
India, and has computerized reservation
counters. Madurai Division has repeatedly got the award for best
maintained station in Southern Railway.^[10] The railway station code for
Madurai Junction is 'MDU'.
Madurai has five bus stands, which cater to the needs of the people:
Central Bus terminus at Maattuthavani (North), Palanganatham (South),
Arapalayam (West), Periyar (Central) and Anna Bus stand (East). The
major bus stand is at Maattuthavani, from where many buses operate
round the clock. A sudden importance to infrastructure has been well
augmented by construction of bridges across the Vaigai river to connect
Madurai at various points. Flyovers have been constructed within the
city to overcome traffic congestion. The Golden Quadrilateral and the
four lane highway to Madras makes Madurai one of the most well
connected cities in India.
Madurai Airport is approximately 13 kilometers from the Madurai
Railway station, and currently has connectivity to Bangalore, Chennai
and Mumbai. Jet Airways, Air Deccan, Paramount Airways and
Indian Airlines are the major airline operators.

Education

Madurai is home to some of India's oldest institutions including the
Thiagarajar College of Enginneering and Thiagarajar college of Arts and science
in Madurai, American and Madura Colleges. The city has a Medical College, Madurai Medical College (1954), an Agricultural
College and a Law College. The Madurai Kamaraj University (1966)
situated in Nagamalai Pudukottai, has 18 schools, which in turn is made
up of 72 departments. It pioneered the concept of Distance Education
throughout India, and its Directorate of Distance Education currently
boasts of a student strength of about 130,000. Several other Arts and
Science colleges are present in and around the city, affiliated to the
Madurai Kamaraj University.
Madurai is also home to Lady Doak College (1948), which is the oldest
college for women in south India. The undergraduate, postgraduate and
research college offers degrees in Sciences, Humanities, Languages,
Business Management Studies and Information Technology. Fatima College
which is located near Koodal Nagar is also a well known college for
women.
The city also has its share of Engineering Colleges, Polytechnics,
Paramedical and Nursing Colleges. This city is home to one of Tamil
Nadu's oldest engineering institutions, Thiagarajar College of
Engineering (1957) and private engineering colleges such as SACS
MAVMM Engineering college, azhagar koil, Sethu Institute of
Technology, K.L.N College Of Engineering (1994), the Yadava
College of Arts & Science in Natham Road, Raja College of
Engineering and Technology (1995), Vickram College of
Engineering(2001), PTR College of Engineering, the Kamaraj College of
Engineering & Technology in Kaligudi.
Schools in Madurai are either run by the Tamil Nadu Government or are
run privately. The medium of education is English in private schools
while both English and Tamil mediums are available in Government run
schools. The Sethupathi Higher Secondary School is over 100 years old.
Subramanya Bharathi, the famous Tamil poet, was a teacher in this
school. The OCPM Girls Higher Secondary School is over 200 years old.

Economy

Madurai's economy was chiefly agrarian. Textiles and tourism
contribute significantly to the local economy. Madurai is famous for
"Sungidi", a fine-count, zari-bordered, fabric painted cotton
saree. However, in the past few years, overt dependence on
monsoons, and international competition and cheaper imports have dented
the performance of agriculture and textile sectors respectively.
Madurai has a thriving flower industry, jasmine in particular.
"Madurai Malli" jasmine is well known across Tamil Nadu and beyond for
its enchanting fragrance. The cultivation of jasmine is done at the
foothills of Kodaikanal near Madurai, with its red soil which
retains water. The flowers are in good demand in other parts of India
like Salem, Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi,
Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kolkata and
Hyderabad. They are also exported to the Middle
East and Singapore, where they are used in perfumes.

Industrial development

Madurai has long been a laggard in industrial development as compared
to other parts of Tamil Nadu and India. TVS, India, Hi-Tech Arai
Limited manufacturer of automobile and automobile parts, TVS Srichakra,
manufacturer of tyres and tubes for two wheelers, Fenner,
manufacturer of solid woven PVC conveyor belts, TAFE, manufacturer of
tractors and farm equipments and Madura Coats, manufacturer of
textiles are some of the major companies in Madurai. Honeywell, a
technology and manufacturing company in aerospace products and
services. Madurai based Aztecs Technologies
Private Limited is offering high-end engineering software services in
the domain areas of Mapping, Geographic Information System (GIS),
Engineering drawing conversion, data conversion and the like.
'ANT(Advanced Networking Technology) Solution' is the one of the
leading IT Networking Solution provider. SAMTRACK was the first
BPO company to get established in Madurai in 2000 and Chella
Software was the first IT products company from the
city.ITFlexSolutions is a leading Software and Web Development
Company in Madurai. The ITFlexSolutions put forward a wide-ranging of
Software Development and web development services. Winways Systems
Private Limited is the first exclusive open source software venture in
south Tamilnadu. According to a recent task force report released by
the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Madurai district has the
potential to become a "manufacturing hub" and can be promoted as a
knowledge gateway and tourism corridor of southern Tamil Nadu.
The State and Union Governments, acknowledging the fact that there has
been little industrial development in Madurai district, have adopted a
multi-pronged approach to give a much-needed fillip to industrial
growth. The Government has set up industrial estates in different parts
of the city to push industrial growth in identified key areas, thus
building entrepreneurs and creating new jobs. The following
industrial estates are currently operational:
# SIDCO Industrial Estate, K.Pudur
# SIDCO Industrial Estate, Kappalur
# Hoisery Estate, Urangaanpatti
# Electrical and Electronics Industrial Estate, Kappalur
# Automobile Industrial Estate, Kappalur
To reduce unemployment and to promote equitable growth of small-scale
industries in all areas, District Industries Centers (DIC) were formed
through out the country. DIC's primary objective is to provide aspiring
and budding entrepreneurs all necessary assistance. In Madurai, it was
formed in 1979. DIC conducts workshops periodically to motivate
students of Engineering Colleges, Polytechnics and Industrial Training
Institutes and how they can put their entrepreneurial skills to work.
DIC also organizes programs to promote entrepreneurship among women.

Present problems

Unlike many other historical cities that have been reduced to small
towns, hamlets and ruins in the modern age, Madurai still remains a
"city" and a major regional hub of commerce. However, it is a
concerning fact that it has failed to achieve the progress it should
have and its city ranking has sunk in the past few decades. Not only
has it failed to attract new domestic and foreign investments, but it
has also failed to capitalize on its inherent strengths.
Though there is no dearth of talent in Madurai, thanks to the
Engineering and Science colleges in the city, it has not been able to
retain the pool of qualified professionals. During the years following
the Information Technology boom that swept across the country, the city
saw an exodus of professionals to other urban
centers, such as Chennai, Bangalore and
Mumbai, which offered them better opportunities.
Many blame the state government for limiting industrial development to
northern Tamil Nadu, Chennai and its adjacent districts in particular,
and cite this as the reason southern Tamil Nadu is industrially
underdeveloped. While this claim may not be totally invalid, the main
reason Madurai is industrially underdeveloped lies in the fact that
there is a definite lack of initiative, endemic casteism and poor self-esteem amongst the
local populace. The elite and professionals who ought to guide their
fellow citizens into the new economy shrug away from their
responsibilities, and worse, move to other cities looking for greener
pastures and settle down there.

IT industry

'gpsinfoway'
The emergence of the Honeywell's Research Lab tied to the Thiagarajar
Enginnering College and TCS' Disaster Recovery Centre have been
instrumental in IT development of the city. Also interest from Syntel,
Infosys and RR Industries in opening development centers mean Madurai
can look forward to an IT industry driven future. The global software
major, IBM, has established its "Rational Center of Excellence" that is
equipped with latest software, hardware and networking technologies.

The district administration has identified two sites, one near the
Madurai Kamaraj University at Nagamalai Pudukottai and the other on the
city outskirts, for setting up the much-awaited IT Park[3][4][5]. The Government
has transferred 8.81 hectares at Ilandhaikulam and 271 acres at
Kinnimangalam (near Madurai Kamaraj University) to ELCOT. The Madurai
Corporation has identified 29.93 acres of land for establishing the
Tidel park in the city. The Tidel park will be an Elcot undertaking.
NASSCOM, CII and MADITSSIA have joined hands to conduct the
"Madurai.com", a move to showcause Madurai as an ideal IT destination.
The government run STPI has plans to open its Madurai centre in the
year 2007.
RR Industries making an IT SEZ & Township in sholankurini in 400 acres {may be expanded to 750 acres}

List Of Movie Halls in Madurai

# Annamalai A/c Dts
# Abirami A/c Dts
# Ambigai A/c Dts
# Ambiga A/c Dts
# Mookambika A/c Dts
# Amirtham A/c Dts
# Mappillai Vinayagar A/c Dts
# Manikka Vinayagar A/c Dts
# Cine priya 70MM Dts
# Mini priya A/c Dts
# Suga priya A/c Dts
# Nadana A/c Dts
# Nattiya A/c Dts
# Narthana A/c Dts
# Sakthi A/c Dts
# Sivam Dts
# Sindaamani Dts
# Jaya A/C Dts
# Tamil A/C Dts
# Guru A/c Dts
# Mathi A/c Dts
# Thangam Parameswari Dts
# Vetri A/c Dts
# Saraswathi Dts
# Jeyam Dts
# Dinamani Talkies
# Davi kalaivani A/c Dts
# Mani Impala Dts
# Sha Dts
# Meenakshi Dts
# Meenakshi Paradise A/c
# Hazeera A/c
# Central theatre
# Harivignesh theatre
# pandian deluxe theatre
# Jyothi Dts theatre
# Aravind Theatre
# GV Multiplex Film city { upcoming in the place of Asia's largest THANGAM Theatre complex }
# ADLABS Multiplex { upcoming in place of existing GANESH Theatre }
# Majestic JAAS A/c Dts Open theatre
# Maapillai vinayagar 4-screen multiplex { upcoming }
# CINEMAX Multiplex { upcoming }
# SAHARA Multiplex @ sahara city homes campus { upcoming }
# RUDRADEV Multiplexes - multiple @ RR IT township , sholankurini { upcoming }

List of Engineering Colleges

# Thiyagarajar College of Engg,[6]
# KLN College Of Engineering, [7]
# KLN College of Information Technology
# Raja College Of Engineering and Technology
# PTR College of Engineering,[8]
# Kamaraj College of Engineering and Technology,[9]
# Pandiyan Saraswathi Yadav Engineering COllege,[10]
# SACS MAVMM Engg College.,[11]
# Vickram College of Engineering, [12]
# Sethu Institute of Technology, [13]
# Velammal college of Engineering

Music Colleges

# Tamilnadu Music Training College
# Sri Sathguru Sangeetha Vidyalayam (College of Music)

List of Medical Colleges In madurai

# Madurai Medical College
# Govt. Homoeopathy Medical College
# Aravind eye hospital and Post-graduate Institute of Ophthalmology
# Kamaraj memorial medical college { upcoming }
# Aravind university of Ophtalmic sciences { upcoming }
# CSI Institute of medical sciences @ Pasumalai { upcoming }
# Velammal medical college & hospital { upcoming - deemed university like Chennai's RAMACHANDRA }
# CSI Dental college
# Ultra trust's BEST dental college

List of Agricultural Colleges In madurai

# Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai
# Home Science College and Research Institure, Madurai
(both colleges situated in same campus, controlled by the Tamil Nadu
Agricultural University, Coimbatore)

List of Paramedical Colleges In madurai

# Aravind Eye Hospital
# K M College of Pharmacy
# Bose School of Nursing
# Pandian College of Pharmacy
# C.S.I. Jayaraj Annapackiam College of Nursing
# Sacred Heart Nursing College
# College of Allied Medical Sciences
# Trinity Mission & Medical Foundation
# Good Health Educational Trust
# Ultra College of Pharmacy
# Grace Kennett Foundation Hospital

List of Polytechnic

# Tamil Nadu Polytechnic
# KLN Polytechnic
# SACS MAVMM Polytechnic
# Govt Polytechnic for Women
# Rukumuni Shanmugam Polytechnic
# Latha Mathavan Polytechnic
# Thanapandian Polytechnic
# RL INSTITUTE OF NAUTICAL SCIENCES & BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

List of ITI Colleges

# Govt ITI
# Sri Venkateswara ITI
# UYPA ITI
# Srinivasa ITI
# Donbosco ITI
# MAVMS ITI

List of Arts College

# Sourashrta college
# Thiyagarajar Arts College
# Lady Doak College 4. Mannar Thirumalai Nayakar College
# Saraswathi narayan COllege
# sermathai arts college
# American college
# N.M.S.S.Vellaichamy Nadar College, Nagamalai
# Madura College
# Sri Meenakshi Government College for Women
# Fatima college for Women
# M.S.S.Wakf Board College
# Ambiga College of Arts and Science
# Nadar Mahajana Sangam Sermathai Vasan College
# Arulananthar College 16. Ayira Vysiya College
# P.K.N. Arts and Science College
# CSI College for women
# Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar College
# Devasagayam Annathayammal College for Women
# S.P. College of Science & Arts
# E.M.G. Kone Yadava Colege for women
# Senthamil College
# Govt. Arts College Melur
# Sourashtra College for women
# Sri Naga Lakshmi Ammal College of Sciences
# Madurai Institute of Social Sciences
# Subbulakshmi Lakshmipathy College of Science
# Madurai Kamaraj University College The American College
# Madurai Kamaraj University Evening College
# Madurai Sivakasi Nadar Pioneer Meenakshi College for women
# Vivekananda College
# Mangayarkarasi College of Arts & Science for Women
# Yadava (Mens) College
# Nagarathinam - Angammal college of Arts & Science { upcoming }

Healthcare

Madurai is also home to the Aravind Eye Care
System which is an international eye-care hospital, research and
training institute that provides quality and affordable eye health care
to all, and an organisation which develops high-volume, low-cost
service models for deployment in India and developing nations. Aravind
has pioneered a system of vertical integration in healthcare by
conducting in-house training of doctors and paramedicals, developing
comprehensive hospital design standards, and manufacturing intra-ocular
lenses, pharmaceuticals and sutures for use in cataract surgery. The
Aravind eye hospital was founded by Padmashree Dr. G. Venkataswamy.
AIIMS( All India Institute For Medical Sciences, New Delhi) is setting
up a high end, mordern hospital in the city, first ever of it's type in
South India. And this is getting added to the top level hospitals in
Madurai.
Other important Hospitals are: Govt. Rajaji Hospital of Madurai Medical
Collage, Meenakshi mission Hospitals, Apollo Speciality Hospitals,
Christian Mission Hospitals etc.

Notes

1. Census class=wikiexternal target=_blank>India
2. First woman Mayor for Madurai
3. History of Meenakshi Temple
4. Falling
Rain Genomics, Inc - Madurai
5.
6. Women Development

7.
Meenakshi
temple class=wikiexternal target=_blank>[2]
8. The
Meenakshi Temple -
Madurai
9. Sri class=wikiexternal target=_blank>Meenakshi Temple (1623-1659)
10. Elegant ambience

References

★ Dravidian Temple Architecture

External links

★ www.maduraitoday.com : Anything & Everything about Madurai

★ Wiki Travel-Good place for Travel related information

★ Official website of Corporation of Madurai

★