Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal is located in Madurai city of Tamil Nadu. It is an interesting place to visit. After independence, this Mahal became the national monument. Today, the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department safeguards this monument.

One of the striking features of this Mahal is its huge pillars. It attracts a lot of film makers who shoot scenes here.

History

Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal was constructed by King Thirumalai Nayak in 1636. He took the help of an Italian architect.

Architecture

The king built this Mahal to make it one of the most magnificent structures of South India. The monument displays a fine mix of Islamic and Dravidian architecture. The Mahal interiors are outstanding with their rich adornment. The exterior is a bit serious though.

Several structures of the Mahal were demolished during the 18th century. Today, what remains of the Mahal is a Svarga Vilasam, which is a court and a few buildings.

The court’s Audience Chamber is a big hall featuring arcades towering to 12 meter height. The Mahal is famous for its huge pillars, which go up to 82 feet high and spread 19 feet wide.

At the threshold of the Mahal is a big central courtyard that is sprawled in 41,979 square feet area. The yard has giant circular pillars all around. There is also a garden.

Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal has two sections: Ranga Vilasam and Swarga Vilasam. They accommodate theater, royal residence, armory, shrine, palanquin place, apartments, quarters, royal bandstand, garden, and pond.

Mahal’s chief attractions are the dancing hall and the courtyard. The king used Swarga Vilasam as the throne room. It features an arcaded octagon that has a 60-70 feet high dome at the center. The dome is supported by giant circular columns and stone ribs. It is connected with an arcaded gallery through pointed scalloped arches. The gallery opens into the nave.

Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal was built using foliated brickwork. The finish and the surface details are done in delicate stucco, which is called chunnam (shell lime). It is mixed with egg white to get a smooth and shiny texture. Each structure of the Mahal displays exquisite craftsmanship.

Mahal Timings

Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Lunch timings are from 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm. a

Tourists can enjoy Sound & Light Show, which denotes the tale of Silappathikaram. Show timings are from 6:45 pm to 7:35 pm in English and from 8:00 pm to 8:50 pm in Tamil.

How to Reach

Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal stands to the east of Madurai city, about 1.2 km from Meenakshi Amman Temple towards the south east. Madurai city is well connected by air and rail. Tourists can avail themselves of daily flights to Chennai, Mumbai, Colombo (Sri Lanka), and Bangalore.