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Madurai is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the Indian peninsula. It is an ancient and prestigious city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu situated on the banks of the River Vaigai in Madurai district. The city was the capital of the Pandyas and later the Nayakas and is famous for its Meenakshi temple dedicated to Sundarewshwara (Shiva) and his consort Meenakshi (Parvati). Madurai is derived from the name Madhurapuri standing for the nectar that was showered upon the city as blessings from Lord Shivas locks. Madurai was the capital city of ancient Southern civilization. Madurais cultural heritage goes back 2500 years and the city has been an important commercial center and has conducted trade as far as Rome and Greece since as early as 550 B.C.E. It is the third largest (was second largest from its origin till 2001) city in Tamil Nadu.
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