Evening Puja at Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

Evening puja at the magnificent Meenakshi Amman Temple is one of the highlights of a visit to Madurai and should not be missed.

Every night, before the temple closes, an image of the god Shiva is carried from his shrine by temple priests and taken in a chariot procession to the shrine of his wife, Meenakshi, where he’ll spend the night.

This colourful and spectacular event takes place every night usually around 9pm (but it could be later so there might be a bit of waiting around) in a flurry of drums, chanting, horns and incense smoke.

An unforgettable experience!

What you’ll do

• Watch temple priests carry an image of Shiva through the temple in a nightly chariot procession to the shrine of his wife Meenakshi, a ritual that has taken place here for centuries
• Take in the full spectacle of sound and atmosphere: live drumming, chanting, horns and clouds of incense smoke building as the procession moves
• Stand among pilgrims for whom this is an act of devotion, not a performance staged for visitors
• The procession usually begins around 9pm, though it can run later, so allow time and go without rushing