Madurai

Best time to visit

October to February

Madurai's climate is generally hot and dry during the summer months, with temperatures soaring during the peak summer season. The city experiences a moderate climate during the winter months, with a brief monsoon season bringing some relief from the heat around July to September.

Getting there & around

• Air — Madurai International Airport (about 12 km south)
• Rail — Madurai Junction, a major southern railway hub
• Road — NH-44 and NH-38. Periyar Bus Stand serves the city centre and Mattuthavani the intercity routes.
• Auto/Rickshaw — Auto-rickshaw and town bus. Inside the four mada streets the old city is walkable and the temple's four gopurams work as cardinal landmarks - which is the actual answer to 'how do I get around Madurai', and better than the generic line currently on the page.

Before you go

• Temple photography rules vary by zone and cameras are commonly restricted inside
• footwear must be left outside and the granite gets very hot by midday. Unofficial guides operate around the east gate. During Chithirai the old city is closed to vehicles for long stretches and crowds have exceeded a million.

Famous eateries & specialties

• Kari dosai — a triple-layered dosa: dosa base, omelette, minced mutton
• jigarthanda
• Madurai idli
• bun parotta
• idiyappam
• elumbu roast
• paruthi paal — cotton-seed milk
• kalkandu sadham
• mutton kola urundai

Emergency numbers