Local Markets (Puthu Mandapam)

Puthu Mandapam (Pudhu Mandapam) is a 17th-century pillared hall built by Thirumalai Nayak outside the east tower of the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai. The mandapam functions as a local market and is lined with stalls selling silk sarees, jewellery, handicrafts, religious items, and traditional goods. The columns are decorated with fine sculptures of Nayak-period warriors, celestial figures, and animals. The combination of commerce and temple architecture in a single space reflects Madurai's tradition of temple-centred economic life. The mandapam and its bazaar are an essential part of the Meenakshi Temple experience.