Short Madurai tour?

Sorry to keep asking questions - promise will actually ocntribute stuff when not watching the clock in an i-ways...

For complicated reasons we have only half a day to see the sites of Madurai. Obviously this isn't nearly enough, but as we have no choice, does anyone know of a good guide that could show us around the main temple at least? Would need to be for a morning - probably 9am to 1 or thereabouts. With such a short time it seems to make more sense to use a guide.

Thanks

You'll n\be able to do it without a guide, but with a reasonable guidebook. They are sold around the temple.

Hans

Unless things have changed since I was last in Madurai, if you are not a Hindu, you won't be able to enter the temple, but the layers of stalls around the outside can easily use up half a day - with or without a guide.

When was that, WWUSA? I was there in 2003, and, as with many of the temples, entry into the shrines themselves would be restricted, entry into the temple was freely available, and there is plenty to see. Even apart from the temple itself, there is the market hall you mention, the tank, the 1000-pillar hall, the 'musical' pillars.

Amazing place

Half a day there is fine, and I wouldn't worry about missing anywhere else. I vaguely remember some palace or something, but it obviously didn't do much for me compared to the temple!

It is in the nature of things that guides will find you. It is probably worth your while to pick one whose English seems good, and let them show you around. It will also mean that you will have no worries about going where you should not.

Even to know the names of the deities, which are often written in Tamil script only, the guide will be useful.

You can go inside the temple, but NOT the inner sanctum unless your hindu.

That's the usual rule in TN temples, and is as I thought.

Correct, allthough taking two blond kids along helps you get in a lot of places, without even asking!

Have Fun,

Hans