Theppakulam - Madurai Tourism

On the banks of River Vaigai, there once was a rural village – Vandiyoor (now a part of Madurai). About 3.5 centuries ago, Thirumalai Nayakar made a large excavation here for sand & bricks to build his palace. It is said that during the excavation, Thirumalai Nayak unearthed a statue of Ganapathy (which is now apparently in the Meenakshi Temple). Thirumalai nayakar then decided to convert this area into a square temple tank.
Many temples in south India boast of an adjacent Theppakulam (float-tank). In this case however the theppakulam was two miles away from the temple. Usually all temple tanks have a small Maiyamandapam. The Mariamman or Vandiyoor Theppakulam has a mini island with granite walls. Due to the unlimited quantity of water available, the area is filled with lush trees. A Pallavan style gopuram stands tall between the trees.
It is said that the tank was always full of water & it was the largest of its kind in India & the most beautiful. Unfortunately, today due to over exploitation & lack of water resources, during summer the water hits a low level. However the large flowering trees still make it look magnificent & a must see attraction on every tourists list.