Nostalgia strikes hard as one walks through the dingy corridor lined with age-old pillars at Pudumandapam, which is often dubbed as 'Madurai's first mall'. The colossal 16th century monument has been the one-stop-solution for all kinds of shopping needs for decades. Be it utensils, clothes, fancy items or books, pudumandapam was the go-to place. Following an unfortunate fire accident last month at the East gate of the Temple, the 300-odd shops inside the mandapam have been closed for over 60 days now and with it a peculiar charm of pudumandapam has gone missing.
The vibrant sights and sounds of the place is now a thing of the past. Devoid of the usual buzz around it, Pudumandapam looks frozen in time. Eager shoppers who peep through the iron gates to check if activity has resumed while anxious shopkeepers frantically pace up and down the periphery of the mandapam in the hope of a favourable order from the High Court where a case is pending on the proposed translocation of the shops. Silently witnessing the play of emotions are the exquisite sculptures on the 125 pillars, some of Gods and Goddesses sporting a serene smile and others of Kings and queens with folded hands.
“Chithirai festival is hardly a month away and it's sad to see Pudumandapam lie idle. Every year by this time, the entire place is was festive with tailors gearing up for the chariot festival and Lord Kallazhagar's entry into Vaigai,” says P Annam, a flower seller at the Meenakshi Temple. Pudumandapam has always been the cynosure of the Chithirai festival. It's around this landmark that the major events take place. “People used to throng the mandapam for stitching colourful attires of Gods. Salladam, a special dress worn by devotees of Lord Kallazhagar and the patchwork festoons called thombai and thoranam for Meenakshi's Chariot were made by tailors at Pudumandapam,” says M Lakshmipathi, a regular shopper. “The pudumandapam tailors are known for their expertise and speed. With the closure of the shops, a part of the rich heritage and culture has come to a halt,” he adds.
The Pudumandapam is also attributed with many other specialities, says C Santhalingam, retired archaeologist. “An inscription dating to 1923 was found 20 years ago and it was learnt that Madurai's first museum and public library functioned from Pudumandapam,” he adds. “It's a lesser known historical fact. Unfortunately, the inscription got hidden behind a cement pillar that was constructed a few years ago.”
ATTN:TN DESK,FOR DAILY,Caption:Evolving designs: The attaire for the devotees participating in the 'ethir sevai' and the memorable event of Lord Kallazhagar entering the Vaigai river, is being readied in myriad colours and designs. A tailor at the Pudumandapam in Madurai is seen stitcing colourful dresses to match the devotees' fervour.-PHOTO:S_JAMES.(DIGITAL IMAGE)
Talking of the architectural excellence of the mandapam, archaeologist and historian V Vedachalam says that it's a valuable addition by King Thirumalai Nayakkar to beautify the Meenakshi Temple. “The structure is built in the typical 16th century Nayak style, with ornate pillars and an intricate facade. The purpose was to make it the venue for the spring festival, otherwise known as Vasantha Vizha. The deities of Meenakshi Sundareswarar were kept at the Pudumandapam for over 10 days during the season.”
For FRONT LINE:Kumbabishekam Special:27/03/09: Meenakshi Sculture at Pudumandapam Vasanthamandapm in Madurai. Photo: K_Ganesan.
“It's also said that water from the Vaigai was facilitated through a sluice to flow around the mandapam through the agazhi or moat, during the summer season. And King Thirumalai Nayakkar would enjoy watching dance and music programmes staged at the mandapam,” says Santhalingam. “Today, a huge Nandi statue stands atop the sluice and the moats are used as walkways to access bookshops housed around the mandapam.” As archaeologists, they feel the historical value and architectural beauty of the place should be guarded.
G Muthupandi, president of Pudumandapam Traders and Tailors Association, agrees. “We are willing to safeguard the monument from any damage. Most of us run shops here for generations and so far, we have taken due care.” “All we are requesting now is a suitable alternative place to carry on the business. I have been selling decorative items for over 40 years and the shop is the only source of livelihood for me,” he adds. Sathish Kumar, who owns a book shop in the mandapam, rues that he's unable to clear stock of old books. “There's no business for over two months now and I am eating off my savings which won't last long. Since, the syllabus is changing for school students, I also have to return old books to publishers before the end of this academic year. There are 130 book shops that are facing the same problem.”
ATTN:MADURAI DESK,FOR METRO PLUS,Caption: "NAMMA MADURAI",FOR MADURAI METRO PLUS.-PHOTO:S_JAMES.(DIGITAL IMAGE)
“In 2010, when the Cenrtal Market was vacated, we were offered the Kunnathur Chathram and we had agreed to vacate then. in that case. But there was an undue delay in building the chathram. As a result we are caught in a predicament now,” says Muthupandi. What's intriguing is that the traders are receiving empathetic enquiries from customers abroad. “There are tourists who had visited us more than once. They like our handicrafts and some of us have been written about in foreign travel magazines also. They have been calling in to know what's the status.”
With the wait getting longer and the Chithirai festival drawing closer, it's still unclear on what may befall Pudumandapam and the people around it.
Some special features of Pudumandapam
The statue of three-breasted Thadathagai Piratti (Meenakshi as a young girl) is found only in Pudumandapam and not inside the temple.
There are totally 28 sculptures at Pudumandapam. Statues of Lord Shiva's Oordhava thandavam , Dancing Kali, Lord Natarajar with Karaikal Ammaiyar and Goddess Meenakshi's celestial wedding with Lord Sundareswarar are deemed as those of exquisite craftsmanship.
The mandapam depicts some of the 64 Thiruvilayadal episodes in the form of sculptures.
Statues of Ekapadha moorthy, Gajasamhara moorthy, Anugraha moorthy and Tiripurantaka moorthy adorn all all four corners of the structure.
Pudumandapam also houses statues of Thirumalai Nayakkar and his family and ancestors.
