Gods, kings and slaves : The Seige of Madurai -By R. Venketesh
Finally, after 3 years of marriage, my family and I travelled to Trichy and Madurai to offer our prayers to Gods and Goddesses. Madurai Meenakshi holds a very special place in my heart. Even after visiting numerous temples all over south India, I feel that no temple is as beautiful and no deity is as captivating as Meenakshi. My father's family is native to Madurai and before my wedding, we would definitely visit Meenakshi temple at least once in two years. Meenakshi temple is a treasure trove of stories -historical and mythological. The story that captivated my interest this time was that of Malik Kafur and the stone elephants. My father told us how the invading Muslim army of Allauddin Khilji were on a temple destrying spree. After wrecking havoc in the Srirangam Temple, they turned their attention further south and came marauding to the seat of Pandiya's power and treasury -Meenakshi temple. But when attempting to destroy the temple, a mendicant