Minister launches The Hindu’s coffee table book on Meenakshi-Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai - The HinduUpdated - September 10, 2026 12:59 am IST - CHENNAI Minister S. Ramesh, N. Murali, Chairman of the Hindu Group Publishing Pvt. Ltd., and Directors Nirmala Lakshman, N. Ravi, and Rohit Ramesh at the launch of the coffee table book on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: M. SRINATHMinister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) S. Ramesh on Wednesday launched a coffee table book titled The Goddess’s Realm: Meenakshi-Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai, brought out by The Hindu Group.Mr. Ramesh said that after discussing with Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, the government had announced the setting up of virtual reality history halls in prominent temples. This is to enrich the experience of visiting pilgrims and be in several languages. He appreciated The Hindu for bringing out a comprehensive and informative book on the Arulmigu Meenakshi Amman temple, Kumbhabhishekam of which is scheduled for September 17.The first copy of the book was given to N. Murali, Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited. N. Ravi, Director, Kasturi and Sons Limited; Nirmala Lakshman, Director and Publisher, The Hindu Group; Rohit Ramesh, Director; and L.V. Navaneeth, Chief Executive Officer, were present.With thekumbhabhishekamof the temple scheduled for September 17,The book byThe Hindu Group has been illustrated with over 300 black and white and colour photographs, with 252 pages printed in matt art paper.It features a wide variety of stories ranging from the origin and development of the temple complex, its breathtaking art and architecture, and series of exquisite mandapams to the various festivals, the saints associated with the temple, and the contribution of the many rulers — Pandya, Chola, Vijayanagara, and Nayaka — in making the temple the iconic structure it is today.Many of the articles have unusual themes: why the Golden Lotus Tank in the temple has no fish, the story behind Lord Nataraja dancing on his right leg, sculptures featuring crime and punishment, how Mahatma Gandhi made an appearance in a mural of the divine wedding of Goddess Meenakshi, a BritishCollector’s devotion to the goddess, the drummer who announces the start of worship twice a day, the grandfather who wields a fan of peacock feathers during the grand Chithirai festival, and so on.The book, curated by former Associate Editor of Frontline T.S. Subramanian,also discusses why the temple attracts thousands of devotees from all over India. and the booming trade and commerce around it. Reports from The Hindu’s archives also showcase the destruction of precious artworks and the Veera Vasantharayar Mandapam in a fire.The book, which includes articles by several scholars, historians, and epigraphists, is available for purchase on The Hindu Group’s online bookstore publications.thehindugroup.com. The cover price of this coffee-table book is ₹2,999, and a launch offer of 25% discount can be availed for a specific period of time.Published - September 10, 2026 12:58 am ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }