The Divya Desams around Madurai can be visted
by keeping Madurai as the base.It would be appropriate to select a hotel
somewhere in central Madurai to conveniently
visit the Divya desams.
Thirukoodal,Thirumogoor
and Thrumaalirumsolai can be visited in one day,Thiruthangal
and
Srivilliputtur in
one day and Thirukostiyur and Thirumeyyam
in one day making a total of 3 days.
Thirukoodal:
This is located in central madurai near the
Bus stand and Railway station.A road cuts in opposite to the bus stand.Some
hotels are here.walking further into the road one can see the boundary
wall(the broad saffron stripes can be seen).This
is the rear side of the Temple wall Walking along the side boundary one
can reach the front of the temple Just around 10 minutes walk from the
bus stand/20 minutes walk from the railway station.
Thirumogoor:
To reach this temple one has to take the melur road from madurai.On reaching Oothakadai (on melur road) around 25-30 kms from madurai,one can see a signpost marked (Thirumogoor 3kms)pointing to a road inside(at oothakadai).Taking this road one can reach the temple.
Thirumaalirumsolai/Alagarkovil:
This is around 18-20 kms from madurai .Though
few buses may be available,it would be convenient to arrange a taxi/van
for covering both thirumogoor and thirumalirumsolai.
Thiruthankaal and Srivilliputtur:
Thiruthankal and Srivilliputtur can be covered by first going to Thiruthankal from madurai ,then srivilliputtur and then returning back to madurai.One can take the Virudunagar road from madurai,and while proceeding onwards to sivakasi from Virdunagar ask for directions to thiruthankal and reach the thiruthankal temple. After finishing thirukankal one can reach Srivilliputtur via sivakasi (around 25 kms by road).After visiting the Andal temple and the Perumal kovil which is the divya desam one can return to madurai(72 kms by road).Direct Buses to Sivakasi and Srivilliputtur are frequently available from madurai.Currently there is bus stand at thirumangalam for buses going towards that direction.
Thirumeyyam and Thirukoshtiyur:
Thirumeyyam is near Pudukkotai(20 kms).There are frequent buses to pudukottai from madurai(Anna bus stand) It is approximately a 2 hour journey to pudukkotai by bus from madurai. Thirukoshtiyur can be reached by taking a bus to karaikudi/ Thirupattur from thirumeyyam/pudukottai(half an hour). Thirukoshtiyur is 10 kms from Thirupattur