Yanaimalai
யானைமலை
A solid granite hill shaped like a reclining elephant, with an 8th-century rock-cut shrine to a lion-headed man and Jain carvings at its foot.
Yanaimalai (Elephant Hill) stretches about 4 km long and, seen from afar, resembles a reclining elephant, making it a natural landmark on Madurai’s northeastern outskirts. At its base is a rock-cut shrine from the Pandya period, dedicated to Narasimha, the lion-headed man avatar of Vishnu. On another rock face are Jain reliefs and inscriptions. You can view the carvings from the foot of the hill, or hire a local guide to climb to the top. The hill lies about 10 km from the city center and pairs well with Alagar Kovil on the same day.
Opening hours
Daytime
Nearby sights
- Madurai Flower Market (Mattuthavani)
- Gandhi Memorial Museum
- Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam
- Goripalayam Dargah
- Pudhu Mandapam
- Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal
- St. Mary's Cathedral, Madurai
- Meenakshi Amman Temple