Green spots on copper and brass: what they are and what to do
Why copper plates and brass lamps turn green, whether it matters, and how to clean it off without harm.
Pooja shopping around the Meenakshi temple
Where to buy flowers, brass, kumkum and cloth on the streets near the temple, and when to go.
Many visitors to Madurai want to buy pooja things near the temple, and the streets around it can feel crowded at first. Here is how we suggest walking them, from our shop on North Chitrai Street.
Go early. Between 7 and 9 am the streets are calmer, the flower sellers have fresh stock and the light is soft. Evenings after 6 pm are busy with families and visitors returning from darshan. Avoid the hours around noon in summer, when the stone underfoot is very hot and many smaller stalls close.
The Chitrai streets, which run around the temple walls, hold most of the brass, copper and bell-metal shops. Take your time, lift the lamps, and ask for the weight; any good shop will weigh a piece for you. For jasmine, madurai malli is sold by the measure at stalls near the temple entrances; ask for it tightly strung if you are carrying it home on a journey. Kumkum, turmeric, sandal paste and camphor are sold loose and in packs on the Masi streets one ring further out.
The old Pudhu Mandapam opposite the east tower has long been known for tailors, bangles and small brass items, though some stalls have moved in recent years. Carry cash in small notes for flowers, and a cloth bag for brass. If you buy a heavy lamp from us, we can courier it home so you do not carry it on the train.
