Getting to Kanmani in Simmakkal: a practical guide

Our hospital is on Vakil New Street in Simmakkal, close to the Vaigai river and a short distance north of the Meenakshi temple. The streets around it are old and narrow, so a little planning makes the visit easier, especially for elderly patients.

By bus, the nearest stops are at Simmakkal, served by many town buses from Periyar bus stand and from the Mattuthavani side. It is a five-minute walk from the stop to our door. Share autos also run along this route. If you are coming from a nearby town, buses into Madurai stop at Mattuthavani or Arapalayam, and a town bus or auto from there takes 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic.

If you come by car, use our patient parking, which is free and has space for about twenty cars, entered from the lane behind the hospital. Two-wheeler parking is at the front. The streets near the temple are very crowded during festivals, especially during the Chithirai festival in April and May, when the Vaigai riverbank fills with crowds. Plan to arrive early on those days, or book a slot on another week.

If your eyes are being dilated, your escort will have one to two hours to spare. There is a waiting hall with drinking water and toilets on the ground floor. Simple meals and tiffin are available at small hotels within a few minutes’ walk. Patients themselves should not drive or ride a two-wheeler home after dilation; ask your escort to drive, or take an auto.