Madurai is referred to with names like Koodal Maanagar, Thoongaa Nagar (Sleepless City), Malligai Maanagar (City of Jasmine) and Athens of the East. It is a city in the Indian stateof Tamil Nadu and is a municipal corporation situated on the banks of the River Vaigai inMadurai district.The corporation has received several National awards in the year 2008 for implementing development works. The city is also referred to as the Temple city. With a city population of 1,108,755 according to the 2004 estimation, it is the administrative capital of Madurai district.

Madurai was the capital city of ancient Southern civilization. Madurai's cultural heritage goes back 2,500 years, and the city has been an important commercial center and has conducted trade as far as Rome and Greece since as early as 550 B.C.E.