Nagamalai


Nagamalai is a suburb of Madurai situated about 10 km west of Madurai City, Tamil Nadu, India, along the Madurai-Theni highway.

Environment

Hills

Madurai is surrounded by eight hillocks that once served to guard the city from invading forces. Of these hills, three small but prominent hills have several interesting legends associated with them.
Samanar Hills, which is opposite to Nagamalai, is of historical importance. Samanars were said to have stayed on the hill, fearing persecution from the then rulers of Madurai. Many stone statues and other artifacts are present in Nagamalai.

Biodiversity

Nagamalai is also known for its snake biodiversity, and a government proposal is in the works for creating an ecotourism snake park in the area.

Water

The top of the hill consists of naturally formed rocks which resemble the form of a crocodile. Even though there is no water source at the top of the hill, it has an permanent flow of water on one side at Puluthu, which is a herbal water which can be directly drunk.

Education

Nagamalai is a notable educational hub in the outskirts of the Madurai city. The Madurai Kamaraj University is located in close proximity to Nagamalai. It accommodates a number of other educational institutions such as: