The bathing ghats, which provided beauty and character to the Vaigai, will become a thing of the past unless urgent action is taken

Obula Padithurai, Anumarkoil Padithurai, Tirumalairayar Padithurai, Pechiamman Padithurai ... these places along the Vaigai have a familiar ring to long-time residents of Madurai. These are the age-old bathing ghats, which are fast vanishing. 

Not many years ago, padithurais were viewed as places for public gathering during festivals. Besides meeting the utilitarian needs like bathing and washing, they served as symbols of culture. But over the years, under the guise of development, the city has lost these places which gave a character to the riverfront.

An archeologist says padithurais were significant to the Vaigai from since the Sangam period. Tirumarudha Munthirai, an ancient padithurai on the Vaigai banks, which has since been lost, found a place in Sangam literature. They protected the city from floods. Padithurais that continue to exist in Madurai may have got their names in the Nayak period, he says. “The beauty of a river lies in its padithurais. The ghats were, of course, used as crossing points and areas of entry and exit. They are deeply steeped in the cultural history of Madurai and hence need the immediate attention of authorities,” he says.

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