A video is being shared on social media claiming it as the visuals of the Madurai Meenakshi idol decorated in golden attire. This post claims that golden attire will be offered to the Madurai Meenakshi idol once a year in the Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Temple in Madurai. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals of the Madurai Meenakshi idol when decorated with golden attire.
Fact: The video shared in the post shows Madurai Meenakshi idol displayed at Chemmanur International Jewellers showroom in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. This idol was carved using 210 kg of gold and silver. This video does not show the Meenakshi idol inside the Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Temple in Madurai. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On reverse image searching the screenshots in the video, a similar picture of a golden idol was found on the Getty Images website. The description of the photo states, “Idol of Goddess Madurai Meenakshi Amman made from 210kg of pure gold and silver displayed at a jewelry shop near the historic Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple (Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Temple) located in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India”.
When we searched for further sources using these keywords, we found similar visuals of a golden Meenakshi idol in a video published by the Chemmanur International Jewellers Madurai on their Facebook page. Describing it as a video for customers, Chemmanur International Jewellers in the description stated, “Blessing of Goddess Meenakshi Amman is Here. Idol carved using 210 Kg Gold & Silver Blessed in Madurai Meenakshi Amman Kovil”. A text description below the Meenakshi idol displayed outside the Chemmanur International Jewellers showroom states, “The Goddess Madurai Menakshi Amman is here. This idol carved using 210 kg of gold and silver Blessed in Madurai Meenakshi Amman Kovil”.
A few pictures of this golden Madurai Meenakshi idol displayed outside the Chemmanur International Jewellers Madurai can be seen here, here and here. During the festivals, Tirukalyanam and other ceremonies, goddess Meenakshi will be decorated with Gold ornaments. But the photo shared in the post does not show the actual Meenakshi idol inside the Madurai Meenakshi Temple.
To sum it up, a video showing a golden idol of goddess Meenakshi displayed at Chemmanur International Jewellers is shared as from Madurai Meenakshi Temple.
