Madurai Veeran

Madurai Veeran (lit=Warrior of Madurai, also known as Veeran) is a Tamil folk deity popular in southern Tamil Nadu, India. His name was derived as a result of his association with the city of Madurai as a protector of the city.

Madurai Veeran
Protection and Justice
Statue of Madurai Veeran at the Sri Maha Muneeswarar Temple, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur
Affiliation	Born to one of army man origin
Weapon	Sword / Aruvaal
Mount	White Horse
Region	Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, the Caribbean, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Srilanka
Consort	Bommi and Vellaiyammal

Madurai veeran is worshiped as a guardian deity by the Tamils. The folklore is that the town of Madurai was troubled by bandits and the Pandyan king ordered Veeran to resist. Veeran then met Vellaiyammal, a royal danseuse, who was attracted to him because of his looks and skill in various arts. She asked him to teach her the Natya Shastra (tenets of dancing).

The Pandyan king, who was himself attracted to Vellaiyammal, did not appreciate this development and viewed this as an affair. Some of his generals, who hated the closeness of Veeran to the king, used the opportunity to inform the king that the delay in suppressing the robbers was deliberate as Veeran was conniving with the robbers themselves. Furious, the king ordered a traitor's death for Veeran, who was taken to the gallows and had his limbs chopped off. Hearing of this, Bommi and Vellaiyammal attend the gallows to see the severed limbs and chastise the king for his injustice.

The legend says that Veeran is brought back to life by the virtues of both these women and is vindicated by the presence of gods. Veeran, thereafter retires to a cave beneath what is now Meenakshiamman Temple.

A shrine was later erected at the east gate of Meenakshiamman Temple by the Pandyan king. The story persists through the singing of songs and street theatre.