Samanar Jain Hills, Keelakuyilkudi

A must visit place with breathtaking views .A relatively easy hike best enjoyed as a group . Steep rock faces ... caution if you are with kids .Start by 6am to avoid the harsh sun .A bottle of water , juice or a snack in a backpack will do .Pls don't litter the place .

I visited around 11 am , it was too hot , you have to climb like 5-70 steps. And in between you won’t find any steps, just the rock. A great place to see sunrise and sunset. Jain inscription in there at the top and a tree. For climbing up the rock gates are provided, so no difficulty in climbing up. Samanar Hills, also known as Samanar Malai or Amanarmalai or Melmalai, is a rocky stretch of hills located near Keelakuyilkudi village, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) west of Madurai city, Tamil Nadu, India. They stretch east–west over 3 kilometers towards Muthupatti village. These rocky hillocks are home to many Jain and Hindu monuments..The hill has been declared as a protected monument by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Historical Place And a very good tourist attraction.The Place sits atop a hill where the 9th century Jains lived.This is a great place to take your kids.The road to this place is accessible through nagamalai Pudukkottai.

There is ample parking space for cars.You enter the foothills crossing a temple with a great Lilly pond filled with fish.
Then it's a small trek with stairs carved on the rocky floor.

There are railings to help you get through the places where there are no rocky steps.On top of the hills is the rock carvings form the 9th century which is really good, amazing part of the history of Madurai which used to be multicultural even back in those days.

This place is filled with lush green trees on the foothills and it has an amazing view at the top which makes its a fantastic picknic destination where you can take your kids and family for a wonderful evening experience of both history and atmosphere.

Awesome place... you can relax and control your stress by seeing more fishes and turtles... we use to walk daily in hills... Best exercise.. you can freak out with family and friends....And feed fish with fish snack... Best place... and this place is very close to my heart... having more and more memories...

The view from the peak of the hills is beautiful. It would take 30 minutes for the common person to reach the peak from the bottom. Steps with trails are available to some extent. Carrying water and snacks would be recommended for all. Temple is located at the bottom. lake with lotus, and large fishes maintained. Watching a variety of fish from small to large would create scenic views and a pleasant feel for the viewers. Open Parking is available.

Really nice hike up the hill. It took us about 1.5 hours to fully explore but could be done in less. Don't miss the Jain Caves which are just behind the temple, worth a visit as well.
We were requested to remove our shoes by the temple at the entrance so we walked up the hill barefoot, not sure that it's always like that but bare that in mind.

Best place to spend time with family and to enjoy nature's creation. Best time to visit is evening, because u can get a clear view of the city in the evening. Can visit this place even at afternoon. Please don't miss the caves which are located at the side of the mountain. Many miss this spot as it's way is not obvious.

Place is outside the main city of madurai so travelling to this place is bit difficult through public transport. Car or bike is advisable. The pond near the temple was clean and there were many lotus. the visual was cool and awesome. there were around 50-60 steps to climb over the hill, after that just a hard slope. So bit hard to climb in slope without any support. The view from the top was lit and I could see the whole city of madurai and also surrounding towns. Not advisable to visit in sunny time.