Mandapam (Heritage Madurai)

Mandapam is part of the Heritage Madurai property on Melakkal Main Road. We are at number 11 in Kochadai, right across from the new passport office. The area is a bit away from the main temple crowds, which gives us some breathing room. The building is old and has a lot of stone and wood. It’s a big space with high ceilings. We spend a lot of time keeping the dust off the carvings and the furniture. In Madurai, the heat can be something else, so the thick walls help keep things a little cooler for the people inside. We serve meals here throughout the day. The kitchen staff works hard on the local recipes. We don't use a lot of modern gadgets; it’s mostly traditional cooking. You can see the trees outside through the big windows. Sometimes we have events here, like small gatherings or dinners. It takes a lot of effort to maintain an old place like this. The roof needs checking after every big rain to make sure no water is getting in. Our workers are mostly local people who know the history of the land. We don't have any flashy signs or bright lights. It's just a quiet spot in Kochadai where you can get a meal. We open the doors early and stay until the last person is finished. It’s a lot of walking back and forth on the stone floors, but that’s the job we do.