Nagamalai ("naga"=snake, "malai"=hill) is a suburb of Madurai situated about 10 km west of Madurai City, Tamil Nadu, India, along the Madurai-Theni highway.
Madurai is surrounded by eight hillocks that once served to guard the city against invading forces. Of these hills, three small but prominent hills (Yanaimalai, Pasumalai, and Nagamalai — Elephant, Cow, and Snake Hill respectively) have several interesting legends associated with them.
Samanar Hills, which is opposite Nagamalai, is of historical importance. Samanars (Tamil Jain) were said to have stayed on the hill, fearing persecution from the then rulers of Madurai. Many stone statues and other artifacts are present in Nagamalai.
Nagamalai is also known for its snake biodiversity, and a government proposal is in the works for creating an ecotourism snake park in the area.[1]
The top of the hill consists of naturally formed rocks that resemble the form of a crocodile. Even though there is no water source at the top of the hill, it has a permanent flow of water on one side at Puluthu, which is herbal water that can be directly drunk.
Nagamalai is a notable educational hub in the outskirts of the Madurai city. The Madurai Kamaraj University is located in close proximity to Nagamalai. It accommodates a number of other educational institutions such as: