Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple’s Chithirai Festival will commence on April 12, as announced by the temple administration today. The festival, spanning from April 12 to April 23, is set to kick off with a solemn flag hoisting ceremony at Mithuna Laganam at 9:55 am.
Key events during the festival include Pattabhishekam on April 19, Meenakshi Amman Dik Vijayam on April 20, and the majestic Meenakshi-Sundareswarar celestial wedding (Thirukalyanam) on April 21. The highly anticipated chariot festival will take place on April 22, followed by Lord Kalaalagar’s grand entry into Vaigai on April 23, according to administration sources.
This cultural extravaganza attracts around one million visitors, including tourists, to witness the vibrant festivities at Madurai, home to South Tamil Nadu’s largest temple. The concluding days of the festival will be celebrated at Kallazhagar temple, nestled in the Alagar Hills in Madurai, where Lord Kallazhagar, believed to be Goddess Meenakshi’s brother and an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is revered.
The Chithirai Festival, also known as Meenakshi Kalyanam, is an annual Tamil Hindu tradition held at the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, honoring the divine union of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar. The first fortnight symbolizes Meenakshi’s coronation as Madurai’s divine ruler and her nuptials with Sundareshvara. The subsequent fortnight witnesses Kallalagar’s procession from his sanctuary to the Meenakshi Amman Temple, marking the conclusion of the festivities.
