Chithirai Festival is one of the famous festivals in
Madurai. Meenaskhi Kalyanam, the wedding festival of
Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareshwara is celebrated for twelve days from the second day of the lunar month (April – May). Tradition is that
Lord Vishnu as Azhagar rode on a golden horse to Madurai to attend the celestial wedding of Goddess Meenakshi (
Parvati) with Lord Sundareswarar (
Lord Shiva).
The procession passes through the streets on this occasion with royal decorated umbrellas, fans,traditional instrumental music and carrying the idols of the couple. In the vicinity of the temple, offerings of coconuts, flowers, camphor and agarbathis are made by devotees. Another ritual is the deity of the Kallalagar (Azhagar) being dipped in the river.
