Madurai: The wedding of Queen Meenakshi and Sundareswarar of Madurai, the main event of the Chithirai festival, is taking place this morning. The election takes place tomorrow. Millions of people will flock to see the festival as it takes place 2 years later. In turn heavy security arrangements have been made.
The Chithrai Festival at the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai started with the flag hoisting on the 5th. Following this, in the mornings and evenings, the goddess came to the streets in vehicles including Karbhaka Virutsam, lion, golden sap, goblin, swan, Kailasa mountain, Kamadenu, golden tooth, golden horse, golden bear, Nandikesuvar, yali, silver throne and blessed the devotees.
Meenakshi is believed to have ruled Madurai for 4 months from Chithirai to Avani and Sundareswarar for 8 months from Avani to Chithirai. On that occasion, the coronation ceremony of Meenakshi as the Queen of Madurai was held on the night of the 12th. The day after the consecration, Meenakshi Goddess’s Dikku Vijaya Leela was held last night. Lala Sri Renga Chatram at the junction of North Masi Veedi and Lower Masi Veedi held a triumphant leela against the Amman Ashta Dikkupalas at the Thirukkan Mandapam.
After this, one of the main events of the Chithrai festival, the Meenakshi-Sundareswarar wedding will be held on the morning of the 14th. The Tirukkalyana stage for the event has been decorated with multi-colored flowers at a cost of Rs 25 lakh. At 4 am, Meenakshi and Sundareswarar ascend the Silver Throne in the four Chittirai rules, swing in the Muthuramayyar Mandapam and then wake up in the Tirukkalyana Mandapam in the temple. Thiruparankundram Subramania Swamy and Pavalakkanivai Perumal will wake up at 6 in the morning for the Tirukkalyana Mandapam. Following that, the Tirukkalyanam will be held at Miduna Lakhanam from 10:35 am to 10:59 am. At around 7 pm, the Goddess and Swami will wake up in an elephant vehicle with a golden ambar and walk around the four Masi streets. Bhavani, who is floating in Bhopal, gathers in the streets early in the evening to see her father. First the elephant and the camel will come to Bhavani one by one, after Ganesha and Murugan the couple Samedarai Meenakshi and Sokkanathar will rise in Bhopal.
Earlier, Lord Murugan left Thiruparankundram with Lord Deivana last evening to attend his parents’ wedding. Pavalakkanivai Perumal Meenakshi went with him to pay homage to the goddess Sokkanath. In Madurai, Lord Murugan will visit the main streets of Avani till the 17th and bless the devotees. On the evening of the 17th, Lord Murugan left Madurai for Thiruparankundram at Bhopal.
Tickets for Rs. 500 and Rs. 200 have already been sold for devotees to watch the wedding. The temple administration has said that offerings will be made to all the devotees who come to witness the wedding. Arrangements have been made at various places in Madurai to host a Tirukkalyana feast for millions of devotees. For the convenience of the devotees, the wedding ceremony will be telecast live on wide screens at various places. Meenakshi, Sundareswarar Tirukkalyana event is also telecast live on the website so that you can watch it live from home. It will be followed by an election on the 15th tomorrow. People from Madurai and surrounding villages would have gathered in the attic streets to see the couple riding in a chariot as a couple in the Amman Thiruther.
Similarly, the Chithrai festival started on the 12th at the Algarh temple. Today, from Alhagar Hill to Kallar Thirukkolam, Kandangi leaves for Madurai in a sari, wearing a sari. Opposite service will be held at Tallakulam tomorrow night on the 15th. Devotees who come to Madurai will be greeted by a lamp in a sugar bowl. On Saturday the 16th, Kallazhagar wakes up in the Vaigai River to bless. Millions of devotees will perform the prayer by pouring water on the Algarve.
The main event of the festival will be on the 17th at the Vandiyoor Thenur Mandapam. Getting up in the Karuda vehicle, the handsome Manduka gives Motsam to Maharishi. That night, he will perform at the Dasavatara Kolam in the Ramarayar Mandapam. On Monday the 18th he will return to the Alhagar temple at Pushpa Ballak in Kallazhagar Tirukolam on the night of Mohanavatharam. On the 19th, Kallazhagar goes to Alhagar hill.