On Sunday, after entering the city in the golden palanquin of Lord Kallajagar, the Chithirai festival is being celebrated in the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. Lord Kallajagar, Kandangi, wearing silk clothes, reached Madurai to provide salvation to the sage Manduk. On the evening of Saturday, the deity took place on his grand annual journey from Algar Hills to Madurai.
This grand procession is taken out in the Meenakshi temple after the divine marriage of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareshwar, which is a main program of the festival. The journey of the deity from the Alaggar hills to the Vaigai River symbolizes his divine role in blessing this union. The Chithirai festival began on 8 May earlier this month. In anticipation of the event, more than 400 ‘Mandakpadi’ on the route – temporary canopies have been created for hosting the deity.
Many of these vibrantly equipped structures are now close to completion, as the local communities are preparing to welcome the Lord. The Chithirai festival is one of the most important religious and cultural festivals in Tamil Nadu, which attracts millions of pilgrims every year to see this unique tradition that mixes devotion, grandeur and community.
