WATCH: Lord Kallazhagar's Entry Into River Vaigai As Part Of Chithirai Festivities In Madurai

The two-week-long Chithirai festival encompasses the celestial wedding of Goddess Meenakshi with Lord Sundareswarar.

Scores of devotees gathered near the Vaigai River to witness Lord Kallazhagar’s entry into the river ( Image Source :Twitter/@ANI )

Lord Kallazhagar entered River Vaigai as part of the Chithirai festival in Madurai on Friday. As part of the festivities that started on May 1, the fourth event, lord Kallazhagar’s entry into the river was held at 5.45 AM on Friday.

According to ANI, “#WATCH | An unprecedented crowd of devotees gathered near the Vaigai River to witness Lord Kallazhagar’s entry into the river as part of the Chithirai festival, in Madurai.”

#WATCH | An unprecedented crowd of devotees gathered near the Vaigai River to witness Lord Kallazhagar’s entry into the river as part of the Chithirai festival, in Madurai pic.twitter.com/PDwaA5vFqr

— ANI (@ANI) May 5, 2023

Chithirai festival is also known as Chithirai Thiruvizha, Meenakshi Kalyanam or Meenakshi Thirukalyanam. The two-week-long festival encompasses the celestial wedding of Goddess Meenakshi with Lord Sundareswarar.

The festivities start with Dwaja Arohanam in which Lord Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar are taken around the four Masi streets each day in different Vahanas.

On the eighth day of the festival, the coronation of Goddess Meenakshi takes place. On the occasion, during Nayak's time, Goddess Meenakshi seated in a six-pillared mandap would be crowned by the priests. 

The priests perform rituals and place a crown on her head and sceptre in her hand.

Currently, the head of temple trustees gets the sceptre from the Goddess during the Pattabhishekam day. 

On the tenth day of the festival, the celestial wedding ceremony of Goddess Meenakshi with Lord Sundareswarar is performed in the temple.

During the auspicious time of this wedding, it is customary for the women devotees of Madurai to change their Mangal Sutra (wedding necklace) with a new one.

Every year, lakhs of people throng Madurai from across the state to get the darshan of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar.