Chithirai Festival Guide

Overview

• •Celebrated during the Tamil month of Chithirai (April–May), the festival transforms Madurai into a living epic.
• •The first half focuses on the celestial wedding of Goddess Meenakshi (Parvati) to Lord Sundareswarar (Shiva) at the Meenakshi Temple, culminating in the majestic procession of the divine couple on a golden chariot.
• •The second half shifts to Alagar Kovil, a Vishnu temple nestled in the Alagar hills, where Lord Kallazhagar (Vishnu) descends to Madurai as Meenakshi's brother to bless the wedding.
• •The festival showcases the city's ancient Pandya heritage, its Sangam-era literary traditions, and the deep cultural bond between Shaivism and Vaishnavism.