MADURAI: As the Chithirai festival at the Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple is set to conclude on Tuesday, the temple car procession that is on its way to the Vaigai witnessed great pomp in Madurai on Monday. Several thousands thronged the Maasi streets on the eleventh day of the ongoing festival, while others gathered on rooftops to catch a glimpse of the divine spectacle.
Ever since the festival was kickstarted on April 12, Madurai city has donned the attire and aura of a bride. This metaphor further came alive with the coronation of deity Meenakshi and the celestial wedding of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar, on April 19 and 21 respectively.
With the most anticipated festival set to culminate at the Meenakshi temple with the Thirthavari on April 23, the deities Meenakshi, Sundareswarar, and Piriyavidai, adorned in gems and silk, were brought to the Keela Maasi street along with a procession. Other deities were carried in palanquins. Following a customary pooja at the Karuppasamy temple, the temple car travelled around the four Maasi streets.
In view of thousands turning up in the wee hours of Monday, security arrangements were in place. CCTV cameras and watch towers were set up along the procession path. The city corporation has also set up mobile toilets and water tanks along the road to aid the large number of devotees, who arrived to take part in the procession.
A birds-eye-view of the procession seemed like the temple car was floating amid a sea of people. Notably, the city corporation also deputed hundreds of sanitation workers, who were instructed to follow the procession and clean the streets as when the temple chariot proceeded.
Several organisations and people erected stalls alongside the Maasi streets and offered refreshments and food to devotees. Meanwhile, the Kallalagar procession arrived at the Tallakulam Perumal temple in Madurai on Monday. Rituals will be performed here before the procession enters Vaigai River on Tuesday morning. The procession deity will be carried on a golden horse ‘vahana’ on its way to the Vaigai, before being proceeded to the Vandiyur Perumal temple. The procession deity visited over 450 mandagapadis along the path.