Madurai Chithirai Festival India: One of the Longest Festivals of World
Chithirai festival is celebrated during the Tamil month of Chitirai. It is an annual celebration held in Madurai India during the month of April/May.
Chithirai is one of the longest festivals of the world. The first fifteen days of the festival is celebrated for Meenakshi. The next fifteen days is celebrated for Alagar, a form of Lord Mahavishnu.
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| Image courtesy: madurai360.in |
Historically it was two separate events. The first is Meenakshi festival that was celebrated in a different month and Alagar festival in different as two separate celebrations. During the rule of King Thirumalai Nayakar both the festivals were merged together as one single event to unite the peoples of two groups, Shaivism and Vaishnavite. Since then this is celebrated as one grand event during the Tamil month of Chitirai and this gives the celebration its popular name Chithirai Thiruvizha.
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| Image courtesy:madurai360.in |
The Chithirai festival is held in Meenakshi temple, Madurai Tamil Nadu India. The parade takes place in the streets around the temple known as the Masi streets.
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| Image courtesy:tamil.oneindia.com |
One of the biggest spectacles of the Chithirai festival is the procession.
| Image courtesy:tamil.samayam.com |
The festival is a great opportunity to experience local life in Madurai, and to see a traditional Hindu wedding ritual.
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