Chithirai Festival or Chithirai Thiruvizha is an annual celebration celebrated in the city ofMadurai during the month of April. It is celebrated during the Tamil month of Chithirai. It lasts for one month of which the first 15 days mark the celebrations of the coronation of Goddess Meenakshi and the Marriage of Lord Sundareswara and Goddess Meenakshi, and the next 15 days mark the celebrations of the Journey of Lord Alagar from Kallazhagar temple in Alagar Koyil to Madurai.
History
Historically, they were separate events. They were Meenakshi festival and Alagar festival celebrated on different months as two separate celebrations. As per the legend, Meenakshi was the daughter of Pandya king Malayadhwaja Pandian and queen Kanchana Malai. The royal couple didn't have a child for a long time. So, Malayadhwaja Pandian performed special poojas and offered his prayers to God. During the pooja, a small girl came out of the fire and sat on the lap of the king. At that time a divine voice from the sky told them that this child was an incarnation of Shakti and Lord Shiva himself would come to marry her at the right age. Meenakshi was trained in warfare and she was crowned as the Queen of Pandya kingdom after her father. She conquered the whole world with her extraordinary war skill and at last she went to Kailasham to conquer it. When Meenakshi confronted Lord Shiva in the battlefield, she fell in love with him and realized that she is an avatar of Shakti. Lord Shiva assured Meenakshi that he will come to Madurai to marry her. As promised Lord Shiva along with all the Devas and rishi's came to Madurai. Lord Shiva married Meenakshi and ruled the Pandya kingdom under the name Sundara Pandyan. This is a Separate celebration that was celebrated by Saivaites. The below is the story of Alagar festival that is celebrated by Vaishnavites. Once, Mandooka rishi was taking bath in the holy waters of Aagaayagangai in Alagar hills. At that time, the most powerful and short tempered Durvasar Maharishi came by the way. Mandooka rishi hadn't noticed his arrival, But Durvasa took this as an insult. So he cursed Mandooka to become a frog and live in the river Vaigai. Mandooka was worried by the curse and pleaded for mercy. Durvasa told him to go to Vaigai and pray to Lord Alagar to get out of his curse and get back his human body. As advised by Durvasa he went to river Vaigai and lived in the river as a frog and pray lord Alagar. Alagar was pleased by the prayers of Mandooka rishi and he himself went to river Vaigai to lift the curse off Mandooka rishi. And, as per Mandooka's wish he showed him all his ten avatars and blessed him. During the rule of King Thirumalai Nayakar, both the festivals were merged as one single event to unite the people of the two groups. Since then they are celebrated as one grand event during the Tamil month of Chithirai and this gives the celebration its famous name Chithirai Festival.
Legend
People in and around Madurai tell this story as the history of Chithirai Thiruvizha. The wedding of Meenakshi with Sundaraswarar was to happen in Madurai. Alagar, the brother of Meenakshi, was invited. He started on a 20 km journey from his abode at Alagar Hills towards Madurai. Alagar decided to travel disguised as a robber, to protect himself and his belongings. At times, he had to hide, to avoid getting arrested by soldiers. This and the dense forest of Alagar Hills delayed his journey further. When he was crossing Vaigai river, he learned that his sister's wedding was over. This made him furious. To pacify, Meenakshi and Lord Shiva came to Vaigai river. He chose to give all the gifts that he carried, to Meenakshi and Sundaraswarar in a Mandapam in the middle of Vaigai river, and returned to Alagar Hill without entering Madurai.
List of events
The following are the list of events in Chithirai festival.
Kodi Yetram
During this event the chief priest of Meenakshi temple will hoist the holy flag on the Dwajasthambam of the temple. This event declares the long event open. The flag will stay on the flag post until the end of the festival..
Pattabisekam
Pattabisekam is coronation ceremony. Meenakshi is crowned as the queen of Madurai on this day and she will rule the Pandya Kingdom for the next four months and after that her husband Lord Sunderaswarar will be crowned as the king of Madurai for the next eight months.
Dikvijayam
After Goddess Meenakshi is crowned as the queen of Pandya kingdom she went into war with all the countries in the world and conquered the whole world and she went to Kailasham to conquer it. But, on seeing lord shiva on the battlefield she fell in love with him and married him.
Meenakshi kalyanam
Meenakshi kalyanam is the wedding celebration of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord shiva as Sundereswara in Madurai. On the day of Meenakshi Thirukalyanam, devotees get up at sunrise and reach the Meenakshi Madurai temple. After taking a holy dip in the Golden Lotus pond, they wear clean clothes. Goddess Meenakshi is first worshipped by the traditional methods, following which prayers are offered to ‘Viboothi Vinayakar’. On this day devotees sing devotional songs and bhajans. It is also considered auspicious to wear the holy ash, known as ‘Uthiraksham’ while entering the temple premises. Devotees also carry fruits, coconuts and incense sticks to offer to their lords. Inside the temple the idols of the Gods and Goddesses are decorated with beautiful silk clothes and floral garlands. Not only is this, on the day of Meenakshi Thirukalyanam the entire temple decorated as a bride. There are nearly 50 priests in the Meenakshi Madurai temple who perform the puja rituals and special prayers. The main priests in the temple perform the ritualistic wedding ceremonies. At the completion of the event, magnificent idols of Lord Sundareswarar and Goddess Meenakshi Amman are taken out in huge processions on the streets in the ‘Pushpa Pallakku’ and ‘Yaanai Vahanam’. Significance of Meenakshi Thirukalyanam: Meenakshi Thirukalyanam is a part of the renowned ‘Chithirai Thiruvizha’ celebrations. This festival is observed during the month of ‘Chitirai’ in the Tamil calendar. Chithirai Thiruvizha is an annual event celebrated with great pomp and show in Madurai in the month of April, as per the Gregorian calendar. It is known to be the world’s longest celebrations that last for a period of one month. Of this, the first 15 days are dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi and the remaining 15 days is celebrated for Alagar, who is known to be a form of Mahavishnu. Alagar is the elder brother of Meenakshi and he visited Madurai to attend the marriage ceremony of Lord Shiva and Meenakshi.
Chariot Festival
Chariot festival or Ther Tiruvizha or Rathotsavam is performed the day after Meenakshi kalyanam. The King and Queen of Pandya Kingdom Lord Sunderaswara and Meenakshi come to see their subjects in a well decorated chariot. It attracts many people in the Masi streets of Madurai as viewers.
Ethir Seva
Part of the Chithirai Thiruvizha of Lord Kallazhagar temple at Alagar Koyil, the ‘Ethir Seva' began on the fourth day of the festival. On this day, Alagar change his appearance as Kallar when he travels via Kallar Nadu and enters Madurai city and the people of the city welcome him.
Alagar Vaigai Elenthuarulal
After the holy marriage of Meenakshi, her brother tries to come to the marriage. Lord Alagar comes from Alagarkoil to Madurai slowly and by making couple of stops on the way. It is considered that when reaching the Vaigai river bank, he hears that marriage is over, so he gets angry and returns to Alagarkoil after giving the gifts to Meenakshi and sundereswarar and this event happens in a mandapam in the middle of river Vaigai.
