Chithirai Thiruvizha, Madurai
சித்திரைத் திருவிழா
8 Apr – 24 Apr 2027
பங்குனி 25 8 AprMeenakshi Amman Temple and the Vaigai river, Madurai
Madurai's great Chithirai festival: the celestial wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar, the temple car, and Kallazhagar entering the Vaigai.
Expected: Kallazhagar enters the Vaigai on Chitra Pournami (Apr 20, 2027); window estimated from the 2026 pattern. The temple publishes the schedule around March.
Chithirai Thiruvizha is Madurai's largest festival, held in the Tamil month of Chithirai (April–May). It joins two temple traditions.
At the Meenakshi Amman Temple, the festival opens with a flag hoisting and twelve days of processions of the deities on different vahanams around the Masi streets. Meenakshi is crowned (pattabhishekam), sets out on her conquest of the directions (dikvijayam), and on the tenth day her wedding to Sundareswarar, the Thirukalyanam, is performed in the temple; many married women renew their thali on that day. The next day the large temple cars are pulled around the Masi streets by thousands of people.
Then Kallazhagar (Vishnu, the brother of Meenakshi in the legend) travels from the Alagar Kovil hills, about 20 km away, and is welcomed into the city (ethir sevai). On Chitra Pournami, seated on a golden horse, he enters the Vaigai river while devotees spray water from leather bags; the colour of the silk he wears is read as a sign for the coming year. He later returns to Alagar Kovil.
The festival brings rural pilgrims, night markets and street food to Madurai for two weeks.
Good to know
- Mobile phones and cameras are not allowed inside the Meenakshi Amman Temple; deposit them at the counters outside.
- Dress modestly and remove footwear; non-Hindus are not admitted to the sanctums.
- Thirukalyanam viewing inside the temple needs tickets or passes released by the temple a few days ahead; otherwise watch the screens on the Masi streets.
- The Vaigai event begins around dawn and draws lakhs of people: stand on the raised banks, keep children close and follow police barricades.
- Book rooms well ahead; Madurai hotels fill for the main days. Carry water: April and May are very hot.
