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A firecracker festival took place at the Govindan temple in Rameswaram on the occasion of the Chithirai festival last night.
Visuals from the procession showed devotees chanting "Govinda Govinda" as they carried firecrackers through the streets. Devotees, costumed as Lord Govindan, joined a procession. On Monday, the month-long Chithirai festival, Lord Kallazhagar made a grand entry into the Vaigai river here. This is a key highlight of the festival, which began with flag hoisting at the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple on April 29. Every year on Chitra Pournami, the festival of Lord Kallazhagar entering the Vaigai River is celebrated as a symbolic act to absolve the curse of Sage Manduka. As part of this tradition, Lord Sundararaja Perumal dons the form of Kallazhagar and enters the Vaigai River. Adorned in the "Kandangi" silk attire, Kallazhagar's journey progressed through various mandapams (ceremonial halls), including the one near the Karuppanasamy temple at the 18 Steps (Pathinettampadi). Upon entering Madurai city at dawn, a grand welcoming ceremony took place at the "Moondru Mavadi" location. Following this, the deity graced several areas, including Pudur, Aathikulam, Chokkikulam, and Thallakulam, bestowing blessings on devotees gathered in the decorated mandapams. Thousands of devotees lining the streets welcomed him with sugar lamps. This year's Kallazhagar Chithirai festival began on the 8th of the month. As part of the third-day event, Sundararaja Perumal, in the form of Kallazhagar, departed from the Alagar Temple near the foothills of Alagar Malai in a golden palanquin towards Madurai. The Chithirai Festival, also known as the Meenakshi Kalyanam or Meenakshi Thirukalyanam, is an annual Tamil Hindu celebration that takes place at the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, during April. The festival celebrates the union of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar, and the first 15 days mark the coronation of Meenakshi as the divine ruler of Madurai and her marriage to Sundareshvara. The next 15 days mark the journey of Kallalagar (a form of the god Vishnu) from his temple to Meenakshi Amman Temple. (ANI)
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