Amidst the multitude of devotees and tourists on the Masi Streets, little children dressed up in grand pattu pavadais and silk shirts do a little show of kolattam . Paravathy the temple elephant majestically walks ahead, leading the parade and groups of girls and boys dance, sing bhajans and make merry following the holy pachyderm. Madurai’s biggest carnival is underway where the denizens of the town revel in the joy of devotion and celebration. In the recent years, children have become an integral part of the Chithirai festival processions. Parents and teachers dress them up as Gods and Goddesses and parade them on the streets along with the main deities of the temple.
“It’s a way of sharing the joy of the festival. As citizens of Madurai, we feel happy to be part of the city’s main festival,” says Uma, a resident of North Masi Street, who dressed both her daughters as Goddess Meenakshi and Kamakshi. “Chithirai festival falls during the vacations and it is fun to be here with make up and fancy dresses. We spend all our evenings in the procession for the entire festival,” says Gowri, a Class VII student.
Apart from residents of the town area who take active part in the festival gathering, few kalai mandrams (art groups) consisting school children of all age groups, young performance artistes from nearby villages and teachers showcase their talents on the streets. Kathirvel, a Oyilattam performer from Kasampatti village near Melur sees the Chithirai procession as an opportunity to exhibit his skills. “I don’t get paid to dance here. Yet, I and few of my friends have been participating for the last two years as a service to God, for fun and also to create awareness among the public about the folk dance form,” says Kathirvel.
Maheswari, a home-maker living on West Masi Street says her 10-year-old son has become a regular participant in the parade since three years. “Every Chithirai, I make him walk in the procession. Last year, he was dressed as Lord Ganesha and this year, he chose to be Lord Muruga.” The children get their costumes and make up done from the drama troupes on Sunnambukara Street. “We hire the costume for 10 days. Nowadays there’s much demand and the costumes have to be booked a month before the festival,” says Maheswari. “Sometimes, parents sit and make crowns and ornaments out of golden papers and cardboards.”
Along with all the paraphernalia of the procession such as the colourful thombais , giant kodais (umbrellas) and hand fans made of peacock feathers that are carried, the children add grandeur to the festival. “This kind of participation in the Chithirai festival parade is new. The masquerade festival of Kulasekarapatnam in Tuticorin district is originally famous for such cultural parades. These days, people are more outgoing and inspired to do something creative,” observes Annam, a teacher at a corporation school on North Avani Moola Street.
Another ubiquitous part of the Chithirai festival celebrations are the karupanasami dancers. Adult men and young boys sport big fake moustaches, chunky anklets and dance like the folk deity Karupanasami, carrying a cardboard Aruval . “This is a venduthal (a wish) that we fulfil to appease the Gods,” says Manimaran. “We dance to pay our respects to the guardian deities. We also carry a donation box on our head and the money collected is used for annadanam in the temple.”
