‘V araaru Varaaru…Azhagar varaaru… ’, the thunderous song gives you goosebumps each time you hear it. And when the song blares out of loudspeakers, almost in every street in the city, you know that Lord Kallazhagar is on the way. With breathtaking paraphernalia of people, he enters the city in style, much like a celebrated hero. For long, the vibrancy of the Chithirai Thiruvizha and the intriguing mythical story behind it has captured the imagination of filmmakers. The festival is an inseparable cultural symbol of the city and the sons of the soil can never ignore it. Undertones of the Chithirai festival and inspirations from its milieu have been featured in many films. “I see this as one humungous carnivalesque drama, where people dress-up in different colourful costumes, the veshadharis donning the dress of Azhagar and other demi gods and even commoners taking part enthusiastically. And the whole street becomes a stage for the enactment,” says V.M.S. Subagunarajan, Editor, Katchipizhai, a Tamil film journal. “The festival is unique in the way that the God becomes one among the people. Azhagar is seen as a mass hero and this has inspired many storylines.”
Starting from the 50’s and 60’s to the current age, vignettes of the Chithirai festival have been depicted in movies. To name a few: MGR-starrer Madurai Veeran (1956) in which there’s a reference to the festival, Bhagapirivinai (1959) where the typical festive mood has been captured in the song – Therodum EngaSeerana Maduraiyile , Thillana Mohanambal (1968) which shows the gathering of people along the Vaigai to witness Azhagar’s entry into the river and recent flicks such as Sivapathigaram (2006), the climax scene of which is entirely shot against the backdrop of the Azhagar festival, Thoonganagaram (2011), the title song of which showcases the festive spirit and Rajini Murugan (2016) that depicts snaps from the Chithirai Thiruvizha in its title card.
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Screen grab from the film Sivapathigaram
R. Murali, Former Principal of The Madura College, says that Chithirai festival is a cultural catharsis that breaks social hegemony and hierarchy in all spheres. “The festival cuts across the barriers of caste and creed. It echoes the modern concepts of liberation, democracy and a casteless plural society. It’s a grand narrative of a constructed mythology. The myth of Meenakshi and Azhagar comes from the people and not imposed by any sacred texts. The story is so intriguing that it has formed the foreground for films and sometimes has been juxtaposed against happenings in movie plots,” he says.
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Talking about the Meenakshi festival, Murali says, “During the week, Meenakshi is presented as the all-powerful woman. The festival has a pronounced feminist tone to it, which is symbolised by the coronation ceremony. It’s a matriarchal festival where the mangal sutra is seen as a mark of empowerment. Every woman nurtures a sense of identity with Meenakshi.” Coming to Azhagar, the climax of entire Chithirai extravaganza, he adds, “The festival of Kallazhagar is unique that it doesn’t happen inside a temple compound. Much of the action takes place in a public sphere in folkish style.”
For centuries to come, the distinctive joie de vivre of the Chithirai festival shall continue. It’s this camaraderie and celebration that boosts positivity in every Maduraiite once a year and keeps the city going with gusto. No doubt, the festival is a treasure trove of story ideas for artistes and filmmakers.
Films with undertones of Chithirai festival:
Bhagapirivinai – Therodum song
Vannakili – Chithadai Kattikittu song
Thillana Mohanambal – Title
Kallazhagar – movie based on Chithirai Thiruvizha and the legend of Kallazhagar
Sivapathigaram – Climax
Thoonganagaram – Title
Madurai Veeran – reference to the festival