The celestial wedding of Goddess Meenakshi with Lord Sundareswarar being performed at Meenakshi temple in Madurai. | Photo Credit: MOORTHY G
Thousands of people on Sunday thronged the Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple in Madurai to witness the Thirukalyanam (celestial wedding of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar).
The wedding, which took place at Thirukalyana Mandapam on the 10th day of the annual Chithirai festival, started with the hoisting of the holy flag at the temple on April 12.
Devotees, who queued up on the streets near the temple even before sunrise, entered the temple from 5 a.m., and stayed inside till 9 a.m., till the wedding procession got over.
The Thirukalyana Mandapam, which was filled with devotees, reverberated with songs of Panniru Thirumurai, and chants of Vedic hymns. Lord Sundareswarar and Piriyavidai were brought to the decorated dais after a procession along the Chithirai streets. They were followed by the bride, Goddess Meenakshi, draped in a silk robe and decked up in gold.
Lord Subramaniaswamy, the presiding deity of Subramaniaswamy Temple at Tirupparankundram, and his consort Goddess Deivanai, as well as Lord Pavalakkanivai Perumal, were also present on the dais as ‘guests.’
Halasiyanatha Bhattar and Sendhil Bhattar performed the holy rituals and exchanged garlands on behalf of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar.
The thirumangalyam was placed on Goddess Meenakshi at 8:51 a.m. Rose water was sprinkled on the deities following which a Mahadeepa aradhanai, an offering of sacred fire, was performed.
During the event, many women in the huge gathering on the temple premises and outside the temple, replaced their thali with a new sacred thread as per custom.
The deities of Lord Sundareswarar and Goddess Meenakshi were kept at Old Thirukalyana Mandapam for the devotees to offer worship for some time.
Ministers P. Moorthy, P.K. Sekar Babu and Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Temple Fit Person S. Rukmini Palanivel Rajan and Corporation Commissioner S. Dinesh Kumar, among others, were present during the celestial wedding.
The car festival is scheduled to take place at 6. 30 a.m. on Monday.
Published - April 21, 2024 04:56 pm IST
