Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple Festivals
Festivals are celebrated in this temple throughout the year. Some of the most popular festivals of the temple are Chitra festival, Avanimoola festival, Masi Mandala festival, Float festival, and Navarathri cultural festival.
Month of Thai (January):
The float festival would be conducted for 12 days during the month. Swamy and Amman would be taken out in procession along the Chitra streets. On the 8th day the casting of net festival would be held while theertham festival and the pushing of the float would be held on the 10th day. On the 11th day harvest of sheaves and on the 12th day the float festival would be conduct.
Month of Maasi (February):
The Maasi Mandala festival would be conducted for a mandalam (48 days). Six days of the festival is devoted to Arulmighu Vinayaka and six days for Arulmighu Kumar and three days for the triumvirate and six days for Chandrasekarar. The deities would be taken out in procession along the second corridor of Swamy Sannidhi. Panchamoorthy festival would be celebrated for ten days, when they will be taken out in procession along the Chitra streets. Theertham would be held on the day of Maham. Silent festival would be conducted for nine days of which three days would be for Chandrasekarar and an equal number of days for Swamy and Chandikeswarar. On the 10th day, the flag would be lowered and accounts read.
Month of Panguni (March):
The summer spring festival would be hosted for nine days at the Velliaymbala mandapam. Swamy and Amman would be taken in procession along Chitra streets. On the day of Panguni Uthiram, Swamy and Amman would proceed to Arulmighu Thiruvappudayar temple and bless those who excel in their religious belief by sprinkling `rasa vadham’.
Month of Chitrai (April):
Chithirai Festival is celebrated on the Full Moon Day of the Tamil month of Chithirai i.e. in the month of April/May. The festival marks the wedding of Goddess Meenakshi to Lord Sundareswarer. A procession of a gold idol of Lord Azaghar, seated on a horse, is carried out by the devotees from Azaghar Koil to Madurai. This is done to take the Lord to Madurai for attending the wedding rituals. The festival stretches on for about 10 days and the participation of the devotees is unmatched.
Month of Vaikasi (May):
The spring festival is hosted for ten days during this month. On the 10th day milk mango offerings would be offered to the deities. The Lord and Goddess would proceed to the New Mandapam stay there and be taken out in process. On the day of Moola star, the procession of 63 Saints would be conducted in the morning and at night Thirugnanasambandar would be taken out in procession.
Month of Aani (June):
Oonjal festival would be conducted for ten days during this month. On the `10th day, the triple fruit pooja would be performed. Abhishekam would be performed for Sivakami Amman and Arulmighu Nadarajar on the day of Uthiram. The Panchasabha Nadaraja Moorthy would be taken out in procession along the fur Masi streets.
Month of Aadi (July):
The Aadi Mulaikottu festival is famous for 10 days during this month. The festival would be confined to only to the Amman, who will be taken out in procession along Aadi streets. Spcial recitals of Nadaswaram would be the highlight of this festival.
Month of Aavani (August):
Madurai Meenakshi Amman
The Aavani festival would be conducted for 18 days. Six days of the festival would be devoted to Arulmighu Chandrasekarar and the balance 12 days would be for the Panchamoorthies. On the 7th day of the festival, coronation would be performed for Sundareswarar and on the 8th day the horse reins would be exchanged. On the 9th day the episode of Lord Sivaperuman carrying soil for earning pittu would be enacted while the theertham on the occasion of the joining of Avittam and Pooranai would be celebrated. On the same night, Arulmighu Thirupparankundram Subramaniyar and Thiruvadhavur Arulmighu Manickavasaka Peruman would bid farewel. During the festival of Chandrasekarar, procession would be taken out along the second corridor of Swami Shrine. The Panchamoorthies would be taken around in processiion along Aavani Moola streets. During these days the ten miracles performed by the Lord of Madurai would be enacted by the Sivachariars.
Month of Purattasi (September):
The Navarathri festival would be celebrated for Amman in a grand manner during this month. Amman would appear in a separate dress and look every day and bless the devotees at the `kolu mandapam’ in Amman Sannidhi. Kalpa pooja and Lakshacharna would be performed everyday for the Amman at the sanctum. On the 10th day the washing of hair ceremony would be performed. On that Panchamoorthies would be taken out in parade within the temple premises. On all ten days of the festival cultural festivals would be hosted in a grand manner. The entire temple complex would be bathed in color lamps and the dolls would be arranged in a manner to find a niche in the hearts of the devotees.
Month of Aipasi (October):
Kolattam festival would be conducted for six days during this month. For five days Amman would be taken out in procession along the Aadi streets while on the sixth day both Amman and Swamy would be taken out in procession. Women would dance striking short sticks jointly. It is during this month, that Pavithrotsavam would take place. Chandrasekarar would be taken in procession along the second corridor of Swamy Sannidhi.
Kanda Sashti fesival would be celebrated for six days at the Koodal Kumarar Sannidhi. Soorasamharam is not performed here. On the seventh day when Arulmighu Muthukumarar goes out in procession, `Pavadai Dharshan’ would be conducted.
On the day of Deepavali festival, a durbar would be held for the employees of the temple. On the days of Pooram in this month, the ceremony of hoisting and swinging Meenakshi Amman would be performed.
Month of Karthigai (November):
Deepam (lights) festival would be conducted for ten days during this month. Swamy would be taken out in procession along the Aadi streets. On the day of Karthigai one lakh lamps would be lit in the temple. On that day a bonfire would be lit in East Masi Street,
Month of Marhazhi (December):
Oil anointing ceremony would be conducted for nine days in this month at the New Mandapam. Arulmighu Meenakshi Amman would be taken out in procession along the Chitra streets. On the day of Thiruvadhirai, Arudhra Dharshan will take place. Pancha Sabha Nataraja Moorthigal would be taken in procession along the Masi streets.On the day of Ashtami the Lord and Goddess would ride the oxen vehicle and go round Kottai streets. Thiruvembavai festival would be conducted for ten days. Every day, Arulmighu Manickavasagar would be taken out in procession along Aadi streets in the mornings. On the 10th rotating wheel and golden spring ceremony would be conducted. In the mornings Thiruvembavai and Thirupalli Yezhutchi lyrics would be recite and there will be religious discourse by spiritual leaders. Competition would be conducted for school and college studens and prizes presented.
