Meenakshi Thirukalyanam: The Meenakshi Thirukalyanam festival commemorates the divine marriage of Meenakshi Amman and Lord Shiva. This celebration is one of the largest events conducted in Madurai, the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu. According to legend, Lord Shiva once travelled to Madurai to tie the nuptial knots with Meenakshi, and this tradition has persisted ever since. This annual event takes place at the renowned “Meenakshi Amman Temple” in Madurai, and devotees from all over the globe travel there to witness it.
On the tenth day of the celebrated Chithirai festival, Meenakshi Thirukalyanam is conducted. Thousands of devotees from Madurai and surrounding areas visit the Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple on this auspicious day to witness the celestial wedding of Lord Sundareswarar (Lord Shiva) and Goddess Meenakshi (Goddess Parvati). The temples are packed with devotees seeking divine blessings from their rulers.
Meenakshi Thirukalyanam 2023 Date & Time
Meenakshi Thirukalyanam 2023 is on May 01 Monday. The Uthiradam Nakshatram Begins at 5:51 PM on May 1, 2023 and Ends at 7:41 PM
History
According to mythology, Lord Parvathi was born as Meenakshi to Malayadhwaja Pandian. Meenakshi would be married by Lord Shiva, who would visit her when the time was perfect, according to a divine voice. Soon after becoming queen of Madurai, Meenakshi began to conquer neighbouring regions. She finally reached Kailasham, where she met Lord Shiva as her opponent on the battlefield. Lord Shiva promised that he would visit Madurai to marry Meenakshi after she fell in love with him. On a day of good fortune, Lord Shiva travelled to Madurai and wed Meenakshi. This is the history of the Chithirai festival’s first portion, Meenakshi Thirukalyanam.
Lord Vishnu, who is considered Lord Shakti’s brother, desired to observe the wedding. He assumed the guise of a thief and travelled through the Alagar forest hills. On the journey, he encountered a delay when he removed Mandooka rishi’s curse. Consequently, he missed the wedding. He was traversing the river in order to reach Madurai when he learned of the wedding.
Indignant, he remained on the riverbanks. Meenakshi and Lord Shiva paid him a visit on the banks. Lord Vishnu bestowed his benediction and then returned without entering the city of Madurai. This procession of comforting Lord Vishnu is the second component of the celebration.
Importance of the Meenakshi Thirukalyanam:
Meenakshi Thirukalyanam is part of the celebrated ‘Chithirai Thiruvizha’ festivities. This celebration is held during the Tamil calendar month of Chitirai. According to the Gregorian calendar, Chithirai Thiruvizha is an annual event celebrated with great grandeur and circumstance in Madurai during the month of April. It is the longest celebration in the globe, lasting 30 days over a period of one month. The first 15 days are devoted to Goddess Meenakshi (an incarnation of Goddess Parvati), while the remaining 15 days are dedicated to Alagar, a manifestation of Mahavishnu. Alagar is Meenakshi’s older sibling, and he travelled to Madurai to attend Lord Shiva and Meenakshi’s wedding.
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Rituals during Meenakshi Thirukalyanam:
On the day of Meenakshi Thirukalyanam, devotees rise before dawn and make their way to the Meenakshi Madurai temple. After bathing in the Golden Lotus pond, they don spotless clothing. Following the traditional worship of the goddess Meenakshi, petitions are then offered to ‘Viboothi Vinayakar’. On this day, devotees sing bhajans and devotional melodies. It is also considered fortunate to don the sacred ash known as ‘Uthiraksham’ when entering the temple. To offer to their lords, devotees also transport fruits, coconuts, and incense sticks.
Inside the temple, the Gods and Goddesses’ statues are adorned with silk garments and floral garlands. On the day of Meenakshi Thirukalyanam, the entire temple is also decorated as a bride. In the Meenakshi Madurai temple, nearly fifty priests execute puja rituals and special prayers. The principal priests of the temple execute the wedding rituals. At the conclusion of the event, the ‘Pushpa Pallakku’ and the ‘Yaanai Vahanam’ are used to transport the majestic idols of Lord Sundareswarar and Goddess Meenakshi Amman through the streets in large processions.
