Chithirai festival: The celebrations that began in Thennur

The Hindu

05-05-2025

Chithirai festival is known not just for its grandeur but also for its history which connects people of various places and even other religions.
Historians claim that the dramatic events that unfolded over the years make the event a 'people's, festival'.
The focal point of the whole Chithirai festival which started from Thenur village in Madurai district, is one such event which changed the whole course of the festival for a noble cause – unifying people of different sects.
Though the whole story is a legend with few related historical evidence, people with all their heart and soul celebrate the events.
While the present rituals of the Chithirai festival are known to be modified by King Thirumalai Naicker for the welfare of the people, P. Arumugam, assistant professor of Tamil department and author of book 'Thenurum Azhagar Vizha Kattamaipum,' said according to available evidence like stone inscription found at Theppakulam which dates back to 1646, it could be found that the king moved his administration from Tiruchi to Madurai for bringing together the people belonging to Shaivaite and Vaishnavaite sects.
'The inscription records that the king used the sand from that area to build his fort in Madurai,' he added. Acting on his observation of the people and conflicts they were into, Thirumalai Naicker decided to use the festivals which happened at different Tamil months to unite the people.
'Going by the folklore, it can be learned that the king decided to shift the Chithirai festival, which was celebrated at Thenur, where Lord Kallazhagar ritually entered the Vaigai river, to a place near the Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple,' Mr. Arumugam narrated.
Though the king was aware that the people of Thenur would not like to witness such a change in their tradition, he was desperate to bring about a peaceful change in the lifestyle of people, he said.
Mr. Arumugam further elaborated that to convince the people of Thenur village, he brought about an important change to honour them through the course of the festival.
'After Lord Kallazhagar's entry into Vaigai river was shifted from a place near Viraganur where Thenur Mandapam was built, the King, broke the norm of receiving payment from the Mandagapadis and ordered the temple administration to pay the Thenur villagers instead,' he pointed.
M.M. Maruthanayagam, karaikaarargal (Thenur village representative), said that they were told by their ancestors that the village was given about 22 gold coins by the temple after the tradition was changed.
'The 700-year-old tradition, over the years, has seen various changes in accordance with the changing global scenario,' he added.
But, still, the villagers are honoured with ₹200 by the temple administration and the flag hoisting event for the festival would be conducted jointly by both the temple authorities and village representatives at Thenur Mandapam on the new moon day of the Chithirai month, he narrated.
While in other mandagapadis, Lord Kallazhagar would stay for a few minutes and people would go around Lord Kallazhagar, at Thenur Mandapam alone, the Lord would halt for a whole day and go around the people for honouring them, Mr. Maruthanayagam said.
'There is a sense of pride in letting go a tradition for a noble cause', the village representative said and they were happy that such a change brought about unity in people who were divided by differences.
Archaeologist C. Santhalingam says that what the folklore tells or what is written about the festival are heart-touching and celebrated by people across sections, in the end it remains a legend as no concrete evidence have been found.