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The Hindu
08-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
‘Thirukalyanam', the wedding for the masses
Elaborate arrangements had been made for the devotees who gathered on Chithirai streets outside Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai to witness the 'Thirukalyanam' (celestial wedding) of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar on Thursday. Giant LED screens had been installed on all corners of the Chithirai streets for devotees to have a virtual glimpse of the 'Thirukalyanam'. As per tradition, the women devotees replaced their 'Thali' with a new one on the occasion. The devotees eagerly paid 'moi' outside the temple as if it is the wedding of known persons. Several people distributed mangalsutra, vermilion powder and pictures of the presiding deities to fulfil their vow. People of all ages from different parts of the State had come along with their families to attend the grand event. Tin sheet roofs had been installed around the Chithirai streets and other places near the temple to protect the devotees from the sweltering summer heat. Water bottles, biscuits and hand fans were also distributed. A large number of police personnel had been deployed around the temple, and ambulances, fire tenders and mobile toilets stationed near the premises. Following the celestial wedding, thousands of devotees headed to the 'Thirukalyana Virundhu' organised by Pazhamudir Solai Thiruvarul Murugan Bhaktha Sabhai at Sethupathi Higher Secondary School, where close to a lakh devotees were treated to a grand feast. The devotees were served several dishes that included 'ven pongal', sambar rice, tomato rice, curd rice and vegetable pulao. The essential items like rice, ghee, oil and vegetables were contributed by the devotees.
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Scores of volunteers work for Thirukalyana virundhu
Ahead of the Thirukalyanam (celestial wedding) of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar, hundreds of volunteers — men, women and children — were on Wednesday seen busily making preparations for the grand feast. As close of one lakh devotees are expected to partake of the Thirukalyana Virundhu, organised by Pazhamudir Solai Thiruvarul Murugan Bhaktha Sabhai, after witnessing the celestial wedding, the volunteers and the cooks drawn from various places of the district were seen cutting vegetables, sorting spices and cleaning utensils. V. Senthil of Avaniapuram, a consultancy professional who has volunteered for the first time, said out of his interest to work in the preparation for the feast, he registered his name. 'Though the main feast will be on the day of the wedding, on the other days, food will be prepared for those who make the arrangements,' he added. He said he volunteered on all the days as he felt that this period held a significance in the whole of Chithirai festival. In addition to the religious events, feeding lakhs of people in a feast was really the important part of the celebrations, he stated. A. Vinoth Kumar, a cook from Mathur Chettikulam near Azhagarkovil, who was roped in for cooking the food, said his team was cooking for the occasion for the sixth consecutive year. He said they would prepare wheat halwa, curd rice, vegetable biriyani and samba wheat biriyani. A few other teams would be preparing different food items, he added. 'Though we get paid for the work, it is out of our interest to serve the public, we do this work,' he said, adding that earlier his father, who was also a cook, used to prepare food items for the feast. Almost all the essential items for the preparation of the food would be donated by the people, an organiser said.
