A large number of devotees flooded the four Masi streets in Madurai to witness the chariot festival of the Meenakshi Amman Temple on the 11th day of the annual Chithirai festival in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai on Wednesday.
The procession of the Chariot started in East Masi Street. Amidst chanting the hymns and names of Meenakshi Amman, hundreds of people are pulling the ropes of the Chariot and leading it along the four Masi streets.
Police personnel were also deployed in large numbers to provide security for the chariot and regulate the huge crowd of devotees. While thousands of people reached the Meenakshi Amman temple of Madurai on the 10th day of the Chithirai festival.
More than 20 transgenders who came with “mulaipari” on their heads attended the Chithirai festival on Tuesday. Attending the festivities, one of the transgenders said, “Usually we visit the Chithirai festival in Koothandavar temple but this time we wanted to attend Madurai Chithirai festival. We are very happy to have participated in the Madurai Chithirai Festival.”
On the 10th day of the festival, many children participated in the festivities dressed as Murugan, Meenakshi Amman and Sivan. Parents led the street processions by dressing their children as gods. A 7-year-old girl named Megasai has been participating in the procession for the past 9 days, in various dresses like Kundavai, and Goddess Meenakshi.
