On Thursday, the famous Chithirai festival began with the traditional flag hoisting ceremony at Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple at Madurai on Thursday. Presiding deities Meenakshi and Sundareswarar were brought in a silver palanquin and the temple flag was hoisted at 10.36 a.m. after a special puja. Hundreds of devotees witnessed the ceremony.
Later the deities were taken in a procession around the Masi Streets at 7 p.m. in a fully decked �Sarpa varutcham Vaahanam� and �Simha Vaahanam.� Temple officials said the deities would be taken in a procession every day of the festival in different �vaahanas� which would be uniquely decorated.
The highlights of the festival begin from May 8 with the Pattabhishekam of Goddess Meenakshi.
The following day, the deity would make �Dhik Vijayam� and the celestial wedding has been scheduled to take place on May 10.