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The
different festivals which are celebrated in Madurai are :-
Avanimoola Festival :- This festival
held in late August or early September and is the Coronation festival of
Lord Sundareswarar. The coronation of the deity and the procession of the
images all form an integral part of this elaborate festival.
Chithirai festival :- It is clebrated in April /
May. The Chittirai festival celebrates the marriage of Meenakshi and
Sundareshwara (Shiva). An elaborate wedding ceremony is organised in the
Meenakshi temple, and later the deities are wheeled around the city in
massive chariots, decorated elaborately.
Panguni Festival :- Panguni Festival
is a 14-day annual event is held in the Tirupparankundram temple during
April/May. The celebrations mark the coronation of Lord Subramanya and his
marriage to Devyani, the daughter of Indra. The deities from the Meenakshi
temple actually travel in a procession to attend the wedding and return in
the evening.
Teppam Festival :- The famous
festivals held at Madurai, include Teppam festival, the annual Float
Festival, wherein the images of Sri Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswara (also
spelt as Sundreshwara) are mounted on floats, and taken to Mariamman
Teppakkulam Tank, where for several days they are pulled back and forth
across the water in the middle of the tank, on an illuminated raft
embellished with flowers, before being taken back to the main temple.
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