Chitra Festival, Madurai

Although brought up in Chennai, I had the privilege to visit my mom’s hometown of Madurai during the holidays every year of my childhood. During those summers, not only did I enjoy with cousins at home, but also witnessed the festivities of the month-long Chitra festival – the celestial wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Meenakshi. But, those were decades ago!

Having studied my post grad in Madurai and having married a Maduraiite made be to get closely associated with this temple city. Nowadays, summers in Madurai meant keeping myself to home. Generally, I don’t dare to go out in the scorching heat for any reason, leave alone Chitra festival. However, this summer I grabbed the opportunity to witness the procession of Lord Vishnu or Azhagar, as he is called, during one of those festive days. As I waded through the maddened crowd, it was noon and the sun was at its peak, sending down its ghastly waves. Unmindful of this, there were all types of vendors and prasad distributors and to my astonishment, even a mahout with his elephant on which he took little children for short rides within the swarm of people. To add to the hullabaloo, there were these men and women fully decked up with their made-up faces and wearing the costume of Gods while asking for alms. Some of them even carried burning logs and offered to apply the ash from it on our foreheads. And oooooh, how can I forget this blood-dripping man who kept whipping his torso and cutting his arm with a sharp knife. It came as a bolt from the blue, when he laid his toddler in front of him and started to slaughter the child! I just couldn’t stand the look of it. Apparently, they were techniques to get alms from the public.

 

 

The multitude of people that had come to witness the event consisted of old and young from all classes of the society. They were dressed in their best with some carrying just-born infants, others having offerings for the Lord. There was barely any space to even stand, but the yelling mob just moved me forward with only the slightest effort from my side. As I looked at the throng, I was debating within myself… is it sheer craziness… or is it enthusiasm… or, is this called devotion? I kept waiting for a long time, when many hundials [donation boxes] passed by. Then, came a green flag with a picture of Lord Hanuman in it which, I learnt later, meant Lord Azhagar was to appear shortly. Finally after much ado, the deity was visible when He took a turn into the street we were on. Exquisitely dressed and garlanded, He sat in a gorgeous golden vehicle resembling a palanquin.  When I took one closer look at His face, I had a stir within me and my eyes got wet! No wonder he’s called Azhagar… he is truly the epitome of beauty!