Flag hoisted for Chithirai festival in Madurai

Madurai: The famed Chithirai festival in Madurai began on Sunday with the traditional flag-hoisting ceremony and celebrations.The event started with a procession of deities Goddess Meenakshi, Lord Sundareswarar and Goddess Piriyavidai around four Masi streets before returning to the temple for the flag-hoisting ceremony. Special pujas were performed, and the flagpole was decorated with flowers and other adornments. Temple authorities provided annadhanam at special centres. In the evening, the goddess Meenakshi was taken on another procession in a ‘simha vahanam' and Lord Sundareswarar and Priyavidai on a ‘karpaga vriksha vahanam' on Masi streets.The city corporation organised drinking water and other facilities. District collector K J Praveen Kumar and corporation commissioner Chitra Vijayan were present at the ceremony.