Mon May 05 13:43:26 UTC 2025: ## Madurai’s Chithirai Festival: Young Boys Enact Goddess Meenakshi’s Triumphant Battles
**Madurai, May 5, 2025** – The annual Chithirai festival in Madurai reached a spectacular climax today with the Digvijayam procession, a vibrant reenactment of Goddess Meenakshi’s victories in eight directions. Thousands of devotees lined the four Masi streets to witness the event, a highlight of the nine-day festival.
The procession, which takes place after the Coronation and before the Celestial Wedding ceremonies, featured young boys dressed in traditional costumes playing the roles of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar. These young actors, all sons of temple priests and under the age of nine, sat alongside the deities on the temple car.
According to C. Ashok Bhattar, a priest at the Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple, the selection process ensures only boys below nine years old participate in this significant ritual. The Digvijayam procession showcases the goddess’s legendary battles, a captivating spectacle that forms a crucial part of the culturally rich Chithirai festival.
First Piper 