MAHAVIR JAYANTHI

MAHAVIR JAYANTHI

The religious festival of Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated by the Jain community to commemorate the birth of the Lord Mahavira.

Mahavira was the 24th and the last Tirthankara (enlightened being). He was born in 599 BCE to King Siddhartha and Queen Trishala. As per legend, the Lord after birth was bathed by the god-king Indra with celestial milk. This ritual marked his birth as the birth of a Tirthankara.

Mahavira, also called as Vardhamana, is regarded as a significant propagator of Jainism, as well as its reformer. 

He preached the philosophy to encourage nonviolence (Ahimsa), truthfulness (Satya), chastity (Bramacharya), non-stealing (Asatya), and simple living (Aparigraha).

Lord Mahavira died in 527 BC at the age of 72 to achieve Moksha or Nirvana. His body was cremated at Pawapuri, which was later on converted into a Jain temple (presently known as Jal Mandir).

Even to this day, nearly 2600 years after the passing away of that great master, this pure and upright tradition of the monks has been maintained.

 Thousands of white clad Sanyasins and Sanyasinis and also nude monks move on foot from place to place throughout the length and breadth of the country, carrying Mahavira's gospel of peace, non-injury and brotherhood among people. 

MEENAKSHI THIRUKALYANAM

MEENAKSHI THIRUKALYANAM

AT

MADURAI

Meenakshi Thirukalyanam is a part of the renowned ‘Chithirai Thiruvizha’ celebrations. This festival is observed during the month of ‘Chitirai’ in the Tamil calendar.

 Chithirai Thiruvizha is an annual event celebrated with great pomp and show in Madurai in the month of April, as per the Gregorian calendar.

 It is known to be the world’s longest celebrations that last for a period of one month (30 days).

Of this, the first 15 days are dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi (an incarnation of Goddess Parvati) and the remaining 15 days is celebrated for Alagar, who is known to be a form of Mahavishnu.

 Alagar is the elder brother of Meenakshi and he visited Madurai to attend the marriage ceremony of Lord Shiva and Meenakshi.

On the day of Meenakshi Thirukalyanam, devotees get up at sunrise and reach the Meenakshi Madurai temple. After taking a holy dip in the Golden Lotus pond, they wear clean clothes.

Goddess Meenakshi is first worshipped by the traditional methods, following which prayers are offered to ‘Viboothi Vinayakar’. On this day devotees sing devotional songs and bhajans. It is also considered auspicious to wear the holy ash, known as ‘Uthiraksham’ while entering the temple premises.

 Devotees also carry fruits, coconuts and incense sticks to offer to their lords. Inside the temple the idols of the Gods and Goddesses are decorated with beautiful silk clothes and floral garlands. Not only is this, on the day of Meenakshi Thirukalyanam the entire temple decorated as a bride.

 There are nearly 50 priests in the Meenakshi Madurai temple who perform the puja rituals and special prayers. The main priests in the temple perform the ritualistic wedding ceremonies. At the completion of the event, magnificent idols of Lord Sundareswarar and Goddess Meenakshi Amman are taken out in huge processions on the streets in the ‘Pushpa Pallakku’ and ‘Yaanai Vahanam’.

BY Air

Madurai is well connected to other major cities of the country via regular flights.

Airport(s): Madurai Airport (IXM)

BY TRAIN

You can easily get regular trains to Madurai from other major cities of the country.

Railway Station(s): Madurai Junction (MDU)

BY BUS

There are regular buses from other major cities of the country to Madurai.

Bus Station(s): Madurai , Madurai By Pass