Thousands of devotees witness Madurai Chithirai Thiruvizha car procession

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Festivities in Madurai saw thousands of devotees witness the ceremonial car procession that was taken out as part of the annual Chithirai Festival on Wednesday, April 29.

The festival began at Sri Meenakshi Amman Temple with a flag-hoisting ceremony on April 19 and has continued since then seeing a constant stream of devotees.

The deities of the temple were taken on procession on decorated cars, on Masi Streets, as part of the 11th day celebration. Devotees raised chants hailing 'Lord Sundareswarar and Goddess Meenakshi' and pulled the ropes of the holy cars.

As per a PTI report, devotees of the ancient city and its surrounding areas, neighbouring states, and even abroad thronged Madurai to witness the chariot procession. The Madurai City Police has also deployed over 2,000 personnel to provide security coverage.

In view of the chariot procession, vehicular traffic has also been prohibited across all the Masi streets, and additionally, overhead electrical wires running along these streets have been temporarily removed.

As a precautionary measure, emergency vehicles, including fire tenders and ambulances, have been stationed at strategic locations to ensure safety.

Drinking water and mobile toilet facilities were arranged for the devotees.