The centuries-old Chithirai festival at the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple concluded on a grand note this year, with over 30 lakh devotees attending the 15-day celebrations.
The celestial wedding of Goddess Meenakshi with Lord Sundaresvara, held on the Chithirai Pournami night, drew the largest crowds, with the procession covering the four mada streets in a 12-hour ritual.
The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department deployed 12,000 personnel for security and crowd management, with CCTV cameras installed at 450 strategic locations.