MADURAI: The 12-day annual Chithirai festival, also popularly called Chithirai Brahmotsavam of the world-renowned Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, had a colourful start on Friday morning with the ceremonious dwajarohanam (flag hoisting) inside the temple in Madurai city.

The celestial flag was hoisted atop the gold-plated 56-feet-high dwajasthambam (flag mast) of Lord Sundareswarar, amid the chanting of Vedic hymns by the temple priests and bhattars during the pre-designated Mithuna lagnam between 9.55 am and 10.19 am.

They performed the deeparadhana on the flag mast. A large number of devotees, including women and children, congregated at the temple to witness the ceremony.

The idols of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar were brought on a silver palanquin to the Kambathadi Mandapam before the flag hoisting event.

As part of the Chithirai festival, Meenakshi Pattabishekam (coronation for the goddess Meenakshi) will take place on April 19, and the famous Thirukkalyanam (celestial wedding) of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar on April 21.

Temple car festival is slated for April 22, followed by the spectacular Lord Kallazhagar entering the River Vaigai on April 23. IT Minister Dr Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, attended the event.