Mīnākṣī Paṭṭābhiṣekam 1940

Meenakshi Pattabhishekam is the eighth day of the Madurai Chithirai Thiruvizha, the day Goddess Meenakshi is crowned queen of Madurai.

The story. Born from the sacrificial fire of the Pandya king Malayadhwaja and Queen Kanchanamalai, the princess Tadatagai was raised as an heir and trained in every art of kingship and war. When the king passed on, she took the throne of the Pandyas and ruled Madurai with justice. In Madurai the Goddess is the sovereign of the city: the kingdom is hers.

At the temple. On the evening of the eighth day Meenakshi is crowned with the rattinak kireedam, and the sceptre (chenkol) of Madurai is placed in her hand. From this day the Goddess rules the city for the rest of the festival. Meenakshi and Sundareswarar then go out in procession on the Velli Simhasanam, the silver throne, through the streets around the temple.