Meenakshi Thirukalyanam 2005: Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Meenakshi Thirukalyanam, the centrepiece of the Chithirai Thiruvizha at the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, celebrates the divine wedding of Goddess Meenakshi (an avatar of Parvati) to Lord Sundareswarar (Shiva). Lord Vishnu, worshipped here as Meenakshi's brother Alagar, travels from Alagar Kovil to give the bride away, and this procession is one of the most celebrated moments of the festival.

The full festival spans twelve days, from the flag-hoisting (Kodi Yetram) through the coronation (Pattabhishekam), the divine conquest (Digvijayam), the wedding itself (Thirukalyanam), the temple car procession (Therottam), and finally the sacred bathing festival (Tirtham).