Chithirai Festival at Samayapuram Mariamman Temple – Chithirai Ther Festival at Samayapuram Temple

Chithirai Festival is the most important festival in the famous Samayapuram Mariamman Temple in Tamil Nadu. It is held from the last week of Panguni month to Chithirai month (April second week to third week). The most important festivals during the period are Chithirai Ther and Float festival.

This important festival at Samayapuram Temple is celebrated for 13 days. On the first Tuesday in the Month of Chithirai, which is the 10th day of the festival, Goddess Mariamman is carried out and is kept on a decorated wooden car and pulled around the temple. The utsava murti of Goddess Mariamman is used for the purpose. This is called as Chithirai Ther festival.

On the first Friday of the Chithirai month (the one after Chithirai Ther festival), Goddess is seated on a decorated float (Theppam) and pulled around the central Mandapam of Theppakulam (temple pond). This is called float festival and happens to be the 13^th day of the temple festival.

During all the 13 days of the festival various rituals are held in the temple and devotees gather in thousands. Prayer and rituals like Agni Chatti, offering of milk pot and kavadi are performed. Tonsuring of head during the period is considered highly meritorious.