PHOTOS: When the gods marry on earth

The Meenakshi Thirukalyanam (the divine marriage of Goddess Meenakshi) is a special event for Madurai residents.

On this day, several devotees throng the Meenakshi Amman Temple in the city to witness the celestial wedding of Goddess Meenakshi also known as Parvathi with Lord Sundareswarar or Shiva.

Every year, in the Hindu month of Chaitra (or Chitirai in Tamil) the temple authorities convert the shrine's premises into a wedding hall decorating it with colourful festoons, light arrangements, banana trees and mango leaves.

The celestial wedding ceremony is part of the annual Chitirai Thiruvizha (thiruvizha meaning festival in Tamil) which attracts huge crowds from all over the state.

Additional inputs from PTI

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Post the twin Hyderabad blasts in February 2013 this temple has been put under high alert by the Tamil Nadu police.

For the Chitirai festival, the state police makes tight security arrangements and devotees are frisked before being allowed in.

The Chitrai festival at the Meenakshi Amman temple which usually commences on the Tamil New Year (April 15 this year) lasts for nearly a fortnight.

On the eighth day a procession of elephants and chariots transport the nuptial pair through the town streets and to the banks of the Vagai river to meet Meenakshi's brother Lord Kallalagar (an avatar of Vishnu) who is transported there from his hilltop abode at Algarkovil, outside Madurai.

Festivities include a spate of dramas depicting Meenakshi's life history.

The Meenakshi temple located on the southern bank of the river Vaigai attracts over 15,000 visitors a day and around 25,000 on Fridays.

However, during the celestial wedding festivities, it attracts over one million visitors.

Close to 50 priests perform pujas and attend to the rituals during the festive season.

The celestial marriage ceremony also known as Meenakshi Thirukalyanam is performed inside the temple.

During the one month Chitirai festival a number of events are celebrated here including the Ther Thiruvizha (chariot festival) and Theppa Thiruvizhah (float festival).

Besides it religious significance, the Meenakshi Amman temple has also been a centre of education where Tamil culture, literature, art, music and dance thrive in harmony.

The heritage temple is an important landmark that defines the 2,500 year old city of Madurai.

The Meenakshi Amman temple was also among the top 30 structures from India that were nominated for the New Seven Wonders of the World.

It is estimated that the temple's annual revenue is over Rs six crore (Rs 60 million).