With chanting of vedic hymns and special pujas, the Kumbhabhishekam [consecration ceremony] of Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai commenced early Thursday (September 17, 2026) in a grand manner.

The entire temple complex has been illuminated with lights and the senior priests, drawn from different temples, carrying the holy water to the multiple towers (gopurams) decorated with flowers.

The priests are expected to perform the ceremony at the scheduled time between 7.40 a.m. and 8.10 a.m.

VIPs arrive

Several VIPs — including Ministers from the Tamil Nadu Cabinet, High Court judges, senior officers and secretaries to government, MPs and MLAs — have arrived at the temple as early as 4 a.m.

The HR&CE department officials have made seating arrangments at multiple locations on the upper deck for them to view the consecration proceedings.

Thousands of people from far and wide have lined up outside the temple to catch a glimpse of the kumbabishekam.

The Madurai Corporation had strictly issued notices to the property owners around the temple to not encourage people to climb up their buildings to view the ceremony.