Which of the following statements about the Chithirai Festival of Madurai is correct?

Correct — B. At the Chithirai festival, Kallazhagar, a form of Vishnu from the Alagar Kovil temple, travels to Madurai and enters the Vaigai river on a golden horse vahanam.

That river entry is the high point of the festival's second half. The first half, at the Meenakshi Amman temple, celebrates Meenakshi's coronation and her wedding to Sundareswarar.

Why the others are wrong

• (a)
  The Chithirai Festival is celebrated in the tamil month of Margazhi — Wrong month. The festival is named after Chithirai, the Tamil month falling in April–May. Margazhi falls in December–January.
• (c)
  The festival is held exclusively in December — Wrong season. The festival runs in the Tamil month of Chithirai, around April–May, so it cannot be held in December, let alone exclusively.
• (d)
  The festival ends with a game of bullfight — A bullfight is not part of it. The bull-taming sport Jallikattu, held at villages around Madurai, belongs to Pongal in January.

The Chithirai Thiruvizha of Madurai joins a Shaiva and a Vaishnava celebration.

The first half marks Meenakshi's coronation as ruler of Madurai and her marriage to Sundareswarar.

The second half follows Kallazhagar from Alagar Kovil. In the legend he is Meenakshi's brother, coming to her wedding. Delayed, he gives his gifts at a mandapam in the middle of the Vaigai.

Key facts

• Chithirai is the Tamil month corresponding to April–May.
• Kallazhagar enters the Vaigai river on a golden horse vahanam.
• The festival's first half celebrates the wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar at the Meenakshi Amman temple.

Common traps

• Linking Madurai with Jallikattu and assuming the festival ends in a bullfight.
• Confusing Chithirai (April–May) with Margazhi (December–January).

No directly related past PYQ was found.