Lakhs of devotees from across Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states, including Karnataka, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, gathered at the Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai on Wednesday as the mega Kumbabhishekam commenced today after a gap of 17 years.
The main ceremony began at around 7.40 am amid the chanting of hymns and Vedic mantras. The temple administration has allowed devotees to enter through the west and south towers and exit through the east tower. No fee is being collected for darshan from September 17 to 20.
Waters from seven holy rivers were brought and placed in the Homa Kund before the abhishekam and were sprinkled in all the adjoining streets of the temple. Philanthropists made arrangements for the distribution of prasad and food. All the devotees were given a bag containing a water bottle and prasad.
The Kumbabhishekam is happening after a gap of 17 years. The last Kumbabhishekam was held in 2009.
The very mention of the name immediately brings to mind the grandeur of the mammoth Meenakshi Amman Temple, the Golden Tank and the Thousand-Pillar Mandapam. The city, which is being called a sleepless city, and activities can be seen during the night hours, along with the availability of white puffed idli, chutney, jigarthanda, a native cool drink. Of course, the jasmine, GI-tagged and much sought after in foreign countries, is another attraction for visitors.
It is the first grand Kudamuzhukku in the temple, for which Yagasala pujas have already started and culminate today for the grand occasion. Prior to today’s event, Kudamuzhukku was done in other towers like Ganesha, Murugan and others, barring the Meenakshi Amman and Bhagawan Sundareswarar towers, which are being held today.
The mega event is a once-in-a-generation spiritual renewal — a moment the city has been building towards since the last Kumbabhishekam was performed in April 2009. For devotees across Tamil Nadu, India, and the Tamil diaspora worldwide.
According to pundits, “the ceremony that spiritually activates or re-activates a temple after construction or major renovation. The word combines kumbha (sacred pot) and abhishekam (ritual anointing) — describing the central act of the ceremony, in which water sanctified through elaborate Vedic rituals is poured over the Kalasam (metal water pots fixed at the top of the towers, the sacred finials crowning the temple towers and sanctum) to restore and renew their divine energy or vibrations”.
It is being done once in 12 years. In 2021, exactly 12 years after 2009, it was due, but it missed the timeline as, in February 2018, a massive fire broke out in the Veeravasantharaya Mandapam — the grand pillared hall located within the temple’s eastern premises. It caused structural damage to one of the most historically important mandapams. The renovation needed the sourcing of 79 carved black granite pillars, each 15 feet in height, matching the original Dravidian-style craftsmanship.
The DMK government led by MK Stalin began Kudamuzhukku by allotting Rs 32.28 crores, of which Rs 15.81 cr is from the temple’s own funds, Rs 5.16 cr is from donors, and an additional Rs 21 crores was raised from donors specifically for the renovation works and Yagasala puja works. Ahead of the grand event, a total of 186 renovation projects were undertaken and completed across the temple complex. Renovation of the temple’s gopurams (towers), mandapams, prakarams and sanctum structures was completed by September 10th.
On September 6, the purificatory and preparatory rituals were initiated, marking the formal commencement of the sacred sequence, while Navagraha Yaga was done on September 7 for the event. Sacred waters from the Vaigai river were brought, besides sacred earth for Yaga Kundams.
The Tamil Nadu government convened an inter-departmental review meeting chaired by Energy Resources, Electricity, and Law Minister R. Nirmal Kumar in August 2026 and on September 16 also. Officials from the district administration, city corporation, police department, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, and the HR&CE Department coordinated comprehensive arrangements.
இன்று(16.09.2026) மதுரை மாவட்டம்,அருள்மிகு மீனாட்சி சுந்தரேசுவரர் திருக்கோயில் குடமுழுக்கு நடைபெற உள்ளதை முன்னிட்டு மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டு வரும் முன்னேற்பாடு மற்றும் பாதுகாப்பு பணிகள் தொடர்பாக ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டு தொடர்புடைய அலுவலர்களுடன் ஆலோசனை மேற்கொண்ட போது.
உடன் மாண்புமிகு இந்து சமய… pic.twitter.com/d7WYjTkwH5— CTR.Nirmalkumar (@CTR_Nirmalkumar) September 16, 2026
Historian and author TS Krishnan, in her first of the seven posts tracing the history, said, “The temple suffered heavily during the Islamic invasions that struck Madurai, and several parts of the sacred complex had to be rebuilt, restored and expanded in the centuries that followed. Royal patronage undoubtedly played a major role in this revival. Yet what makes Madurai extraordinary is the remarkable participation of ordinary citizens as well. Here is the thread of some of the contributions. The majestic South Gopuram was built by Siramalai Sevvanthi Chetti, who was a merchant from Tiruchirappalli. Not only him, his family including his sons and grandsons contributed to the rebuilding the temple.”
The great temples of India are often remembered through the names of the kings and queens who built, and renovated them. But the story of the Madurai Meenakshi Temple, which will witness its Kumbhabhishekam tomorrow, is also the story of its people.
The temple suffered heavily… pic.twitter.com/bdE66vl5Gl
— 𑀓𑀺𑀭𑀼𑀱𑁆𑀡𑀷𑁆 🇮🇳 (@tskrishnan) September 16, 2026
According to Hindu Munnani leaders, “DMK government had been staging protests after protests to bring bad name and collapse of the TVK government. In Meenakshi temple, they instigated the Otthuvars, trained in Thevaram, the Saivite Thirumuraigal, demanding Kudamuzhukku be done only in Tamil, not in Sanskrit, by Brahmin pujaris. HC dismissed their petitions. Despite that, some outfits staged protests in Madurai. Interestingly, the Oothuvars were appointed during DMK period, so they owe their gratitude to them to act as per the whims and fancies”.
In view of the Kudamuzhukku, the procession of Ganesh murtis was taken out for immersion.
#WATCH | Madurai, Tamil Nadu | Vinayagar Idol was immersed ahead of Maha Kumbabishekam, or consecration ceremony, of the historic Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai, scheduled for September 17. (15.09) pic.twitter.com/HpLhDbS81t
— ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2026
There have been arrangements for basic infrastructure, transport and security. The electrified temple towers and walls are dazzling with colourful lights at night. Three senior IPS officers have been assigned to take care of security. Arrangements have been made to sprinkle holy Kumba waters using sprinklers at the temple complex, Audi streets and Chithirai streets to avoid untoward events like stampede. Children are going to be tagged for easy identification in case they go missing. Over 1,000 sanitary workers have been brought from other districts. Hospitals are equipped to handle emergency and first-aid needs. In view of the Kudamuzhukku, from 17 to 20, there will be no fees to visit the temple.
