Chennai Fairs & Festivals

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Pongal

Pongal inarguably has been Tamil Nada’s most popular festival for several years now and continues to be celebrated with much vigor and excitement to this day. Lasting over four fun filled and joyful days involving a wide variety of traditional rituals, the festival falls during the months of January-February. The occasion is a sort of thanksgiving to Mother Nature, as this is the period when rice, sugar-cane, turmeric and other cereals are harvested.

Arubathimoovar Festival

One of Chennai’s most popular festival, Arubathimoovar is dedicated to the 63 saints of Lord Shiva greatly revered for leading exemplary lives of penance and devotion. The main celebrations are held at Kapaliswar Temple at Mylapore where 63 Bronze figures of these saints adorn the shrine.

Chithirai Festival

Chitiraj Festival is a popular festival in Chennai known for its pleasant blend of mythological incidents enactment and frivolous activities. The festival is basically celebrated in Madurai and involves re-enactment of the marriage of the Pandiyan princess Meenakshi with Lord Sundareswarar.

Dance Festival - Mamallapuram

Mamallapuram is one of Chennai’s historical towns known for its deep cultural and mythological roots. The Dance festival is ideally suited to be held here and involves monolithic rock sculptures of the Pallavas created 13 centuries ago in an open-air stage located next to the sea.

Kanthuri Festival

Kanthuri Festival is known as an occasion to celebrate for people of all faith. This annual festival transcends the boundaries of caste and creed to present an occasion where everyone is invited to be a part of the proceedings. The ritual involves devotees flocking the shrine of saint Quadirwali believed to do equal good to people of all faiths. Sacred offerings are made to Peer or spiritual leader who is one of the descendants of the Saint.

Kavadi Festival

This festival is said to be continuing the tradition or mythological incidence in which Idumban carried two sacred hillocks on two ends of a pole laced on his shoulders. Till date, the devotees in order to fulfil their vows carry a flower-decked decoration called 'Kavadi' all the way up the Palani Hills.

Mahamagam Festival

The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm & religious fervor, and falls once every 12 years. It is mainly held in the town of Kumbakonam which is called the ‘temple city’ and its name is derived from the word "Kumbha" –meaning a divine pot. The festival is associated with a great mythological incidence in which Lord Brahma; the Creator held a pot containing the seed of creation and nectar with Lord Shiva, the destroyer incarnated in the form of a hunter shot an arrow.

Natyanjali Dance Festival

This well known festival is dedicated to Lord Nataraja, the dancing god or the 'Cosmic dancer'. The location for this much awaited festival is the city of Chidambaram known for its deep religious roots. Enhancing the festive spirit is the majestic setting including Chidambaram's gold-roofed temple, with pillars depicting Lord Nataraja.

Velankanni Festival

Velankanni Festival is associated with several historical incidences in relating to the sacred church. One such famous legend is about a ship-wrecked Portuguese sailors dating back to 16th century. The sailaor vowed to build a great shrine for the Virgin Mary in order to save the lives of sailors and villages in a terrible storm.