Celebrity chef and restaurant owner, Gary Mehigan, is known for being a MasterChef Australia judge and hosting several other shows. Currently, he is in India exploring the mouth-watering and diverse cuisine. After exploring food in Kerala and Hyderabad, the chef is in Madurai in Tamil Nadu, and he is attending the Chithirai Festival!
Chef Gary Mehigan In Madurai
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Chef Gary Mehigan is touring India, and currently, he is in Madurai. Well, his timing can’t be better as the Chithirai Festival is happening in the city. Chef Gary Mehigan posted a video of him attending the festival. There, he saw thousands of devotees coming to visit Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple.
Further, he saw them revel in the joy and excitement. For the chef, it was a ‘pinch yourself’ moment as he had never imagined travelling and discovering India. In fact, the stories about the temple have evoked devotion! He even realised that everyone has a sense of belonging which is one of the missing things in our lives.
Apart from being part of the festival, Gary Mehigan hit the streets of Madurai late at night and relished the Special Ravai Dosai served with chutney at Meenakshi Bhavan. Then, he stopped at a small food cart near Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple. He indulged in Mullu Murungai Vadai — pooris made with rice and murungai leaves. Vadai made with ragi and rava with Milagu or pepper Vadai topped the list.
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Lastly, he tried the Kesari Boli, a soft wheat dough filled with sweet Kesari made with sugar, semolina, cashews, spices, and a bit of orange colour.
Chithirai Festival Of Madurai
Celebrated in April in Madurai, Chithirai Festival is an annual Tamil festival. The Meenakshi Temple, which honours the goddess Meenakshi, a manifestation of Parvati, and her husband Sundareshwar, a manifestation of Shiva, is associated with the event. In Tamil, it is celebrated in the month of Chithirai. Meenakshi’s coronation as Madurai’s heavenly monarch and her marriage to Sundareshwar is commemorated for the first 15 days.
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However, celebrations of the voyage of Alagar or Kallalagar from his temple in Alagar Koyil to Madurai take place over the course of the next 15 days.
Cover Image Courtesy: Gary Mehigan/ Instagram