Tiruvannamalai is a Hindu pilgrimage town located in Tamil Nadu. All the significant festivals in Hinduism are celebrated here at the Arunachaleswara temple. One of these most significant festivals is Karthigai Deepam that people of Tamil Nadu rejoice every year with great passion and devotion. This year’s celebration will be on 29th November and will go on for ten days.
The festival generally gets commenced from the day of Diwali and ends up on the tenth day. It is a divine feeling to witness the celebration at Arunachaleswara temple. People from Tamil Nadu and other parts of the South travel to the temple and get mesmerized by the Fire Linga (an avatar of Shiva) and the entire temple dazzling with lights.
Ten Days of Deepam Celebration at Tiruvannamalai
The first day is about announcing the commencement of the festival; hence a flag is hoisted, which is known as Dwajaroghanam.
On this day, Lord Arunachaleswara is established on a Silver Chariot and taken for the pageant. Other Lords are also established in different vehicles as a part of the march, such as Lord Arunachaleswara, Lord Ganesha, Lord Muruga, Lord Chandigeswarar, and Goddess Parvati.
On the second day, these five deities are established on Indira Vimanam (chariot of Indira).
The third day indicates the shifting of the five deities on the Sinha Vahana (chariot of the lion) as a part of the procession; it happens in the night time.
On the fourth day, the deities are established on the Kamadhenu Vahanam (chariot of the Kamadhenu). Kamadhenu is known as a wish-fulfilling cow. Along with the deities, Karpavruksha is also placed, which is a wish grating tree to which devotees pray and get granted for their wishes.
On the fifth day, the Panchamurthigal (5 deities) are established on a Silver Rishaba Vahanam (chariot of bull). It is 25 feet tall with an umbrella of about 17 feet in diameter. The ceremony begins at night for the procession.
The sixth day also gets commenced at night in which the Panchamurthigal (5 deities) get seated on a Silver Chariot, which appears so beautiful to the eyes.
On the seventh day, Maha Ratham becomes the vahana for the five deities. This is a huge chariot that is made of pure wood, and hence it stays rugged and tough that occupies the entire width of the road.
On the eighth day, the procession begins at night in which they place the Panchamurthigal (5 deities) on a huge horse vahana (chariot). All the four legs of the horse stay in the air, and no one touches the ground.
The ninth day is about taking the deities for the procession on a Kailasa Vahana (chariot of heaven) at night time.
On the final and tenth day of celebration, Bharani Deepam is lit in the temple at 4 AM in the morning. Maha Deepam (a huge lamp) is lit on the top of the hills of Arunachala at 6 PM, using tons of liters of Ghee and the cotton wick.
When the celebration ends, the ashes of the lamp as a result of Ghee and the burned cotton wick is distributed among people as Prasadam of Lord Arunachaleswara. By witnessing the event and receiving the Prasadam, the Lord blesses people on this remarkable festival.
Another event that attracts devotees from all the corners of Tamil Nadu is the procession of Lord Periyanayagar on the Rishaba Vahana (chariot of bull), made out of gold.
Celebration of the event in homes
Other than visiting the temple to witness the huge processions, people also light up the lamps in their homes. They light up these Diyas for ten days, so the whole environment glows up with positivity and wards off the negativity.
Also, sisters light lamps on this occasion and pray for the long life of their brothers, which is similar to Rakhi and Bhai-Dhuj in North India. Karthigai is a festival of lamps as lamps are considered sacred in Hinduism. These lamps or Diyas fulfill the purpose of reminding Lord Shiva, which in return blesses the devotees with immense positivity, joy, and prosperity.
Apart from lighting up Diyas, devotees also observe fast on these days, and they break it in the evening of each day. During the observation, they recite Kaartheeka puranam and offer God with their devotion.
Read more : https://www.astroved.com/astropedia/en/festivals/karthigai-deepam
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