omarunachala | Tiruvannamalai | Deepam | Girivalam| Girivalam Date | Arunachala

Thiruvannamali is one among the 5 holy places where Lord Siva is represented in the 5 elements of nature. Thiruvallanamlai represents the element of fire or agni.

Karthigai Deppam festival is clelebrated as a great occasion in Thurvannamalai every year with huge crowds of devtotees gathering.

This year, the Karthigai Deppam festival in Thirvannamalai Lord Arunachaleswara temple started with flag hoisting ceremony on 16th November.

The festival idols of Lord Chandrasekhara & Lord muruga in different carriages are taken on procession every day after the start of the Deepam Festival in the temple corridor streets to offer Darshan to the huge gathering of devotees.

Chariot procession was organised on 22nd November. This is one of the most important of the festival when 5 chariots, one behind the other, are drawn on a procession.

The most important event of lighting up of Maha Deepam is scheduled at 6.00 PM today (Wednesday, 25th November).

The grand Deepam (lamp) will be lit at the top of the mountain at a height of 2668`.

Specially for this occasion scheduled today, the temple corridors were opened very early in the morning and special Abhishekham`s were performed on the 5 deities. And Deeparadhanai was conducted.

Bharani Deepam was lighted up in the Artha Mandapam; situated in the main Sanctum Sanctorum of the Lord. A special homam was set up by way of a yagam and the Sivacharyas lighted up the Bharani Deppam during the conduct of this yagam. After this, Bharani Deepam was taken outside the Artha Mandapam for the huge crowds of devotees awaiting Darshan.

The thrilled and delighted devotees chanted Bhakthi Gosahm and had a divine Darshan.

After this, a lamp with 5 nooks represting the 5 elements of nature was lighted up. This was taken to the sanctum sanctorum of different gos in the temple where lamps were lighted up with this lamp.

State government Monisters Gokula Indira and Kamaraj, Collector Gnanasekharan, and other eminent personalities along with a huge gathering of devotees participated.

Maha Deepam will be lighted up today (25th November) evening.

On this occasion, Aganda Deepam (brad & large lamp) will be lighted up in front of the main sanctum sanctorum of the Lord.

The 5 main deities of the temple would be taken out earlier.

After this, Lord Arthanreeswar, who offers Darshan coming out only once every year, will be taken out in a dancing procession offering Darshan to the devotees .

After the Darshan of Lord Arthanareeswara, Aganda Deepam will be lighted up exactly at 6.00 PM. At the same time, Maha deepam will be lighted up on top of the mountain. The devtoees will chant Annamalaikku Arohara and have the Divine Darshan of the lord.

The entire distance of Girivalam route of 14 km will be crowded with devotees.

Devotes will tuen to the hill top to have a Drashan of the Maha Deepam.

The public will light up the lamps in their houses only after the lighting of `maha Deppam`. Public will also laight up earthen lamps in the streets.

It is a glorious sight with the entire city of Thiruvannamalai aglow with thousands od lit lamps. After this, there will be a display of fireworks.

Colourful sparks of stars will light up the sky presenting a grand sight for the devotees.

With the lighting up of Maha Deepam schedukled today (Wednesday, 25th November), the rush of devotees from other states had started from yesterday morning itself. Several lakhs of devotees have gathered in Thiruvannamalai till this afternoon to have Deepam Darshan. Devotees undertook girivalam.

Though there were recent heavy rains, the city of Thiruvannamalai has worn a grand festive look.

It is expected that more than 20 lakh people will have Darshan of the Divine Maha Deepam. Hence, all required arrangements for different aspects have been organised.

As several lakhs of devotees have gathrd in the area, security has also been strengthened. 10000 security personnel have been deployed. They were placed on duty across the various spots. Unmanned aircraft is monitoring the movement of the crowd of devotees.