Arudra Darshan festival

A number of festivals are performed during the Tamil month, Margazhi of which Arudra Darshan is one. This celebration is essentially a Shaivite festival, reveling the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva, which is represented by the Nataraja form. Arudra signifies the golden red flame and Shiva performs dance in the form of this red-flamed light. In 2017, Arudra Darshan falls to be on Wednesday, January 11.

The cosmic dance of Lord Shiva represents five activities – Creation, Protection, Destruction, Embodiment and Release. In essence, it represents the continuous cycle of creation and destruction. This cosmic dance takes place in every particle and is the source of all energy. Arudra Darshan celebrates this ecstatic dance of Lord Shiva. It takes place on the full moon night, along with Arudra Birth Star, in the month of Margazhi and this is also the longest night in a year.

The most important Arudra Darshan festival takes place at Arulmigu Om Arunachaleswarar Thirukovil in Tiruvannamalai. The cosmic dance of Lord Shiva is enacted on the day. Here are photographs of the function.