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

Fire-walk festival at Thiruvannamalai Temple

0 Comments/in News & Events/by omarunachala

Fire or Agni is the fourth element of the Panchabhutas. The essential character of Fire is to generate heat and according to Hindu Mythology, Agni is one of the Eight Guardians that guard our Universe and are known as Ashta Dikpalakas.

As per Indian mythology, there are mentions of various types of fires. The four important ones are the fire of the earth, the fire of the sky, the fire of the stomach and the fire we commonly use.

As for Lord Arunchaleswarar temple, there is a wealth of mythology attached to Arunachala. One such myth is that Lord Surya estranged from his wife Chayadevi visited Arunachaleswarar Temple to propitiate the Lord.

A brief on the mythological story – It concerns Singavaram and a Temple dedicated to Sri Ranganadha. Here a king named Kandhan, after suffering defeat, performed a fire walking ceremony in the worship of Draupadi (from the Mahabharata). Draupadi, pleased with the worship, appeared before the king and promised that whoever should worship her as he had done would remain unscathed and also obtain whatever they prayed for.

From that day onwards the fire-walking festival is observed with great enthusiasm throughout Tamil Nadu including Thiruvannamalai temple.

Aadi Pooram Festival (An auspicious occasion)

0 Comments/in News & Events/by omarunachala

[1of2_last]The Tamil Calendar month of Aadi is considered sacred in the Hindu Tradition. And when certain special stars or condition fall during this month, they are also celebrated with religious vigour – for example, Aadi New Moon Day (Amavasai) is considered to be sacred for paying obeisance to the departed ancestors.

Similarly, when one of the 27 stars, Pooram (Tamil) falls in Aadi, known as Aadi Pooram, it is considered as sacred and special pooja are performed in most temples. (It is a grand occasion in the Sri Villiputhur Andal temple as it is the birthday for the deity Andal. who was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu and married Him).

Aadi Pooram was celebrated today in a grand manner in Thiruvannamalai temple today. A special ‘Theerthavari’ (sacred water being showered on the deity of the Lord) was performed in the Sivagangai Sacre Pond located in the 5th Corridor of the Thiruvannamalai temple. Earlier, the deity of Parasakthi Amman was taken to the Theerthavari Mandapam (Hall) offering Darshan to the devotees.