Maha Deepam 2018 [Exclusive Images]

The Maha Deepam was lit at 6 PM on Friday, 23rd November at the mountain peak as the climax part of the grand Karthigai Deepam festival in progress at the Tiruvannamalai Lord Arunachaleswarar temple. Below are some of the pictures showcasing the event.

Maha Deepam lit on the mountain peak in Tiruvannamalai

The sacred Maha Deepam was lit at 6 PM (on Friday, 23rd November) at the mountain peak as the climax part of the grand Karthigai Deepam festival in progress at the Tiruvannamalai Lord Arunachaleswarar temple.

Lakhs of devotees participated on this grand occasion and prayed the Maha Deepam.

A large number of devotees have visited from the other places to have a Darshan of the Maha Deepam and pray. Thus, all the streets of Tiruvannamalai appeared to have been flooded with the teeming devotees!

During the evening, the adorned deities of the ‘Panchamurthys’ were carried on palanquins and placed in the Mandapam. At 5.59 PM, the deity of Ardhanareeswarar was taken out. Subsequently, ‘Aganda Deepam’ was lit in the Tiruvannamalai temple complex.

At the same time, ‘Maha Deepam’ was lighted on top of the mountain on the ‘copra’ (oil pot) kept ready filled with ghee.

Even as the Maha Deepam was lit, the swarm of devotees collected both inside and outside the temple complex rendered the sky with the devoted chanting of ‘ Annamalaikku Arohara’with the ecstasy of devotion.

Karthigai Deepam Festival 2018 – Day 10: Bharani Deepam lit up

On the 10th day of the traditional annual grand festival of Karthigai Deepam festival in progress at the Lord Arunachaleswarar temple in Thiruvannamalai, today (Friday, 23rd November), the ‘Bharani Deepam’ was lit infront of the sanctum sanctum of the deity of Lord Arunachaleswarar.

On the 1st corridor of the temple, ‘Pancha Deepam’ (5 holy lamps) were lit in front of the deities of the Sun God and the Moon God. Later, to facilitate ‘Anegan’ beconing ‘Egan’, the holy ‘Bharami Deepam’ was lit. The lighting lamp was caeeied by the holy temple Sivachariar Murthy.

Lamps were lit in front of the deities of Gods in the sanctum sanctums in sequence of the deities of Goddess Amman, Sambandha Vinayakar, 2nd corridor Lord Natarajar, Panchamuthys, Vinayakar, Ardhanareeswarar, Vengopal Swamy, Murugar, Gajalakshmi, Arumuganar, and then Arunagiri Yodeswarar, Paeasakthi Amman, Navagrahas, Chithragupthar, Kodimaram (holy flag tree), Hundi Subramanyar, Adhikara Nandhi, Nalvar, Chandikeswarar, and finally, Sornabhairavar and thus, the holy lighting of ‘Bharani Deepam’ was completed.

Bharani Deepam was lit in Om Arunachaleswarar temple

Karthigai Deepam festival 2018 – Maha Deepam today

The grand Karthigai Deepam festival is celebrated during the Tamil calendar month Karthigai when the Full Moon Day and the star of Karthigai occur on the same day.
This auspicious day has come to be known as Karthigai and celebrated as Thirukkarthigai Deepa Thirunaal.
Lord Siva, the God of destruction as per the Hindu mythology, opened his 3rd eye on his forehead to destroy the demon Soorapadman when sparks were directed to the demon. The sparks got transformed into 6 children on 6 lotus flowers over the Saravana Poigai (a pond) from the Ganges River.
The Karthigai women nourished these 6 children and brought them up. The Goddess Parvathi Devi merged all the 6 children into a single child. Thus, the child had 6 heads and 12 hands on a single body. Lord Parvathi gave the names – Kandhan, Arumugan, Kadamban, and Murugan – to this child.
The Karthigai who brought up the 6 divine children were elevated by Lord Siva as stars in the sky and started the festival of honoring them calling it Karthigai festival to be celebrated with the lighting of lamps and praying them.
When there was a contest between the other 2 Gods Brahma and Vishnu as to who was greater, Lord Siva appeared as a holy fireball between them and told whoever finds the start and of the fireball is the greater.
Then, Lord Vishnu assumed the form of a ‘varaham’ (pig), and Brahma took the form of an annam (swan) and searched for the start and the end of the fireball. Lord Vishnu failed to locate the end and returned. Lord Brahma met the fragrant screw pine flower – Thazhampoo in Tamil. The flower told that it has come from Lord Siva’s head. So, Brahma told with the Thazhampoo’s evidence that he has located Lord Siva’s head.
Because of the bluff by both the Thazhmpoo and Lord Brahma, Lord Siva punished them with 2 curses – that Thazhampoo will not be used henceforth for Lord Siva Pooja and that Lord Brahma will not have any dedicated temple on the Earth.
As per the Hindu mythology, it is observed that the day on which Lord Siva assumed the shape of the fireball is celebrated as Karthigai Deepam.
Karthigai Deepam is usually lit after sunset out of the flame extracted from Bharani Deepam. This flame will be taken to the hill top during the evening and the Karthigai Maha Deepam will be lit at 6pm.

Karthigai Deepam Festival 2018 – Day 9

Karthigai Deepam Festival Day 9 event took place at the Arulmigu Om Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai. Below are some of the pictures showcasing the event.

Karthigai Deepam Festival 2018 – Day 8 night

Karthigai Deepam Festival Day 8 night event took place at the Arulmigu Om Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai. Below are some of the pictures showcasing the event.

Karthigai Deepam Festival 2018 – Kopparai lifted to hills

Kopparai has been lifted to Tiruvannamalai hills for Karthigai Deepam. Below are some of the pictures showcasing the event.

 

Karthigai Deepam Festival 2018 – Day 8

Karthigai Deepam Festival Day 8 event took place at the Arulmigu Om Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai. Below are some of the pictures showcasing the event.

Karthigai Deepam Festival 2018 – Maharatham

Karthigai Deepam Festival 2018 – Maharatham event took place at the Arulmigu Om Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai. Below are some of the pictures showcasing the event.