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.

Pradosam

Pradhosham, the bimonthly occasion was held at the Thiruvannamalai Temple as done conventionally. Special Abhishegam and Pooja were performed for Nandi. Below are photographs of the same. Take a look:

Maha Kumbabhishekam at Tiruvannamalai will be held on February 6, 2017

Renovation works for the kumbabishekam at Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple began on January 26, 2015 with a ritual called Balalayam.

Major focus of renovation was done to restore the antiquity of the temple by changing what was carried out as development in the recent times, such as laying granite flooring at select places of the temple etc.

Apart from these works, all the nine Gopurams of the temple were spruced up, repaired, re-plastered at places that required revamping and it was entirely repainted.

The Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Minister Sevur S. Ramachandran inspected these renovation works done at Sri Arunachaleswarar temple.

Maha Kumbabhishekam at Tiruvannamalai will be held on February 6, 2017 between 9.05 am to 10:30am. 108 Yaga Kundams will be built in the temple near Ammani Amman Gopuram to perform rituals. Temple administration is planning to allow pass holders to climb over a number of Mantapams in the temple viz 1,000-pillar mantapam, Puravi Mantapam, Swami and Amman Mantapams, Vasantha Mantapam, Madappalli and Thirumaalpathi to watch the consecration proceedings. Temporary iron staircases would be erected for devotees to climb over these mantapams to take a look at the rituals being performed. Holy water will then be sprinkled all over the devotees during consecration.

Tiruvannamalai temple kumbabhishekam festival

Below are details of Kumbabishegam festivals scheduled to take place at Om Arunachaleswarar Temple in Thiruvannamalai.
27:01:17 – Swamy, Amman Mulavar Balalayam
28:01:17 – Annunaki
29:01:17 – Poornahuthi
30:01:17 to 03:02:17 – Yagashalai Pooja
04:02:17 – Poornahuthi
05:02:17 – Vigneswara Pooja
06:02:17 – Raja Gopuram and all Vimanas followed by Maha Kumbabhishekam between 9:05 am and 10:30 am
06:02:17 night – Pancha Moothigal Veethiula

Pradosam

Pradhosham, the bimonthly occasion was held at the Thiruvannamalai Temple as done conventionally. Special Abhishegam and Pooja were performed for Nandi. Below are photographs of the same. Take a look:

Deepam 2016 – Sandikeswarar Ursavam

The pictures below show Deepam 2016 – Sandikeswarar Ursavam at Arulmigu Om Arunachaleswarar Thirukovil, Tiruvannamalai.

Margazhi celebrated at Thiruvannamalai

The first day of Margazhi (an auspicious Tamil month) was celebrated at Thiruvannamalai Temple. During the celebration, Thiruvempavai was sung and recited

Seen here are devotees lighting lamps to mark the start of the month. People thronged the temple to seek the Lord’s blessings on this auspicious day.

Deepam 2016 – Murugar theppal

Deepam 2016 – Murugar theppal at Arulmigu Om Arunachaleswarar Thirukovil in Tiruvannamalai

Deepam 2016 – Maha deepam

Deepam 2016 – Maha Deepam (Fire) at Arulmigu Om Arunachaleswarar Thirukovil in Tiruvannamalai

Deepam 2016 – Amman theppal

Deepam 2016 – Amman theppal at Arulmigu Om Arunachaleswarar Thirukovil, Tiruvannamalai.