India is a land of different festivals, of varied
cultures and traditions. The Hindus from various regions of India
celebrate the festivals with same religious fervor as we find in other
regions. Karthigai Deepam (Karthikai Vilakkidu in Tamil) is also a festival of lights that takes place after Deepavali. It is an important festival being widely observed across South India, particularly, in Tamil Nadu. It falls in the month of Kārtthikai (mid-November to mid-December) as per Tamil calendar.
On the Karthikai day, the moon is synchronous with the constellation Karthigai (Pleiades) and pournami. This constellation looks like a group of six stars in the firmament resembling a pendant from the ear. This festival marks the birth of god Karthkaya (Murugan / Subramanya (son of lord Shiva; the other being Ganapathi). In the neighboring state of Kerala, this festival goes by the name of Thrikkarthika and in countless temples rows of oil lamps on the Vilakku madam around the outer walls of temples are lit and they enhance the beauty and sanctity of the place of worship. In many other states it is called Kartik Purnima, but is held on a different date!! This year, the main part of Karthigai Deepam festival - lighting of Mahadeepam falls on 2 December and it is a main event at Arunachaleswarar temple, Thiruvannamalai town, Tamil Nadu. It is more than 1000 years old, patronized by many saints of Tamil region.
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| Karthigai Deepam at Thiruvannamalai temple. Sampath Speaking |
The most sacred part of this unique festival is lighting of oil lamps at homes, temples and in the work place. The idea behind this festival is to get rid of the old, unwanted things in the house and replacing them with new ones and it has philosophical connotation, implying elimination of bad or negative thoughts, ignorance and replacing them with positive thoughts, just like a ray of light dispelling darkness. Hence in this festival, oil lamps are personification of holiness, welfare and prosperity. The place where it is lit gets sanctified, creating positive energy. When you light up a series of oil lamps at home, it brings in happiness, so much so, in the temples oil lamps create an atmosphere of reverence, respect and devotion to all pervading gods.
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| Kerala, Vaikom Mahadeva Temple, manoramaonline.com |
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| Thiruvannamalai temple, Tamil Nadu. Deccan Chronicle |
During the festival days, around the four Maada streets, each day there will be a procession of deities (Utchavars). The car (chariot / Ther) festival falls on the 7 th day and deities would be taken out on five colorfully decorated huge wooden chariots. Devotees would pull them manually along the four Maada streets. The highlight of the festival is lighting of the Karthigai Maha Deepam on the temple premises and on the hill (which is roughly 2668 foot tall). prior to that Shiva in the arthanareeswarar alangaram is emerging out of the shrine to the open yard. The three-day float festival (Theppa Thiruvizha / Theppo Urchavam) will be held in the huge temple tank and is part of the festival.
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| Karthigai. Arunachaleshwara Temple, Tamil nadu. Poompuhar |
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| Uchipillayar temple,'Karthigai Deepam,Tiruch, the hindu com. |
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| karthigai deepam wick Tiruchi rockfort. thehindu.com |
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| Tamil nadu Map. traveldealsfinder.com |
On the Karthigai deepam day in the city of Tiruchirapalli, “Karthigai deepam” will be lit in the evening around 6 pm on a cauldron made of copper atop the Shiva temple. A large number of devotees will participate in this holy festival with devotion and reverence. According to temple authorities, the deepam will keep going for three long days. It is quite interesting to note that
preparation for the big-sized wick for the “deepam” will be taken up at least one week before the festival. A whooping 300-metre cotton cloth is used for making the giant wick, and about 1,000
preparation for the big-sized wick for the “deepam” will be taken up at least one week before the festival. A whooping 300-metre cotton cloth is used for making the giant wick, and about 1,000
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| Location map, Tamil nadu Indo Vacations |
liters of ‘illuppai oil' (Mahua) and Sesame oil besides ghee will be used to get the deepam going. The Maha deepam with all its brilliance atop the rock fort will be visible all around the city. Later there will be a procession of idols around the nearby streets in the rock fort area..
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| Karthigai deepam, Meenakshi temple, Madurai .thehindu.com/ |
At Madurai Meenakshi temple, TN this festival is held with religious fervor and piety; oil lamps will be lit in front of houses and business houses. In the past the lighting of one lakh clay lamps on the temple premises was a major event as part of the ‘Karthigai Deepam’ celebration and it drew lots of devotees to the temple. It was a grand sight to see the illumination around the temple tank enhancing the beauty, grandeur and godliness of this famous temple.
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| Karthigai deepam, Thiruparamkundram temple.thehindu.com |
At the near-by Subramaniya Swamy temple,further uphill at Thiruparamkundram, Maha Deepam will be lit in the evening after puja. At the entrance of homes around the temple, as in other places, women will light up the clay lamp after Maha Deepam is lit atop the hill. According to the temple officials, preparation for the Maha Deepam here is done by the team from Thiruvannamalai and it takes quite a few days to make the preparation. Normally 120 meters of cotton cloth, 5 kgs of camphor and about 350 liters of oil and ghee are needed for the Maha deepam.
In all temples dedicated to Subramanya, Ganapathi, Shiva and Vishnu, Karthigai Deepam festival is observed with reverence. Temples are well decorated with Kolam/rangoli and rows of oil lamps. The belief has been that the new year will bring in happiness, prosperity and self-contentment.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/%E2%80%98Karthigai-Deepam%E2%80%99-begins-tomorrow-in-Tiruvannamalai/article16741485.ece
thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/karthigai-deepam-illuminates-rockfort-temple-precincts/article6667713.ece
https://navrangindia.blogspot.in/2015/11/colorful-karthigai-deepam-festival-india.html
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/karthigai-deepam-lights-up-madurai/article6667683.ece
