2015 Chittarai Vasantha Ursavam

Currently underway at Arunachaleswarar Temple is Vasantha Utsavam; a ten day festival depicting the blossoming of love between Lord Shiva and the Goddess. The Festival this year started on April 23, 2015 and will complete with special functions on Saturday May 2, 2015. 

Chittarai Vishakam Festival 

Day 1: Thursday 23rd April, 2015 

Day 10: Saturday 2nd May, 2015 

To those hoping to attend the last day of the Festival at Arunachaleswarar Temple, the schedule for Day 10 will be: 

Morning: Bath of the Gods at Ayyankulam Tank (Outside Arunagirinathar Temple) 

Evening: Special Puja and Abhishekam at Gopal Vinayaka Temple (near State Bank of India) 

Night: Around 10.00 p.m. at Flagpost, Siva Sannidhi, Arunachaleswarar Temple. Manmathan Dhaganam Function with crackers and fireworks 

To read the legend about this festival and functions celebrated at this time go to these links here, here, here and here. 

Chittarai Poornima crowd in an earlier year

Chittarai Poornima girivalam (May 3rd, 2015) after the Festival will be the most heavily attended poornima girivalam (after Karthigai Deepam) of the year’s calendar at Arunachala. It will be VERY CRUSHED. 

Chittarai Poornima is dedicated to Chitragupta, the Keeper of Deeds in the house of Yama, (God of death) and to Indra, the leader of the Devas. Lord Brahma created Chitragupta through the Sun God and He is considered as the younger brother of Lord Yama. Chitragupta (Chitra=picture, Gupta=hidden) represents the hidden picture of life that is vital, yet unknown. 

Chitragupta keeps a register of every birth (good or bad) and according to ancestral belief, it is he who tallies one’s positive karma against one’s negative karma and declares the result to the Judge on High. It is believed to be the right time to gain blessings to wash away sin and accrue virtue. 

2015 Arunachala Tamil New Year

The Ner Annamalaiyar Lingam Shrine and Mandapam is located on the Arunachala girivalam roadway in an exact axial line opposite to Arunachaleswarar Temple on the other side of the Hill. 

The early morning sun on Tamil New Year i.e. April 14 first falls directly onto the Lingam in this Shrine – this phenomenon can only be viewed on this day. Traditionally each year on this date, large crowds gather at this Temple to be first to greet the rays of Surya and seek divine blessings for the coming new year. 

First Light falling on the Ner Annamalaiyar Lingam

2015 Panguni Uthiram Festival--Celestial Wedding

Panguni Uthiram is celebrated during Panguni Month (March-April) during Uthiram Nakshatra day. In 2015 the Panguni Uthiram date was April 3.

Panguni Uthiram (Falgun Purnima) full moon day is known as the time of celebration of the Celestial Wedding of Lord Siva and Goddess Parvathi; Lord Murugan and His consort Goddess Devayani and Lord Vishnu and His consort Goddess Andal. This day also celebrates the divine wedding day of Lord Rama and the Goddess Sita. 

This celebration of Divine marriage is intended to emphasis the glory of married life for householders and to protect their union from separation. It is believed that offering prayers to God at this time gives good mental equilibrium to couples and bestows them with strength, love, affection and understanding. 

Devotees visiting Lord Murugan Temples on Panguni Uthiram day carry Kavadis and many devotees choose to have their heads shaved and to observe austerities at this time. To read the legend of Lord Murugan's devotees and the Kavadi, go to this link here.

Lord Murugan devotees carrying Kavadis

At Arunachaleswarar Temple a Marriage Festival is celebrated.

Exchange of Garlands for the Gods

Alangaram of the Gods

Marriage of  Lord Annamalaiyar and the Goddess

Devotees watching the marriage

In the evening the Gods came in procession and an exchange of garlands took place. 

Arunachaleswarar and Parashakti after exchanging garlands were both moved to the Kalyana Mandapam. Inside the Kalayana Mandapam (Thirukalyanam Mandapam), the Thirukalyanam Festival occurred. 

Gods in procession in the town

After which Lord Arunachaleswarar with Goddess Ambal came out in procession on the mount of the Golden Rishaba (bull). 

After completion of the Celestial Marriage on full moon day, special functions celebrating the Panguni Festival daily occurred connected with  Arunachaleswarar Temple from April 3, 2015 to April 8, 2015. 

Arunachala spur with Murugan Shrine on Top

As mentioned earlier this Panguni Uthiram full moon day Festival is also the celebration of the Celestial Wedding of Lord Murugan and his Goddess Devayani. As well as the carrying of Kavadis, devotees of Lord Murugan also held separate functions for their God at various Lord Murugan Temples and Shrines throughout Tiruvannamalai. 

The hillside shrine on a small spur south of Arunachala held a two day long celebration of the Celestial Wedding. On both the 3rd and 4th of April, the whole top of this spur was decorated and lit up with lights. 

For more information and photographs of the Lord Murugan Shrine on the spur rock go to this link here. 

April 1, 2015 -- Pradosham Arunachaleswarar Temple

Below are photographs of Pradosham observed at Arunachaleswarar Temple on Wednesday April 1, 2015. 

In regard to this observance the five Nandis at Arunachaleswarar Temple are: 

Pradosha Nandi, in the Moolastanam 

Ratha Vilaku Nandi in the Second Prakaram 

Kodi Kampathu Nandi in the Third Prakaram 

Chinna Nandi in the fourth prakaram, and 

Periyar Nandi that stands in front of the Vallala Gopuram in the Fifth Prakaram. 

Chinna Nandi, Fourth Prakaram

Kodi Kampathu Nandi, Third Prakaram

Annamalaiyar Alangaram before procession around the Shiva Sannidhi