Showing posts with label Karthigai Deepam 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Karthigai Deepam 2010. Show all posts

24 November 2010

Maha Radham Arunachala Deepam 2010


One of the most well attended functions during the Arunachala Deepam Festival is always the day of the Maha Radham. On this day, five enormous chariots carrying representations of the Gods, circumbulate the perimeter of the 26 acre Arunachaleswarar Temple compound. The largest of these chariots is the Maha Radham, carrying the Lord Arunachaleswarar.

Over the years another major part of the day of 'Maha Radham' is ‘karumbu thottil’ -- which involves the fulfilment of a vow by parents, who previously promised Lord Arunachaleswarar that if granted a child, would return and carry the child in a 'sugar cane cradle' around the Temple.

A short narrative in a National newspaper on this subject begins thus:

"Hundreds of parents circumbulated Sri Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai town carrying their child in ‘karumbu thottil’, a cradle made of a new silk sari tied to sugarcane, to fulfil their prayers to Lord Arunachaleswarar.

A common sight on the seventh and tenth days of the Karthigai Deepam festival, the ritual is the culmination of a vow made to the deity. The devotees and temple priests strongly believe that couples will be blessed with a child if they promise to Lord Annamalaiyar that they will carry the infant around the temple in a sugarcane cradle. Not less than 10,000 couples kept their vow this year." To continue reading go to this link here.






This year at the beginning of the day long circumbulation, there was an incident in which the back wheels of the huge chariot over ran a number of devotees. We can report that no lives were lost and the devotees involved in the incident are now recovering.

In some of the below photographs, its possible to gauge the size and weight of the huge chariots, which are pulled with chains manually by devotees (gents on the right, ladies on the left) around the vast Temple perimeter.












By the time the Chariots have completed their full circumbulation of Arunachaleswarar Temple, it is late in the evening, and the chariots are once again positioned in their permanent homes on the side of 'Car Street' in the front of Arunachaleswarar Temple.




12 November 2010

Karthigai Deepam Festival Schedule


This morning the Flag Hoisting Ceremony at Arunachaleswarar Temple marked the first day of 2010 Karthigai Deepam Festival. To those thinking of visiting Tiruvannamalai during the Festival, below is the full Festival Schedule.

Hope to post photographs from various days and functions of the Festival on Monday.



Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Festival: Sri Durgai Amman Utsavam

Evening: Vimana



Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Festival: Sri Pidari Utsavam

Evening: Simha Vahana



Thursday, November 11, 2010
Festival: Anughnai, Vigneshwara Poja, Vaasthu Shanthi Mrithsangrahanam

Evening: Sri Vinayagar Velli Mooshiga Vahana



Friday, November 12, 2010 -- Festival: 1st Day
Morning: Dwajaroghanam (Hosting of religious flag of the festival), Panchamoorthies Five Deities Silver Chariot

Evening: Panchamoorthies Mooshigam Mayil (Peacock), Silver Adihara Nandi (Bull), Hamsam and other Small Rishaba Chariots.



Saturday, November 13, 2010 -- Festival: 2nd Day
Morning: Sri Vinayagar, Sri Chandrasekara Vimana's (Chariots) and Suryapirai Vahanam

Evening: Panchamoorthies Silver Indra Vimana (Chariots)



Sunday, November 14, 2010 -- Festival: 3rd Day
Morning: Sri Vinyagar, Sri Chandrasekara Vimana’s, Boodha Vahana and 1008 Sangabhishekam

Evening: Panchamoorthies, Simha Vahana (Lion Chariot), Velli Anna Vahana



Monday, November 15, 2010 -- Festival: 4th Day
Morning: Sri Vinayagar, Sri Chandrasekara and Naga Vimana’s

Evening:Panchamoorthies, Velli Karpagha Viruksham (Auspicious tree which will fulfill your wishes), Velli Kamadhenu Vahana and other Velli Vahana’s



Tuesday, November 16, 2010 -- Festival: 5th Day
Morning: Sri Vinayagar, Sri Chandrasekara, Mushigam, Kannadi Rishaba Vahana’s

Evening: Panchamoorthies, Velli Mushigam, Velli Mayil, Velli Big Rishaba Vahana’s



Wednesday, November 17, 2010 -- Festival: 6th Day
Morning: Sri Vinayagar, Sri Chandrasekara, Mushigam, Velli Yanai, 63 Nayanmar’s Vimana’s

Evening: Panchamoorthies in Silver Chariot, Indira Vimana and other Silver Vimana’s



Thursday, November 18, 2010 -- Festival: 7th Day
Morning: Panchamoorthies in Maha Radha’s (Big wooden Chariots)

Evening: Panchamoorthies Reaching Aasthana Mandab in Chariot’s



Friday, November 19, 2010 -- Festival: 8th Day
Morning: Sri Vinayagar, Sri Chandrasekara Silver Chariot

Evening: Panchamoorthies start with Horse Vahanams. Pichandavar in Golden Meru



Saturday, November 20, 2010 -- Festival: 9th Day
Morning: Sri Vinayagar, Sri Chandrasekara Glass Vimanam

Evening: Panchamoorthies Kailasa Vahanam, Kamadenu - Cow of plenty Raveneswaram Vahanam etc



Sunday, November 21, 2010 -- Festival: 10th Day
Morning 4'o clock: Bharani Deepam in the Temple and Theerthavaari in Brahma Theertham

Evening 6'o clock: Maha Deepam on the top of the holy mountain.

Night: Panchamoorthies, Golden Rishaba Vahana’s


Monday, November 22, 2010
Festival: Theppam (Holy Boating)
Evening: At 7.00 PM Sri Chandrasekarar Theppam And Giri Pradakshanam by Sri Chandrashekara with Sri Abithakujalambal


Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Festival: Theppam (Holy Boating)
Evening: At 7.00 PM Sri Parashakthi Amman Theppam


Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Festival: Theppam (Holy Boating)
Evening: At 7.00 PM Sri Subramania Boating Festival


Thursday, November 25, 2010
Evening: Sri Chandikeswarar Festival, Sri Chandikeswarar Utsavam, Rishaba Vahanam (Silver Bull)