Rukku Goes on Vacation

Now that her onerous 2014 Mahadeepam Festival duties are complete, around December 6th our girl Rukku happily left Arunachaleswarar Temple by the Peyogopuram Gate. She is on her way by lorry to the annual 48-day rejuvenation camp for Temple elephants held in Tamil Nadu. 

Watch those ears going through the Gate Rukku

HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY PRECIOUS

Some friends at the Camp

Photographs -- Arunachala Karthigai Mahadeepam: December 5, 2014

2014 Deepam Festival. Day Nine—Night: Kailasha (Ravana) Vahanam

Due to a delay with photographs and to complete this full pictorial record of the 2014 Festival, I am only now posting Day Nine of the Karthigai Deepam Festival celebrated here at Tiruvannamalai. 

Kailasha (Ravana) or Ravananugraha-murti ("form showing favour to Ravana") is a benevolent aspect of Lord Siva who is depicted seated on his abode Mount Kailash with the Goddess Parvati while the rakshasa Ravana tries to shake the mountain. 

The legend recorded in the Ramayana goes like this: 

The ten-headed, twenty-armed mighty King Ravana defeated and looted the city of Alaka (which belonged to his step-brother and God of wealth, Lord Kubera). After the victory, Ravana was returning to Lanka in the flying chariot stolen from Kubera, when he spotted a beautiful place which his chariot could not fly over. 

Ravana met Shiva's bull-faced dwarf attendant Nandikeshvara and asked the reason for his chariot's inability to pass over the place. Nandi informed Ravana that Siva and Parvati were enjoying dalliance on the mountain and no one was allowed to pass. 

Ravana mocked Siva and Nandi. Enraged by the insult to his Lord, Nandi cursed Ravana that monkeys would destroy him. In turn, Ravana decided to uproot the mountain Kailash, infuriated by Nandi's curse and his inability to proceed further. He put all his twenty arms under Kailash and started lifting. However, the omniscient Shiva realized that Ravana was behind the menace and pressed the mountain into place with his big toe, trapping Ravana beneath it. Ravana gave a loud cry in pain. Advised by his ministers, Ravana sang hymns in praise of Shiva for a thousand years. Finally, Siva forgave Ravana and granted him an invincible sword. Since Ravana cried, he was given the name "Ravana" – one who cried. 

The Tamil version of the legend narrates that imprisoned under Kailash, Ravana cut off one of his heads and built a veena from it. He used his tendons for the strings and began singing the praises of Siva which pleased the Lord so much that he bestowed a powerful linga to be worshipped by Ravana at Lanka. 

2014 Deepam Festival. Day Nine—Morning: Chandrasekhara on Purusha Muni Vahanam

Due to a delay with photographs and to complete this full pictorial record of the 2014 Festival, I am only now posting Day Nine of the Karthigai Deepam Festival celebrated here at Tiruvannamalai. 

The morning of Day Nine of the 2014 Festival celebrates Lord Chandrasekhara on Purusha Muni Vahanam. Purusha Muni represented in the vahanam is Kapila Muni. 

Kapila Muni was an Indian sage; considered as a descendant of Manu and a grandson of Hindu god Brahma. Kapila Muni is one of the founders of Sankhya philosophy. Swami Vivekananda called Kapila Muni "the greatest psychologist of the world has ever known"and told, "there is no philosophy in the world that is not indebted to Kapila." 

A legend associated with Lord Siva and the Muni goes like this: 

King Sagara magically acquired sixty thousand sons. One day the King performed a worship for the good of his kingdom. One of the integral parts of the ritual was a horse – but the horse was stolen by God Indra. The King sent his sons to search for the horse and it was found in the underworld next to the meditating sage Kapila. Believing that the sage had stolen the horse, they hurled insults at him and caused his penance to be disturbed. The sage opened his eyes for the first time in several years, and looked at the sons of Sagara. With this glance, all sixty thousand were burnt to death. 

The souls of the sons of Sagara wandered as ghosts since their final rites had not been performed. Bhagiratha a descendant of Sagara learnt of their fate and vowed to bring Ganga down to Earth so that her waters would cleanse the souls of his ancestoris and release them to heaven. He prayed to Brahma that Ganga come down to Earth. 

Brahma agreed, and ordered Ganga to go down to the Earth and then on to the nether regions so that the souls of Bhagiratha's ancestors would be able to go to heaven. Ganga felt that this was insulting and decided to sweep the whole Earth away as she fell from the heavens. Alarmed, Bhagiratha prayed to Lord Shiva that He break up Ganga's descent. She arrogantly fell on Lord Siva's head and he trapped her in His hair and released her in small streams. The touch of the Lord further sanctified Ganga. 

Day 4 Theepal - Sri Chandikeswar: Deepam Festival December 9, 2014

Brahmotsavam is intended to teach us the way to divine self-realisation. The last of the celebratory observances during Karthigai Festival is Thirthotsavam which literally means “water festival”. Four days are allocated at the end of Deepam to celebrate the water festival at Ayyankulam Tank in front of Arunagirinathar Temple (the third oldest Shiva Temple at Arunachala). The water festival is representative of the sadhaka’s plunge into the higher realms of consciousness – and typifies an entering into samadhi... an end of religious aspiration. 

The Theepal for the Gods are floating structure made up of drums and timber and decorated with lights, flowers, religious paintings and silken buntings. Lights are installed around the perimeter of the tank and focus lights placed at strategic points. When the murtis of the Gods come to Ayyakulam Tank they are placed lovingly on a float and then the float pushes off and completes an allocated number of turns upon the Temple Tank. Devotees sit on the steps of the tank to take darshan of the God on the Theepal. Thereafter the deity of that day is taken in procession around the four Mada Streets (perimeter streets) surrounding Arunachaleswarar Temple. 

Sri Chandikeswar

This (i.e. December 9, 2014) is the fourth and final day of the Theepal observances at the Ayyankulam Tank and part of the festivities surrounding the Arunachala Karthigai Festival. The below photographs are of Sri Chandikeswar (who as one of the five panchamoorthies represents us as devotee) being taken around the streets surrounding Arunachaleswarar Temple. 

In this and other processions throughout the Festival, the Panchamurthis are: Vinayagar, Lord Annamalaiyar, Goddess Unnamulaiyar, Lord Subramanya and Sri Chandikeswarar. 

Sri Chandikeswar in Mandapam outside Temple

To find out more about Sri Chandikeswar and how he was elevated to his high position: 

”Shiva was pleased with the devotion of this boy and he appeared in person along with Parvati his consort, before the boy. Shiva embraced him and made him in charge of his ganas (devotees or followers). He was also made the steward of his household, naming him Chandikeswara.” 

Visit this earlier posting at this link here.

Arunachaleswarar Temple with Arunachala Deepam background

On the Streets -- 2014 Arunachala Karthigai Deepam Festival

The below photographs are a pictorial representations of some of the sights at Tiruvannamalai during the 2014 Karthigai Deepam Festival. 

Arriving at the main bus stand

Girivalam crowd taking both sides of the roadway

Crowds on Car Street

Crowd during a God procession

Girivalam crowds early in morning

Massive lamps in evidence throughout the Festival

Carrying large child in Karumpu Thuthi (sugar cane sling)

Ladies burning camphor in front of Temple

Barbers busy outside and inside Temple shaving heads

Hair shaving becoming traditional during Arunachala Karthigai Deepam

Flower sellers outside Raja Gopuram (East Gate) of Big Temple

Big Temple trying to keep up with garland demands for alangarams

Shops and stalls in Tirvannamalai full of lamps and lights

Priests during Silver Bull night at Temple

Priests and Brahmins throughout Tiruvannamalai

Sadhu inside Arunachaleswarar Temple

Sadhini with wonderful kumkum pottu at Big Temple

Day 3 Theepal - Lord Subramanya: Deepam Festival December 8, 2014

This evening the third night of Thirthotsavam (i.e. Water Festival) Lord Subramanya (with his two wives) was taken out on a float on the Ayyankulam Tank located in front of the Arunagirinathar Temple a few minutes from the Big Temple. 

Lord Subramanya

Float on Ayyankulam Tank

3rd Day of the Thirthotsavam Festival, 2014 Karthigai Deepam

Day 2 Theepal - Parashakti: Deepam Festival December 7, 2014

This evening the second night of Thirthotsavam (i.e. Water Festival) the Goddess Parashakti was taken out on a float on the Ayyankulam Tank located in front of the Arunagirinathar Temple a few minutes from the Big Temple.

Devotees seat on the steps on the side of the Tank

Parashakti Theepal

Parashakti Goddess leaving the Tank

Lord Arunachaleswarar performs Karthigai Girivalam

Traditionally after Karthigai Mahadeepam Lord Arunachaleswarar performs girivalam (pradakshina) of Arunachala. This year that girivalam occurred this morning i.e. Sunday, December 7, 2014. Many of His devotees line the street to take his darshan.

Lord Arunachaleswarar

The Lord and Panchamoorthies performing girivalam

Procession goes around the full 14 km perimeter of Arunachala

Day 1 Theepal - Sri Chandrasekaran: Deepam Festival December 6, 2014

Brahmotsavam is intended to teach us the way to divine self-realisation. The last of the celebratory observances during Karthigai Festival is Thirthotsavam which literally means “water festival”. Four days are allocated at the end of Deepam to celebrate the water festival at Ayyankulam Tank in front of Arunagirinathar Temple (the third oldest Shiva Temple at Arunachala). The water festival is representative of the sadhaka’s plunge into the higher realms of consciousness – and typifies an entering into samadhi... an end of religious aspiration. 

Sri Chandrasekaran

The Theepal for the Gods are floating structure made up of drums and timber and decorated with lights, flowers, religious paintings and silken buntings. Lights are installed around the perimeter of the tank and focus lights placed at strategic points. When the murtis of the Gods come to Ayyakulam Tank they are placed lovingly on a float and then the float pushes off and completes an allocated number of turns upon the Temple Tank. Devotees sit on the steps of the tank to take darshan of the God on the Theepal. Thereafter the deity of that day is taken in procession around the four Mada Streets (perimeter streets) surrounding Arunachaleswarar Temple. 

Float on Ayyakulam Tank, Arunagirinathar Temple

Photographs, Video 2014 Arunachala Karthigai Mahadeepam

Below are two more photographs of the lighting of the 2014 Karthigai Deepam at Arunachala. 


Right click on photographs to view enlargement.

A short video (in Tamil) of the lighting of the flame of the 2014 Karthigai Deepam, Tiruvannamalai. 

Cow Festival 2014 Karthigai Deepam Festival Tiruvannamalai

Below is a pictorial representation of the 2014 Cattle Festival held at Tiruvannamalai during the Arunachala Karthigai Festival. 

The history of the Cattle Festival (which is held at Tiruvannamalai this time each year), is a long one that stretches back for hundreds of years. 

Unfortunately last year 2013, due to an outbreak of an infectious Cattle disease, the Festival had to be cancelled. However this year's Festival is a grand one with many bullocks, horses and even some sheep in evidence at the grounds of the Fair. 

The Fair is held in fields off the NH66 on the southside of Arunachala

Hundreds of Bullocks from Tamil Nadu at the Fair

These lucky bullocks enjoying the shade

White horse commonly used during wedding processions

Large number of horses for sale at the Fair

Horse carts and even sheep this year at the Fair

Beautiful colourful decorative and functional specialty items

Such stalls stretch down the sides of the NH66 near Arts College

Plentiful bells for cows and bullocks

Sometimes selling a bullock, is like losing a friend

Powerful bullocks to be used for agricultural and cart pulling purposes

Traditionally negotiations conducted by finger touching under cover

Excitement surrounding a deal just completed