Right click on programme for enlargement:
Throughout the Festival, there will be processions in the daytime circumambulating the Arunachaleswarar Temple, but have listed below only information about major evening processions. In addition throughout the Deepam Festival there are scheduled singing and dancing programmes inside the Temple Compound.
Tickets can be purchased which allows access to the Temple Compound on the day of Maha Deepam. However, tickets are limited in number, so one should make enquiries as early as possible through the Arunachaleswar Temple office.
Flag Hoisting at Arunachaleswarar Temple is on November 29th, however the Festival actually starts three days earlier at the Durga Amman Temple, which has its own schedule of events.
29th Day November, 2011
Morning: Dwajaroghanam (Hoisting of festival flag)
Evening: Panchamoorthies Five Deities Silver Chariot
30th November, 2011
Evening: Panchamoorthies Silver Indra Vimana
1st December, 2011
Evening: Panchamoorthies, Simha Vahana (Lion Chariot), Velli Anna Vahana
2nd December, 2011
Evening: Kamadhenu (wish fulfilling cow) and Kapalavriksha (wish fulfilling tree)
3rd December, 2011
Evening: Panchamoorthies, Velli Mushigam, Velli Mayil, Velli Big Rishaba Vahana’s
4th December, 2011
Evening: Panchamoorthies in Silver Chariot, Indira Vimana and other Silver Vimana’s
5th December, 2011
Day: Panchamoorthies Wooden Chariots start Temple circumambulation
Afternooon: Maha Radham (Big Wooden Chariot) starts circumambulation of Temple Perimeter
6th December, 2011
Evening: Panchamoorthies start with Horse Vahanams. Pichandavar in Golden Meru
7th December, 2011
Evening: Kailasa Vahana
8th December, 2011
Morning 4 a.m: Bharani Deepam Temple, Theerthavaari Brahma Theertham
Evening 6 p.m: Maha Deepam on the top of Arunachala.
Panchamoorthies, Golden Rishaba Vahana
One can foreshadow an admission fee right through the year to enter Arunachala Ishvara temple. The fee for entry to enter the temple on Kartigai Deepam day, is the thin edge of the wedge that will fling open the temple complex for full commercial exploitation!
ReplyDeleteThings started to change when vast crowds began to visit Arunachala, especially during Poornima and Deepam. From that time, the system at the Temple changed.
ReplyDeleteI can live with the idea of ordinary people being allowed to purchase Deepam tickets for entry into Arunachaleswarar Temple -- but find it a little unpalatable that an increasing amount of tickets are being allocated to VIPs.
Now that will be the true shame when ordinary people can't even get into the Temple during Deepam.
Fret not. The Deepam will be visible from around the Hill. Besides, who is Arunachala going to favour for moksha? - the simple, hardworking, honest person who wasn't smart enough to wangle a pass or the corrupt, politically connected person?
ReplyDeleteMeenakshi: I would like to to donate ghee for the Deepam? How can I ensure it will be used and where can I get the black greasy residue once Deepam is over. I worry about black magic stuff being passed off as Deepam material
I believe that after November 15, the Temple will be giving vouchers for Deepam ghee donations. And after Deepam one will be able to surrender the vouchers for prasad out of the Deepam pot. The amount of prasad received will be correlated to the Temple donation given for the ghee purchase.
ReplyDeleteThank you. How blessed you are to be there!
ReplyDelete