2015 Deepam Festival. Day Eight—Early Evening: Lord Shiva as Pichandavar

On the 8th Day of Karthigai Deepam as celebrated at the Arunachaleswarar Temple, there are traditionally three different processions. The first in the morning is that of Lord Chandrashekara on the Horse Vahanam on its circumbulation and meeting of the Maharadham. The second procession on the 8th Day is that of Lord Pichandavar (which is Lord Siva in His manifestation as a beggar). The third procession, which occurs later in the night is that of the Lord on the Vahanam of a White Horse.

Lord Shiva as Pichandavar

Pichandavar (i.e. Beggar)

Beautiful detail work on Vahanam

All night processions brilliantly illuminated

Lord Shiva as Pichandavar 

One story of Lord Shiva in the form of Pichandavar (beggar) goes like this: 

Punithavathiar as Karaikal Ammaiyar was called (the only woman saint of the 63 Nayanars), was born in a Vaisya family. Her father was Danadathan. He was a wealthy virtuous merchant. He and his dutiful wife prayed to the Lord for a child, and the child the Lord blessed them with they called Punithavathy. From her childhood, Punithavathy had an intense love for Lord Siva and His bhaktas. She was married to Paramadattan, a wealthy Vaisya. Both of them were leading an ideal householder’s life. 

To read more go to an earlier posting on Arunachala Grace at this link here.