Deepam Festival Lights

The beautiful Arunachaleswarar Temple resplendent with its 2010 Deepam Festival lights.


Right click to view enlarged photographs.

Rainy Days during Deepam Festival

So far 2010 Arunachala Deepam has been beset by heavy rains. Below a couple of very nice 'rainy' photographs taken during this year's Festival at one of the Arunachaleswarar Temple tanks.

Street Processions

Below a pictorial snapshot of the first few days of 2010 Arunachala Deepam. Most days there are processions in both the morning and evening. To see the Festival schedule click on this link here.

Just to get the party going, a beautifully adorned Ruku, the lovely lady Arunachaleswarar Temple elephant.








Priests and workers in all the Arunachaleswarar Temple shrines are busier than usual maintaining puja implements.








Even though Deepam Festival is going forward nicely, there are still roadworks underway on outlying streets, in preparation for the huge crowds expected for Bharani Deepam on Sunday, November 21.






Certain towns in India were created as a consequence of the presence of a Temple. In the case of Arunachaleswarar Temple, Tiruvannamalai initially grew around it in support of the slow development of the massive 26 acre Temple compound. Originally streets surrounding Arunachaleswarar Temple were inhabited by priests, artisans, labourers and tradespeople, all working in the creation and maintenance of the Temple.

Nowadays, the surrounding streets are no longer defined by class, caste and ocupation, however the relevance of processions through town, still play an essential role in maintaining a living relationship with ordinary folk going about their business throughout the day and Temple life.

All the following photographs are of processions that have occurred in this 2010 Deepam Festival, and are all taken OUTSIDE Arunachaleswarar Temple. The photographs are of the Gods circumbulating and giving their darshan around the 26 acre perimeter of the Temple. The radhams (chariots and floats) of the Gods, stop constantly to accept offerings from pilgrims and townfolk.

2010 Deepam

If you look through the archives of Arunachala Grace, you will find many posts and photographs of previous Deepams.

Will be posting photographs of 2010 Deepam, so check back regularly over these days of Deepam Festival.

For the time being am posting a short narrative on the Greatness and relevance of Deepam.



Greatness of Deepam Festival

Sage Gowthama said: “I shall describe to you the glory of that which liberates people from all sins and bestows all prosperity. In the mount of Karthika, on the day of the star Krittika during pradosha (i.e. thirteenth day country from the new moon/full moon) the fortunate ones who perform giripradakshina are not born again. All karmas are destroyed on performance of giripradakshina. ‘It is customary to circumambulate the Hill for a Mandela or forty days. One who is not able to do this may perform giripradakshina at least for eleven days. If even this is not possible, then one should go round the Hill on the day of Deepam. This is equivalent to performing crores of Yagnas. (one crore 10 million). He who worships the Deepam lit atop the Hill derives countless blessings. A person residing elsewhere may light lamps in front of any shrine of Siva, atop His temple towers or on the peaks of other hills and he will be blessed. Whatever may be the attitude of the devotee, the mere lighting of the lamp on this day with any type of oil available confers great merit on him.

He who has darshan of this light on Arunachala Hill acquires the merit of having performed great charity and of having bathed in the sacred rivers. Who can express in words the benefits enjoyed by the one who has darshan of the peak of Arunachala with the beacon light glowing?’

The Glory of Arunachala
[Skanda Upapuranam]




Deepam Festival – Another Legend:

Long ago, King Vajresan of Panchala who was childless, was blessed with a son after having darshan of the Arunachala Deepam in the month of Kartika. The son was named Shatrujith. The prince grew up to be lecherous man. He once eloped with the wife of a Vedic scholar and came to Tiruvannamalai and entered the Temple of Arunachaleswarar.

It was the day of the festival of the beacon. The paramour made a wick out of her sari and lit the lamp with castor oil. At that moment the Vedic scholar came there and in a fit of rage stabbed his wife and the prince. And in turn the prince killed him.

Since it was a gruesome murder committed in the sacred precincts of the Temple the three were about to be taken to hell by the messengers of Yama, lord of death. At that moment the messengers of Siva intervened and claimed the prince and the woman as their own and took them to the abode of Siva. Their blasphemous acts were condoned by Arunachala Himself because the wife made a wick and the prince helped her to light the lamp for the Supreme Lord.

But the Vedic scholar was puzzled, as he was held by the messengers of Yama. The prince, moved by the plight of the Vedic scholar, ordered the vessel used for lighting the Karthika lamp to release the scholar. Immediately the Vedic scholar was liberated. Thus all the three, despite their misdeeds, were taken to the abode of Siva, as the merit gained by the simple act of lighting a lamp on Kartika day in his Temple outweighed their devilish acts.

The Glory of Arunachala
[Skanda Upapuranam]

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)