This day, Day Eight of the 2015 Arunachala Karthigai Festival, Lord Chandrasekhara on Horse was celebrated.
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| Lord on Horse Vahanam |
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| Lord Chandrasekahara |
Showing posts with label 2015 Karthigai Deepam Festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2015 Karthigai Deepam Festival. Show all posts
23 November 2015
2015 Deepam Festival. Day Eight—Day: Lord Chandrasekhara on Horse
The 2015 Arunachala Karthigai Deepam Cauldron
Early morning on the 8th day of the 2015 Karthigai Deepam Festival, puja was performed to the cauldron before it started its long journey to the top of the Hill. Lovely Rukku, our Elephant was on hand to lend her own regal blessings to proceedings. As is traditionally the case the Cauldron was taken up the Hill by locals of the Fishing Caste.
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| The Cauldron after cleaning and painting |
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| Lovely Rukku, adding her own substantial Blessings to the proceedings |
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| After Puja, the long journey starts to the top of Arunachala |
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| Leaving the Temple at the Pey Gopuram Gate (West Gate) |
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| The men of the Fishing Caste on their way to the top of the Hill |
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| Their long haul upward |
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| The Wick for the Cauldron, at the Temple waiting to be transported up the Hilll |
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| Just a small part of the ghee that will be used in the Cauldron over the Festival |
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| Some devotees choose to purchase ghee directly from a Temple Shop |
22 November 2015
2015 Deepam Festival. Day Seven—Maharadham
For the last several days, it has been stormy, blustery and very wet. But nothing can dampen the enthusiasm of Lord Arunachaleswarar's devotees. The town has been packed throughout the day with thousands of devotees eager to participate and/or take darshan of the passing Maharadham (giant wooden chariot).
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| Devotees milling around at the base of the Maharadham |
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| Flower sellers out in force |
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| Puja items for devotees wanting to perform worship in front of the Radhams |
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| Sugar-Cane, for devotees to complete their vrata (vow) and carry their child on circumambulation |
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| Carrying their child in sugar-cane cradles (karumbu thottil) |
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| Devotees leaving flowers and offering at base of Maharadham |
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| Devotees crowding around the 5 Radhams, one for each of the Gods |
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| Lord Arunachaleswarar on the Maharadham |
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| Rain falling heavily and the Gods waiting to set off on their circumambulation |
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| Radhams are moving, circumambulation of the Temple perimeter streets will take about 10 hours |
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| Wonderful darshan of Arunachala, Temple and the Maharadham |
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| The massive Maharadham has just turned the corner and is beginning moving up the slope of Thiruvoodal Street |
Rains, storms, delays . . . nothing could curb the enthusiasm of the crowds of devotees and pilgrims attending the Maharadham Festival, on Day 7, of the 2015 Deepam Festival.
Umbrellas proliferated and devotees kept in good cheer throughout the long, tiring day, until late in the evening the five Radhams returned to their designated areas on Car Street.
Ordinarily in the case of pulling the Lord Arunachaleswarar Maharadham, gents are on the left and ladies on the right. As the day progressed with the rain becoming more sheeting, and conditions increasingly unpleasant in pulling the huge chariot, gents took over the duties from the ladies pulling the right side of the chariot.
However the chariot of the Goddess Unnamulai, was exclusively pulled by women and the Radham of Chandikeswarar (steward to the Gods) pulled by youngsters.
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| The long, cold, wet day did not undermine the enthusiasm of Devotees |
Alangaram of the Panchamoorthies for Maharadham Procession
Below are the Alangarams of the Panchamoorthies in the Kalayana Mandapam, on the morning of November 22, 2015. After aarti, the Panchamoorties are taken to their respective Radhams (chariots) that they may perform circumambulation of Arunachaleswarar Temple on this day of the great Festival of Maharadham.
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| Lord Ganesha |
During functions of Deepam Festival, the panchamoorties are taken on procession. These panchamoorties are: Ganesha, Arunachaleswarar, Amman, Subramaniyar and Chandikeswarar.
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| Arunachaleswarar |
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| The Goddess |
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| Lord Subramaniyar |
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| Chandikeswarar |
Chandikeswarar as he became to be known is one of the 63 Nayanmars. For those unfamiliar with the history of Chandikeswarar and how he gained stewardship of the Gods, the story goes as follows:-
“Chandikeswarar,a devotee of Lord Shiva was born in the village of Seynalur on the banks of the river Manni in the Chola country, as a young lad named Vicharasarman.
He was the son of a pious and learned Brahmin named Yajnadatta. Vicharasarman was of great intelligence. One day when the lad was going to school, he saw a cowherd brutally assaulting a cow. Angry at the behaviour of the cowherd, young Vicharasarman took upon himself the duty of tending the cows of the village, to which the villagers acceded. From that day the cows looked happier and yielded more milk. More than the cow’s udders could hold. Vicharasarman, seeing that the milk was being wasted, collected it in vessels, set up lingams made of sand and poured this excess milk to bathe the lingas with intense piety for Shiva.The cowherd who had lost position on account of this Brahmin boy, saw him in this act and found this a good cause for denouncing him. He immediately brought it to the notice of the village elders as well as Yajnadatta, Vicharsarman’s father. The father saw his son pouring milk on small sand mounds and without investigating, kicked one of the lingas in anger. Young Vicharasarmana came out of his reverie and cut off the leg of his father with an axe with which he had kicked a linga.
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 Chandikeswarar.”
Preparing the Chariots for Maharadham Day
Throughout this week preparations have been underway preparing the five radhams for the panchamoorthies for the big day of the Maharadham procession. This year the procession falls on November 22, 2015. As all five of the Radhams (wooden chariots) are so large, they each have a permanent parking spot on the side of Car Street -- i.e. the main thoroughfare running in front of the Alankaram Mandapam on the east side of the Temple.
Yesterday (i.e. 21 November, 2015) repair and decorating crews were out in force for last minute preparations for the big day of the Maharadham Procession.
Yesterday (i.e. 21 November, 2015) repair and decorating crews were out in force for last minute preparations for the big day of the Maharadham Procession.
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| Decorating one of the smaller of the wooden chariots |
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| Clambering on top of a chariot |
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| Town in constant excitement and activity throughout the Deepam Festival |
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| Adding Buntings and Banners to the Maharadham |
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| The Maharadham will be pulled by devotees using metal chains |
2015 Deepam Festival. Day Six—Night: Silver Chariot
The first two photos are of the Silver Chariot in its permanent garage in the 3rd Prakaram. The details of the Silver Chariot are easy to see before being covered with decorations, lights and garlands.
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| Silver Chariot in its Garage, 3rd Prakaram |
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| Lord Arunachaleswarar on Silver Chariot night of 6th Day |
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| Lord Arunachaleswarar on Silver Chariot on Temple Mada Veedhis |
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| Completing circumambulation of Arunachaleswarar Temple |
21 November 2015
Live TV coverage and online streaming video 2015 Karthigai Deepam
Live TV coverage and online streaming video 2015 Karthigai Deepam
Tiruvannamalai Karthigai Deepam – November 25, 2015
Morning 4:00 am Bharani Deepam
Afternoon - Theerthavari Brahma Theertham
Evening 6:00 pm Karthigai Deepam at Arunachaleshwarar Temple
Watch Karthigai Deepam 2015 live telecast on TV channels, youtube, online streaming
Karthigai Deepam will be lit on the holy mountain of Tiruvannamalai around 6 pm which will be visible around a radius of 35km. The live telecast of Karthigai Deepam on 25th November will start from 4:00 pm on the following TV channels.
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| Karthigai Deepam at Arunachaleswarar Temple in previous year |
Karthigai Deepam live telecast on TV channels:
Sun News,
Vasanth TV,
Zee Tamil,
Raj TV,
Jaya News,
Podhigai TV,
SVBC TTD TV,
Sri Sankara RV,
Thanthi TV,
News7 Tamil,
Puthiya Thalamurai TV,
Polimer news,
Captain News channels.
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| Live Coverage of Karthigai Deepam Function |
You can watch the live streaming of Karthigai Deepam on:
Video of Fifth Night: 2015 Karthigai Deepam
The below short video was taken last night of Lord Arunachaleswarar and Goddess Parashakti leaving Arunachaleswarar Temple by the Thittivasal Gate on their way to the Alankaram Mandapam, where they will be mounted on their respective Vahanas.
In the case of Lord Arunachaleswarar, his Vahana for the Fifth Night is the giant silver Rishaba.
After the priests complete decorating the 5 Gods (panchamoorthies), the Gods give darshan to devotees in front of the Alankaram Mandapam, receive aarti and then are go on their processional route through the mada veedhis (permieter streets) of the Big Temple. The video shows the energy and devotional fervour of the devotees outside the Big Temple.
2015 Deepam Festival. Day Five—Night: Silver Rishaba
Below are photographs of the night of Day Five of the 2015 Arunachala Karthigai Deepam Festival in which the vahana of Lord Arunachaleswarar is the Silver Rishaba.
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| Panchamoorthies receiving Aarti at Kalyana Mandapam |
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| Gods Receiving Aarti at Yagasala Shrine, 3rd Prakaram |
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| Panchamoorthies giving Darshan at Alankaram Mandapam |
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| Silver Rishaba |
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