This year the three days
prior to the beginning of the Deepam Festival started on Monday, November 20,
2017 at the Durga Amman Temple, Tiruvannamalai. The reason for the unique
connection of the Goddess at Durga Amman Temple with the Karthigai Festival is
believed to be because of the Goddess and her fight with the demon Mahisha.
Go to this link to read
‘The Fight with Mahisasura’.
In the Mahishasura legend,
before fighting with the demon, the Goddess appointed four noble Bhairavis
(celestial damsels) to keep watch on all four sides of Arunagiri.
Commanding, that:
"Admit only those who
have come to worship Arunachala and are tired, hungry and thirsty. Others
should not enter. She then appointed strong men to guard the boundaries of
Arunachala and continued Her penance at Her ashram."
[The Glory of Arunachala]
In accordance with the
mythology of Arunachala, Durga is recognised as Guardian of Arunachala and thus
a precursor of the Deepam Festival is always a celebration of this aspect of
the Goddess.
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| Durgaiamman Alangaram |
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| Aarti to Goddess at Durga Amman Temple |
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| Goddess being carried out of the Temple |
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| Goddess on her Kamadhenu Vahana on procession through Tiruvannamalai |
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| Musicians leading the procession of the Goddess through Tiruvannamalai |
