Currently underway at Arunachaleswarar Temple is Vasantha Utsavam; a ten day festival depicting the blossoming of love between Lord Shiva and the Goddess. The Festival this year started on April 23, 2015 and will complete with special functions on Saturday May 2, 2015.
Chittarai Vishakam Festival
Day 1: Thursday 23rd April, 2015
Day 10: Saturday 2nd May, 2015
To those hoping to attend the last day of the Festival at Arunachaleswarar Temple, the schedule for Day 10 will be:
Morning: Bath of the Gods at Ayyankulam Tank (Outside Arunagirinathar Temple)
Evening: Special Puja and Abhishekam at Gopal Vinayaka Temple (near State Bank of India)
Night: Around 10.00 p.m. at Flagpost, Siva Sannidhi, Arunachaleswarar Temple. Manmathan Dhaganam Function with crackers and fireworks
To read the legend about this festival and functions celebrated at this time go to these links here, here, here and here.
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| Chittarai Poornima crowd in an earlier year |
Chittarai Poornima girivalam (May 3rd, 2015) after the Festival will be the most heavily attended poornima girivalam (after Karthigai Deepam) of the year’s calendar at Arunachala. It will be VERY CRUSHED.
Chittarai Poornima is dedicated to Chitragupta, the Keeper of Deeds in the house of Yama, (God of death) and to Indra, the leader of the Devas. Lord Brahma created Chitragupta through the Sun God and He is considered as the younger brother of Lord Yama. Chitragupta (Chitra=picture, Gupta=hidden) represents the hidden picture of life that is vital, yet unknown.
Chitragupta keeps a register of every birth (good or bad) and according to ancestral belief, it is he who tallies one’s positive karma against one’s negative karma and declares the result to the Judge on High. It is believed to be the right time to gain blessings to wash away sin and accrue virtue.
