This year I spent a lot of time on Deepam postings for Arunachala Grace and absolutely neglected my other Blogs: Arunachala Mystic, Arunachala Birds, Arunachala Land and Arunachala Satsang and website Arunachala Samudra. However just because I have neglected postings on my other sites doesn’t mean that I don’t have lots of fascinating narratives to upload . . . so keep checking in to all of the above.
Regarding the Deepam postings, sometimes there was a delay in preparing photographs for each day’s functions – thus the list below which appears on Arunachala Grace, is not completely in chronological order. In the coming month, the 2014 Arunachala Mahadeepam calendar and pictorial galleries will be uploaded onto my website Arunachala Samudra. In that upload day and night functions of each day of the 2014 Karthigai Mahadeepam will be in the correct order.
Anyhow to finish off 2014 rightly, below are links and short extracts of postings on my various Arunachala Blogs from Tuesday, November 4, 2014 to Wednesday, December 31, 2014.
Best wishes to all the readers of my Blogs and Website for a joy-filled, auspicious 2015.
Arunachala Grace
Annamalai Swami Quotes -- Advaita app:
Narrative on life of Annamalai Swami and link to an app connected with this great Saint.
Pradosham Arunachaleswarar Temple -- December 20, 2014:
Photographs of Pradosham at the Big Temple on December 20, 2014.
Arunachala Deepam Cauldron Puja:
Puja on the Deepam Cauldron at the end of the 2014 Karthigai Deepam celebrations.
Karthigai Deepam Cauldron back to Temple:
Photographs of the Cauldron coming back down Arunachala to the Big Temple.
2014 Deepam at Yogi Ramsuratkumar Ashram:
Photographs of a very nice Deepam display created by Yogi Ramsuratkumar Ashram.
Rukku Goes on Vacation:
As is becoming customary, at the end of Karthigai Deepam, our precious Rukku who is the Arunachaleswarar Temple elephant, goes on a 48 day rejuvenation camp to the forest.
Photographs -- Arunachala Karthigai Mahadeepam: December 5, 2014
Wonderful set of photographs of the night of 2014 Karthigai Deepam.
2014 Deepam Festival. Day Nine—Night. Kailasha (Ravana) Vahanam: Kailasha (Ravana) or Ravananugraha-murti ("form showing favour to Ravana") is a benevolent aspect of Lord Siva who is depicted seated on his abode Mount Kailash with the Goddess Parvati while the rakshasa Ravana tries to shake the mountain.
Deepam Festival. Day Nine—Morning: Chandrasekhara on Purusha Muni Vahanam: Chandrasekhara on Purusha Muni Vahanam. Legend of Purusha Kapila Muni.
Day 4 Theepal - Sri Chandikeswar. Deepam Festival December 9, 2014: Fourth and final day of the Theepal observances at the Ayyankulam Tank and part of the festivities surrounding the Arunachala Karthigai Festival.
On the Streets -- 2014 Arunachala Karthigai Deepam Festival:
Photographs of some of the sights at Tiruvannamalai during the 2014 Karthigai Deepam Festival.
Day 3 Theepal - Lord Subramanya: Deepam Festival December 8, 2014.
Third night of Thirthotsavam (i.e. Water Festival) Lord Subramanya (with his two wives) was taken out on a float on the Ayyankulam Tank.
Day 2 Theepal - Parashakti: Deepam Festival December 7, 2014.
Goddess Parashakti was taken out on a float on the Ayyankulam Tank located in front of the Arunagirinathar Temple.
Lord Arunachaleswarar performs Karthigai Girivalam:
Traditionally after Karthigai Mahadeepam Lord Arunachaleswarar performs girivalam (pradakshina) of Arunachala.
Day 1 Theepal - Sri Chandrasekaran: Deepam Festival December 6, 2014
The last of the celebratory observances during Karthigai Festival is Thirthotsavam which literally means “water festival”.
Photographs, Video 2014 Arunachala Karthigai Mahadeepam:
More photographs and video of the 2014 Karthigai Deepam celebrated at Arunachala.
Cow Festival 2014 Karthigai Deepam Festival Tiruvannamalai:
Wonderful pictorial representation of the annual Cow Festival celebrated at Tiruvannamalai during the Karthigai Festival.
Arunachala Karthigai Mahadeepam -- December 5, 2014:
Photographs of Mahadeepam at Arunachaleswarar Temple, significance of Ardhanarishvara worshipped at this time. Narrative of function by Swami Abhisktananda 1970.
Bharani Deepam 2014:
Photograph of the flame that will light the 2014 Karthigai Deepam on top of Sacred Arunachala
2014 Arunachala Karthigai -- Bharani Deepam:
Narrative describing the function and significance of the Bharani Deepam.
Festival of Lights:
Photographs of lamps of every description available for sale in the steets around Arunachaleswarar Temple.
Deepam Puja at Sri Rajarajeshwari Temple: Puja of the Goddess at Sri Rajarajeshwari Temple the day before 2014 Mahadeepam.
2014 Deepam Festival. Day Eight—Night: Arunachaleswarar Horse Vahanam.
In Hindu iconography, positive aspects of the vahana (vehicle) are often emblematic of the deity that it carries. Explanation of the horse as vahanam.
2014 Deepam Festival. Day Eight—Afternoon: Pichandavar
Lord Shiva in aspect of Pichandavar (beggar) and a story about a legend of this aspect.
2014 Deepam Festival. Day Eight—Morning: Chandrasekarar on Horse Vahanam
God on his horse vahanam visits the Maha Radham which has returned to its permanent spot (near the Temple on Car Street) from its previous day's Temple circumambulation.
Carrying 2014 Karthigai Deepam pot up Arunachala:
Photographs of men from the fishing caste carrying Cauldron up Hill and retelling of the legend that gave this caste the honour of charge of the Cauldron.
Puja with Rukku for 2014 Arunachala Karthigai Mahadeepam Cauldron:
Puja done early morning on the 2014 Arunachala Deepam cauldron before it is carried up the Hill.
2014 Deepam Festival. Day Seven—Full Day. Maharadham: Spectacular photographs of the procession of the huge wooden Chariot around the perimeter of Arunachaleswarar Temple.
2014 Deepam Festival. Day Four—Night: Karpavirutcham and Kamadhenu Vahanams:
One of the most popular of the processions during the Deepam Festival at Arunachala, is that of the Kamadhenu, the wish fulfilling cow, and the Kalpavriksha (also known as Karpavirutcham), the wish fulfilling tree. Both of which emphasis the wish fulfilling aspect of Arunachala.
2014 Deepam Festival. Day Six—Night: Silver Chariot:
Beautiful photographs (click to enlarge) of the night procession of the Lord on His Silver Chariot.
2014 Deepam Festival. Day Six—Morning. Elephant with 63 Nayanars:
A glorious Silver Elephant leads a procession of the great Shiva devotees, the 63 Nayanars.
Live TV coverage and online streaming video 2014 Karthigai Deepam:
Links to live TV and online streaming videos of the lighting of the 2014 Deepam.
2014 Deepam Festival. Day Five—Night: Big Silver Rishabam:
Big Silver Rishba with beautiful narrative by Swami Abhishekananda, 1970.
2014 Deepam Festival. Day Five—Day Chandrasekhara in Rishabam:
Photographs of Chandrasekhara in Rishabam (bull) Vahanam. Click photos to enlarge.
2014 Karthigai Deepam Festival -- Cultural Programmes:
Photographs of the cultural programme during the 2014 Karthigai Deepam celebrations.
Crowd Scenes 2014 Karthigai Deepam, Arunachala:
Sequence of crowd photographs taken during the early days of the 2014 Karthigai Deepam Festival
2014 Deepam Festival. Day Four—Day: Naga Vahanam
Procession of Chandrasekhara and Naga Vahanam
2014 Deepam Festival. Day Three-Night. Shima Vahanam Simha (lion): A creature that represents lordly power in general and lordly power of wild beasts in particular.
Deepam Festival. Day Three-Day. Bootha Vahanam. Lord Chandrasekhara on the Bootha Vahanam procession.
Deepam Festival. Day Two—Night: Lord Shiva on Indira Vahanam who as God of thunder and rain and a great warrior is a symbol of courage and strength.
2014 Deepam Festival. Day Two—Morning: Surya Perai Vaghanam
Photographs of morning procession of the Lord on Surya Perai Vahanam.
2014 Deepam Festival. Day One—Evening: Adhikara Nandi Vahana
Procession of Siva with his vahana of Adhikara Nandi – aspect of Nandi in the form of a bull-head human standing on two legs.
Day One 2014 Deepam Festival -- Panchamoorthy Silver Vimana procession:
This procession followed the flag hoisting ceremony marking the beginning of the 2014 Karthigai Deepam.
Flag Hoisting, 2014 Arunachala Karthigai Festival:
Flag Hoisting ceremony at Arunachaleswarar Temple took place, marking the first day of the 2014 Deepam Festival at Arunachala.
Vinayagar Ursavam—November 25, 2014:
Celebration in evening at Arunachaleswarar Temple of the Vinayagar Ursavam.
Pidari Ursavam, 2014 Karthigai Deepam Festival:
Pidari Ursavam was observed at Shrine. This Goddess is an aspect of the ferocious Goddess in a rural setting and regarded as being a consort of Siva through being an aspect of Kali.
Durgai Ursavam—November 23, 2014: Reason for the unique connection with the Goddess at Durga Amman Temple to the Karthigai Festival
2014 Karthigai Deepam -- Temple Preparations:
Last touches of preparation at Arunachaleswarar Temple for the upcoming 2014 Karthigai Deepam Festival.
2014 Karthigai Temple -- Arunachaleswarar Temple Illumination:
Beautiful photograph of the illuminated Temple during Mahadeepam. Click to enlarge.
Take a Virtual Tour of Arunachaleswarar Temple:
Links of virtual tours of Arunachaleswarar Temple and some of its shrines.
Pradosham November 19, 2014:
Photographs of the recently observed Pradosham at Arunachaleswarar Temple on Wednesday November 19, 2014.
2014 Major Karthigai Deepam Functions:
Major functions with photographs that will be enjoyed over the 2014 Karthigai Deepam Festival.
2014 Deepam Preparations Underway:
Photographs of spring cleaning at the Arunachaleswarar Temple.
2014 Arunachala Deepam Preparations:
Photographs and preparation for Deepam with illuminations and new Theepal.
Significance of Rice Puja:
During the month of Aippasi on Ashwini Star, as declared by Lord Shiva puja is performed with cooked rice and rice food items.
Pradosham -- Tuesday November 4, 2014:
Photographs were taken on Pradosham as observed at Arunachaleswarar Temple, Tiruvannamalai.
New Arunachala Blog:
New Blog starts authored by an Australian lady (Apeetha Arunagiri) who lives in India each year from July to December
Sadhus and Sannyasins at Raghavendra Shrine: Arunachala
Feeding of sadhus at Sri Raghavendra Shrine, Girivalam Roadway.
2014 Karthigai Deepam Arunachala Programme:
Arunachaleswarar Temple Programme for 2014 Karthigai Deepam.
Arunachala Mystic
Shirdi Sai Baba at Arunachala:
Beautiful photographs of the Shirdi Sai Baba shrines at Arunachala. Narrative entitled ‘Complete surrender to Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi.’
Meeting of Ramana Maharsi and Paramahansa Yogananda:
Information about the meeting of these two great saints.
