2011 Mahadeepam Live telecasts

The below TV channels will probably be only available in Tamil Nadu.

Maha Deepam DD Live:
Live telecast by Doordarshan Podhigai (DD1) from 4.15 pm on December 8, 2011 (Thursday).
Vasanth TV will live telecast Maha Deepam from around 4 pm.



On line Live Streaming
One can see live streaming of Karthigai Mahadeepam on:

http://www.vasanth.tv/livetv.php from Temple
http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/ from Ramana Ashram

and most probably also on websites listed below:

http://www.dinamalar.com/thiruvannamalai_live_video.asp Temple
http://www.svbcttd.com/ Temple
http://srisankaratv.com/ Temple

Devyandal Land

For those interested in purchasing land at Arunachala, there is a very beautiful land parcel available at Devyandal (northwest of the Hill) which is comprised of two adjacents farms and totals 5 acres in size.

View of Arunachala from Land



The land, which is very reasonably priced, is to be sold as one unit, but has an electrical connection and water tanks (driven by petrol motors) on both pieces of land.

To learn more and view photographs, go to this link here.

In Search of Secret India

As is the case with many pilgrims to Arunachala, my introduction to the Hill was through the writings of Paul Brunton in his remarkable book, “In Search of Secret India.”

The book charts the course of Paul Brunton’s spiritual quest travelling throughout India in search of a Guru. His journey led him to meet extraordinary men in very unordinary circumstances. Eventually he was to understand that his guru in form was Sri Ramana Maharshi, and three chapters in the book recount Brunton’s experiences both with Arunachala and with the Sage.

When the book “In Search of Secret India”, found its way into my life I was recuperating from an illness so was able to read the book many times in a restful and contemplative manner. Like Brunton, I also fell under the spell of several saints and sages presented “In Search of Secret India,” however my true enchantment was spun by what was termed, ‘The Hill of the Holy Beacon'. And the book left me with the overpowering intention to one day visit Arunachala during Deepam Festival, and view the light on top of the Holy Hill.

There can be no better joy in life then what man proposes and God disposes are unified and it has subsequently been my great good fortune to be allowed to be at Arunachala for many Deepams.

Below is a narrative from Brunton’s book which describes his first view of Arunachala;-

“ . . . We descend at a little wayside station and the train screeches and grinds away into the silent darkness. Night’s life has not quite run out so we sit in a bare and comfortless little waiting-room, whose small kerosene lamp we light ourselves.

We wait patiently while day fights with darkness for supremacy. When a pale dawn emerges at last, creeping bit by bit through a small barred window in the back of our room, I peer out at such portion of our surroundings as becomes visible. Out of the morning haze there rises the faint outline of a solitary hill apparently some few miles distant. The base is of impressive extent and the body of ample girth, but the head is not to be seen, being yet thick-shrouded in the dawn mists.

. . . . . I judge that we have now travelled about five or six miles, when we reach the lower slopes of the hill whose vague outline I had seen from the station. It rises like a reddish-brown giant in the clear morning sunlight. The mists have now rolled away, revealing a broad skyline at the top. It is an isolated upland of red soil and brown rock, barren for the most part, with large tracts almost treeless and with masses of stone split into great boulders tossed about in chaotic disorder.

Arunachala in the 1940's

Brunton’s companion said:

“. . . . . Once a year the temple priests celebrate their central festival. Immediately that occurs within the temple, a huge fire blazes out on top of the mountain, its flame being fed with vast quantities of butter and camphor. It burns for many days and can be seen for many miles around. Whoever sees it, at once prostrates himself before it. It symbolizes the fact that this mountain is sacred ground, overshadowed by a great deity.”

The hill now towers over our heads. It is not without its rugged grandeur, this lonely peak patterned with red, brown and grey boulders, thrusting its flat head thousands of feet into the pearly sky. Whether the holy man’s words have affected me or whether for some unaccountable cause, I find a queer feeling of awe arising in me as I meditate upon the picture of the sacred mountain, as I gaze up wonderingly at the steep incline of Arunachala.

“Do you know,” whispers my companion, “That this mountain is not only esteemed holy ground, but the local traditions dare to assert that the gods placed it there to mark the spiritual centre of the world!”

[In Search of Secret India by Paul Brunton]

Vijayadashami

The culmination of the festival of Navaratri is Vijayadashami also known as Dussehra (i.e. "remover of bad fate") which symbolises the Victory of Good over Evil, which this year falls today October 6, 2011.

The name Durga which means; "inaccessible", "invincible"; or "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of the Devi which is considered the fierce, demon-fighting form of Shiva’s wife, goddess Parvarti.

A narrative describing the victory of good over evil, is that of Goddess Durga fighting an asura named Mahishasura as appears in the Devi Mahatmya in the Markandeya Purana. More well known in these parts is the story of Goddess Durga’s battle and defeat of the demon as set down in the Skanda Purana (this legend appears in the below narrative).




Fight with Mahishasura

In this narrative Brahma relates how the demon Mahishasura was attracted to the beautiful Goddess Parvati and how he was lured to meet his end.

The devas, oppressed by the demon Mahishasura, who had taken the form of a buffalo, came down to earth and took refuge in the Goddess. They piteously told her about their sufferings and how they lived in fear and were compelled to obey all Mahishasura’s commands. They could do nothing, as the demon Mahishasura was invincible having obtained a boon from Siva that no man could kill him.

Hearing their cry of fear, the Goddess assured the devas of her protection and vowed to kill the great asura by strategy. Hearing such words of assurance the devas returned in peace to their abode. After they had left, Parvati manifested herself as the resplendent delusion Mohini (enchantress) and appointed four Bhairavis to keep watch on all four sides of Arunagiri, ordering them to admit only those who came to worship Arunachala and were tired, hungry and thirsty. Then after appointing strong men to guard the boundaries of Arunachala, extending to two yojanas (24 kilometres) the Goddess continued her penance at the ashram.

While Parvati was engaged in penance, there was no type of distress at all. The rains were plentiful, crops grew and the trees bore abundant fruits. Animals antagonistic to one another gave up their previous animosity, and neither external nor internal enemies prevailed. All the sages became content and praised the Goddess, who day and night continued to perform severe penance.

One day the demon Mahishasura, far from his own place, entered the forest of Arunachala whilst hunting animals. The animals then took refuge in the ashram of the Goddess and the asuras, chasing them, were denied entrance as it was a place of penance for Parvati. After entering the ashram, disguised as birds, the asuras seeing the Goddess soon returned to Mahisha praising her enchanting beauty. The demon, stricken with lust, disguised himself as an old man and entered the ashram, where he was told that the maiden of the ashram was doing penance in order to obtain a valiant husband, capable of performing great deeds.

After Mahisha spoke of his glories, the Goddess said she would become the wife only of a valiant man: ‘If you are such a man, display your strength. If you fail, admit that you are weak.’

On hearing these words Mahisha became enraged and sprang towards the Goddess with the object of killing her. At his approach Parvati transformed herself into Durga, the fiery and invincible Goddess. On seeing this, the demon made himself into the size of a mountain and gathered his vast armies from all quarters. But the Goddess was offered weapons and missiles by Brahma, Visnu, Siva, the dikpalakas, devas, mountains and seas. With many hands blazing due to the multitudes of arms, missiles and weapons, Durga, the great Maya, wore a coat of mail and immediately rode on her vehicle, the lion. Unable to bear her effulgence and seeing her terrible form, the demon Mahisha fled.

Knowing that the wicked Mahishasura could only be killed by subterfuge, the Goddess sends a monkey-faced muni named Suraguru to the demon. The demon becomes enraged on hearing the muni’s message from Parvati of abandoning adharma and following the path of righteousness. Thereafter the demon, gathered his armed forces and surrounded Arunagiri. The ensuing battle ended when the Goddess pierced the demon with her trident and cut off his head.



*********


After having killed the Demon, a lingam adhering to the Demon's neck when taken by the Goddess remained welded to the palm of Durga’s hand. The Goddess then went to a place which legend has it is now situated in the compound of the Durga Amman Temple at the foot of Arunachala. The area was dry, but the Goddess dug a hole with her sword and water gushed forth. When she took a bath, the lingam came off her hand and Durga started worshipping it.

The Goddess remained and bestowed her favours on her devotees. Since then, the sacred tank has had a regular water inflow. It is at this Temple that great celebrations take place in honour of Durga during the days of Navaratri and Dussehra – which symbolise the victory of the Goddess over evil.

Navaratri [Sharad] 2011

Each year Sharad Navratri commences on the first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Ashvin. The festival is celebrated for approximately nine nights once every year during the beginning of October, with dates and longevity determined by the lunar calendar. This Navaratri started on September 28th and will complete on October 6th, 2011. To read about Navaratri in more details go to this link here.

The origin of Navaratri came about when Adi Shankaracharya gave Upadesham to the people at two primary locations during the installation of the Sri Chakra. He delivered his Upadesham at Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh) and Koolurmugambika (Karnataka). He directed the women folk to worship the Goddess and seek her blessings for wealth, prosperity and long life for their husbands and overall happiness in the family. To read about the worship of Shakti during the days of Navaratri go to this link here.

This Festival is celebrated in a wide variety of ways, depending on region, local history and family influences. Some see it as a way to commune with one’s own feminine divinity. A widespread practice honours the Goddess in every woman by inviting young girls to the family's home, feeding them and offering new clothes. During the Festival, women also perform tapas and selfless acts.

Families in Tamil Nadu traditionally prepare in their homes a kolu, an exhibition of small dolls, figurines and small artifacts on a stepped, decorated shelf. At least one murti of Shakti must be present, as well as wooden figurines of a boy and a girl together to invoke auspicious marriages. For information about Kolu Dolls go to this link here.

Kolu Dolls Display

The Navaratri festival or 'nine day festival' becomes 'ten days festival' with the addition of the last day, Vijaya-dasami (day of victory) its culmination.

On all these days, Mother Mahisasura-mardini (Durga) is worshipped. According to the narrative from the Devi Mahatmya of the Markandeya Purana in which the form of Durga was created as a warrior goddess to fight a demon.

Below photographs are taken in one of four Amman Temples at Arunachala during this year's 2011 Navaratri. Right click to view enlargements.

Adi Kamakshi Temple,
Goddess meditating on Lingam

Arunachaleswarar Temple Mandapam,
Sri Lakshmi

Adi Kamakshi Temple,
Goddess with Sri Venkateshwara

In South India the Goddess is worshipped in three forms. During the first three nights, Durga is revered, then Lakshmi on the fourth, fifth and sixth nights, and finally Saraswati until the ninth night. Durga ("invincible" in Sanskrit) is the epitome of strength, courage and ferocity. Her devotees approach Her, sometimes with difficult penances, for those qualities and for the protection she Bestows.

Kamakshi Temple,
Gaja Lakshmi

Durga Amman Temple,
Goddess with Parrot

Kamakshi Amman Temple,
Rishaba Vahanam

A more gentle worship is observed for Lakshmi also called Annapurna "Giver of food," Lakshmi is the Goddess of abundance, wealth and comfort. She is the ever-giving mother, worshipped for well being and prosperity. A traditional way of invoking Her is chanting the Sri Suktam. In Her honour, food is prepared and offered to neighbours and all who visit, thus strengthening community ties. On the full moon night following Navaratri, it is believed Lakshmi Herself visits each home and replenishes family wealth.

The last three days of Navaratri, exalt Saraswati, the form of Shakti personifying wisdom, arts and beauty. Her name literally means "flowing one", a reference to thoughts, words, music and the Saraswati River. Mystically Saraswati is believed to be the keeper of the powerful Gayatri Mantra, which is chanted during the festival to invoke Her supreme blessings. Devotees meditate for days on this mantra alone, as it is considered the door to divine wisdom.

Kamakshi Amman
Temple Lights

In the next posting, photographs of Vijaydasami at Arunachala Amman Temples, and the significance of the Goddess at this place during Navaratri.