2016 Mahashivaratri Programme, Arunachaleswarar Temple

Monday, March 7th - Tuesday, March 8th, 2016 

During the day of Monday March 7, devotees of different satsang groups will be creating giant-sized Kolams on the floors of the Temple Compound. As is usual, the Kolams are not made from powders but from dyed salt crystals. 

Kolams made of crystal salt rock will be on Temple Compound floors

As the day progress into dusk on the evening of March 7, devotees will light clay deepam lights and place them all around the edges of the Temple Theertham. The gates of the Theertham for this reason are kept open on this day. 

Arunachaleswarar Temple (including the Siva Sannidhi and Mother’s Shrine) will also remain open for a period of 24 hours during Mahashivaratri. 

Cultural Programme and Devotional Songs: 

In the evening of March 7th, poems, devotional songs and cultural programmes will take place in front of the Mandapam outside the Rajagopuram (East Gate) of the Big Temple.

Inside the Temple at the Auditorium located in the 4th Prakaram, cultural programmes and devotional singing will take place from 6 p.m. on Monday, March 7. 

Devotees' lamps will surround Temple Theertham

Pujas and Worships: 

Special Abhishekam: 

Lakshana Archana will commence on Monday March 7, 2016 at the Siva Sannidhi, Arunachaleswarar Temple 

Night of Mahashivaratri: 

March 7-8 at 12 midnight. Commencement of the Sri Lingodbhavamurti (at back of Siva Sannidhi) 

Mahashivaratri Night Puja Programme: 

1st Kala Puja 8.30 p.m. March 7 

2nd Kala Puja 11.00 p.m. March 7 

3rd Kala Puja 2.00 a.m. March 8 

4th Kala Puja 4.00 a.m. March 8 

Photographs of 2015 Mahashivaratri at Arunachaleswarar Temple

The below photographs are of the recent 2015 Mahashivaratri function celebrated at Arunachaleswarar Temple at Tiruvannamalai. To learn more about the legends and significance of Mahashivaratri as is observed at this place go to this link here.

The first photograph is of devotees performing worship by lighting camphor outside the main Raja Gopuram East Gate of the Temple. 

Main Temple Gate on Night of 2015 Mahashivaratri

Devotees going through the Temple Vallala Maharaja Gopuram

Generally both Theerthams inside the Temple Compound are closed to devotees, but on the evening of Mahashivaratri around 6 p.m. the gates of the Brahma Theertham traditionally open to allow devotees entry to light and place their individual Deepamas at the side of the tank. 

Lights around Brahma Lingam Tank, Arunachaleswarar Temple

Throughout the Temple Compound various groups of devotees engage in their own devotions throughout the evening of Mahashivaratri -- one of the Festivals celebrated at Arunachaleswarar Temple during which the Temple gates stay open all night. 

At the auditorium some devotees are watching cultural programmes. In the Moolasthanam others are attending the Kala Pujas and later on the Lingodhavamurti Puja. Other devotees are silently sitting in quiet spots in meditation. In the below photograph a small group of devotees are gathered in front of the Brahma Lingam Shrine in satsang and are observing the night of Mahashivaratri, singing bhajans dedicated to Lord Shiva. 

Singing bhajans in front of the Brahma Lingam Shrine

Devotees coming up from Tank after lighting their Deepam

Cultural Programme, Arunachaleswarar Temple Auditorium

Traditionally large kolams created by using salt rock crystals are made in the morning of the first day of the Festival. After their creation, devotees place small clay deepams around the kolam perimeters. The below depicts Saint Arunagirinathar -- who has many legends associated with this Temple. 

Arunagirinathar Kolam

Lingodbhavamurti Puja 

On the Night of Mahashivaratri, which in 2015 was observed on February 17th-18th, an abhishekham and puja ritual commenced at 12 midnight at the Sri Lingodbhavamurti. 

The manifestation of Shiva in a column of fire, carved in stone is known as the Lingodbhavamurti. It is always enshrined in the rear niche of a Shiva Lingam sanctum. Since most temples face east, the Lingodbhava faces West. The non-anthropomorphic form of the Shiva Lingam is a representation of this infinite cosmic column of fire, whose origins were not traceable by Brahma or Vishnu. The Shiva Lingam is the centre of reverence and worship in all Saivite temples. 

2015 Lingodbhavamurti Puja, Arunachaleswarar Temple

Lingodbhavamurti located outside the back of the Moolasthanam

Arti at 2015 Mahashivaratri Puja at Lingodbhavamurti

To learn more about the Lingodhavamurti at this Temple, and the legend of the Ketaki flower and why it is only used in Shiva worship one time a year -- i.e. the night of Mahashivaratri, visit my earlier posting at this link here. 

2013 Mahashivaratri Festival Arunachala

Significance of Mahashivaratri Festival 

Each month there is day known as Shivaratri and once a year there is Mahashivaratri (maha=great); The Great Night of Shiva. The dates of these occasions correspond to the phases of the moon and it is believed that the mind (which is adversely affected by the power of the moon) is less susceptible to low, animalistic forces and thus more tractable to the power of meditation and prayer. 

It is for this reason that Mahashivaratri is believed to be the one 24-hour period in the year which is of the greatest benefit. It has been stated in the scriptures that if a man fasts, stays awake and meditates for the whole of Mahashivaratri, it will give him his best chance to achieve mastery of the mind and attain liberation. 

Mahashivaratri always falls on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Phalguna (February-March), and is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva. On this day devotees sing Shiva bhajans, recite verses from scriptures, offer prayers in the morning and evening, and some observe fasting throughout the day. People visit Shiva Temples and in the case of Arunachala, premier Shiva site of South India, circumambulation of Arunachala Hill is observed by many. 

The name Shiva signifies a quality that means 'Auspicious' or 'The Auspicious One'. To a few, Shiva is Paramatman, Brahman, the Absolute, but many more prefer to see Shiva as a personal God given to compassion for his worshippers, and the dispenser of both spiritual and material blessings. Related to the Absolute concept is Shiva as Yoganath, the Lord of Yoga, wherein he becomes teacher, path and goal. As such he is the Adi Guru or Highest Guru of sannyasins who have renounced the world to attain the Absolute. 

To continue reading more about the significance of this Festival go here to view a descriptive pictorial narrative. To view information and photographs specifically connected to the Mahashivaratri Festival of 2012 go to this link here. 

The Temple will be packed on the night of Mahashivaratri and as tradition dictates will be OPEN throughout the night of March 10 -- March 11, 2013. The number of devotees coming to Tiruvannamalai to perform girivalam on the night of Mahashivaratri has always been small compared to Full Moon crowds, however each year larger number of pilgrims are now descending upon Tiruvannamalai in order to perform girivalam at this most famous Shiva Sthalam on the Great Night of the Lord. 

There will be huge, beautiful coloured kolams decorating the floors of the Temple Compound, oil and ghee lamps around the Temple water tanks, an inspirational cultural programme including devotional singing and cultural dancing, Pujas of the 4 Kalas, performance of One Lakh Archana, and also a beautiful puja and abhiskeham of the Lingodbhavamurti located at the back of the Shiva Sannidhi. 

Below is the programme timings (with translation) of the 2013 Mahashivaratri Festival to be conducted at Arunachaleswarar Temple, Tiruvannamalai. 

Tami Nadu Religious Hindu Department, Tiruvannamalai 

Mahashivaratri Invitation March 10, 2013 One Lakh Archana on Sunday 10-03-2013 at Tiruvannamalai, Arunachaleswarar Temple from 5 a.m. in the morning to 2 p.m. in the afternoon. 

Ticket for the One Lakh Archana costs Rs.200/- and is available from the Temple Office. 

Contact telephone number: (0)4175-252438 

Festival Timings of Cultural Programmes March 10, 2013 

6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oothuvar Group Singing Devaram Music 

7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Chennai Sivaallayam Group, Bharatnatyam 

8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Vellore Sri Krishna Kala Mandir Group, Bharatnatyam 

9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Gudiyatham Kalaivani Group, Bharatnatyam 

10 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tiruvannamalai Kala Mandir Group, Bharatnatyam 

11 p.m. to 2 a.m. Madras Veera Mani Raju and Malayil Swami, devotional singing 

Timings of the 4 Kala Pujas 

1st Kala -- 8.30 p.m. (March 10, 2013) 

2nd Kala -- 11 p.m. (March 10, 2013) 

3rd Kala -- 2 a.m. (March 11, 2013) 

4th Kala -- 4 a.m. (March 11, 2013) 

Lingodbhavamurti Puja 

12 o’clock on the night of March 10-March 11, 2013 Lingodhava Abhishekam Puja