Holy Christmas to All

Have many wonderful postings of Arunachala to make in the upcoming days, so please check back to read about Rukku’s (our Temple Elephant) vacation, photographs of the beautiful Natarajar Abishegam recently performed at Arunachaleswarar Temple, the visit of Ratu Peranda (Head of Hinduism, Indonesia) with devotees to Arunachala and the very special Ruthra Abishegam Kaja Puja performed on December 14, 2013 at the Big Temple. 

In the meantime wishing all readers a very Holy Christmas, and to while away those seasonal moments, please click on this link here to take you to three jigsaw puzzles of Arunachala Deepam 2013.

Cancellation of 2013 Deepam Cow Fair, Tiruvannamalai

The wonderful, colourful Cow and Horse Fair celebrated each year at Tiruvannanamalai during the time of Karthigai Deepam, is cancelled this year due to what is being reported as an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in these parts. 

The below report is by J Shanmugha Sundaram and appears in local newspapers. 

“The wide spread dreadful foot-and-mouth disease among milch animals in several parts of the State has stalled the time immemorial horse and cattle shandy, which is part and parcel of the annual Karthigai Mahadeepam festival, this year. 

The district administration has cancelled the shandy as trans-shipped animals would lead to the spread of the viral disease and infect huge number of livestock. The shandy is conducted during the last three-days of the 10-day festival. Next to Anthiyur shandy in Erode district, the Tiruvannamalai cattle shandy is the second biggest one in Tamil Nadu. 

Historians and archaeologists said it had been mentioned in Sanga Illakkiyam that traders brought their horses and cattle to the shandy organised as part of the Tiruvannamalai Karthigai Mahadeepam festival. “It is as old as the festival,” said R Segar, Professor of History Department, Government Muthurangam Arts and Science College, Vellore. 

Though the shandy had lost its sheen, thousands of traders and proud owners of horses of different breeds such as Kathiawari and Marwari, native breeds of milch cows and bulls from across the State and from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala States continued to bring their animals to it . . . ” 

To read more go to this link here 

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The below photographs are of the wonderful Fair from an earlier Deepam. 

Deepam 2013 Clean-up

As always preparations for the Arunachala Deepam Festival start long before the function in conjunction with the local administration, revenue department, police and Temple authorities. 

At the Temple; wooden levers have to be fashioned by carpenters, ready to be placed under the large wheels of the chariots that will be daily used throughout the Festival. Repair work is undertaken on all Temple chariots and vehicles. 

Fire drills will be conducted at the Tanks inside the Arunachaleswarar Temple. And soon lights on Arunachaleswarar Temple will be placed around the Temple Compound perimeter and on the Gopurams heralding the upcoming Festivities. 

The giant cauldron which will be later carried to the top of Arunachala will be repaired and repainted. And arrangements have to be made for a mountain of ghee, to be stored in various rooms throughout the Temple. 

To begin with some photographs of Temple clean up and preparations. 

Men working on repair and painting, Big Chariot

Each chariot has to be inspected and repaired

Clean up outside the Shiva Sannidhi

Arunachaleswarar Temple Flagpole

Everything getting a good hose down

Panthakal -- September 8, 2013

Early this morning the Panthakal Function was performed at the Big Temple to mark the official beginning of the rituals and ceremonies preceding the Karthigai Festival (Mahadeepam is November 17, 2013). 

As well as blessing the front of the Temple, outside the Raja Gopuram, the priests also blessed the chariots and vehicles which will be later used in the upcoming Festivals.