Arunachaleswarar Temple Lights: 2020 Karthigai Deepam Festival

 

 

Posting below a selection of photographs of the lights of Arunachaleswarar Temple. 

 

 

 

2017 Arunachala Karthigai Festival: Photographs of Deepam Festival

Cultural Programmes regularly held in Auditorium, 4th Prakaram

Dance academies in Tamil Nadu send Bharat Natayam dancers to perform

Dance and Music programmes are very professional

Illuminations throughout the Temple and around the Temple Tanks

This large illumination outside the Alankaram Mandapam off Car Street

Traditional musicians playing in front of processions and on the streets of Tiruvannamalai

Relations come to perform circumambulation of the Temple with baby in a cotton cradle (Karumbu Thutti)

The Deepam Cauldron created in 2016, has now been repaired and repainted and awaits in the 1000 Pillar Hall to be soon carried to the top of Arunachala

Ghee awaits in one of the Temple rooms, also to be transported to the top of Arunachala

Mahakumbhabhishekam Update

Mahakumbhabhishekam is to be held at Arunachaleswarar Temple on February 6. Renovation work began in 2015. More recently a crack found in the stone beam of the base of the 217 foot high Rajagopura (and other minor cracks found in the gopura) were fixed using anchor assemblies. 

Traditional ash colour paint was applied on all nine gopuram of the Temple. 

A pundal has been erected to house 108 yaga kundams meant to perform 12 kala homams which will begin on January 31, 2017. 

Rituals for the Mahakumbhabhishekam of Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple began with Ganapathi homam on Saturday, 28th January, 2017. 

Sprinklers have been set up to spray consecrated water on devotees during Mahakumbhabhishekam. Around 20 huge LED screens have been placed inside The temple and in important places of the town, including bus stand, to broadcast live streaming of the Mahakumbhabhishekam ritual. 

Below are photographs of shrines and gopuras at Arunachaleswarar Temple upon which scaffolding has been erected in order to facilitate the sprinkling of consecrated water on February 6, 2017 Mahakumbhabhishekam. 

And a photograph of some of the very nice illuminations that have been created at Arunachaleswarar Temple for this occasion.

Lights and Colour of Nights 1 and 2: 2015 Karthigai Festival

The crowds throughout the Karthigai Deepam Festival are huge and energetic. Processions, music, street programmes, cultural programmes, illuminations all add to the fervour and excitement of these times. 

Below are photographs from the first two evenings of the 2015 Karthigai Deepam Festival. 

Musicians add to the energy and excitement of the processions

Illuminations and lights throughout Arunachaleswarar Temple

The Gods beautifully illuminated at an Arunachaleswarar Temple Theertham

In the below photograph the vahanam of Adhikara Nandi (of the first evening), is waiting at the Alankaram Mandapam outside the main east gate of the Raja Gopuram of Arunachaleswarar Temple, to be decorated and receive its Gods.

Adhikara Nandi Vahanam

The Vahanam decorated and ready for circumambulation of the Temple

The below photograph is of the Indira Vahanam of the 2nd Night of the Festival, awaiting to be decorated and receive its God.

Indira Vahanam at Alankaram Mandapam

While at Alankaram Mandapam priests prepare the Vahanam

Beautifully illuminated and decorated Vahanam

Indira Vahanam ready for Temple Circumambulation

Lord Arunachaleswarar on Indira Vahanam