Below are photographs of the 2013 Mahashivaratri Festival celebrated at Arunachaleswarar Temple at Tiruvannamalai. Beautiful kolams painted on the floors of the Temple compound were created early in the morning. As the day progressed, one lakh archana puja was celebrated at the Shiva Sannidhi, as dusk fell devotees took to the steps of the Temple Tank to light and place oil or ghee lamps on the tank's perimeter.
Each kolam represents a particular story or legend of Lord Shiva, and I hope to give more details of this year's elaborate kolams in the next day or so. Also hope to post photographs of the cultural programmes performed through the night and of the special lingodbhavamurti puja which occurs on the night of every Mahashivaratri and performed at the back of the Shiva Sannidhi at the Big Temple.
