Rukku is very nicely dressed for the day wearing her cover of the Goddess Meenakshi.
In the below photograph the ladies are tugging on a huge linked chain that is pulling along the chariot.
Rukku is very nicely dressed for the day wearing her cover of the Goddess Meenakshi.
In the below photograph the ladies are tugging on a huge linked chain that is pulling along the chariot.
Silver Kuthuvilakkus
Vilakkupic
The five wicks in the kuthuvilakku represents our five senses and also the Panchaboothangal: 5 elements of the World; Earth, Water, Air, Sky and FireTraditionally, after Karthigai, most of these lamps, except for those in daily use, were cleaned and stacked away, and taken out only the next year for the festival. In the old, tiled-roof houses, agal vilakkus were invariably stacked in the loft beneath the roof.
Karthigai is essentially a festival of lamps. The lighted lamp is considered an auspicious symbol. It is believed to ward off evil forces and usher in prosperity and joy. While the lighted lamp is important for all Hindu rituals and festivals, it is indispensable for Karthigai.
In ancient Tamil literature, the oldest available work Tolkappiyam gives in concise verse form rules for Tamil grammar as well as other topics. Scholars agree that this work dates back to 2000 or 2500 BC. In one of the formulae Tolkapiyar in his treatise uses the phrase "like the lamp’s flame pointing upwards." In another epic Jeevakachintamani written by a Jain poet, Thiruthakka Thevar, the poet describes how people celebrated the Karthigai Deepam festival.
In Karnarpadu, the poet in one of the stanzas, describes how in the Tamil month of Karthigai during the time of the Krittika star, the lamps lit by people blossomed on earth, bringing rain in its wake. In another Tamil work, the Kalavazhi Narpadu dating back to the third Sangam period (after 1000 B.C) the poet says, "In the battle the blood oozing out from the dead soldiers´ bodies is like the red coloured flame of the lamps lit during Karthigai Deepam festival".
In another Sangam work, Pazhamozhi, in stanzas ending in proverbs, one stanza ends with this phrase, "like the beacon on the Hill." In Sambandar´s Tevaram, while trying to raise a young girl Poompavai from the dead, he asks with deep feeling, "O Poompavai, have you gone without seeing the ancient Karthigai festival?" Another song in Tevaram says that the Lord is verily the Deepam (lit during the Karthigai festival).
There is a work on Karthigai Deepam consisting of a hundred stanzas, praising the festival. When Muruganar asked Bhagavan Ramana about the significance of the Karthigai Deepam festival, Bhagavan composed a stanza of four lines in which he says, "The true significance of the Karthigai Deepam festival is that it turns the intellect inwards and having fixed it in the Heart merges it with the indweller of the Heart".
[By Rajaniyer]
Below is muffin playing in the soft, marshy grass which lies at the edge of a large pond, which is the remains of last year's Lake Samudram. This time last year my puppy would have been a couple of feet underwater - hold your breath little doggy!
Well this is a sight that gladdens my heart. I suppose these men have official permission, otherwise they would be taking the dirt (which is used for construction) in the middle of the night. The Lake is around 700 acres of unspoilt, undeveloped land that is a natural catchment area in rainy season for water pouring off the mountain and surrounding land. Digging out the land and making the lakebed even deeper, just means it will get more flooded and even more impossible for greedy land speculators to persuade politicians to change its status from Poramboke Land (Government) to Patta Land (privately held).
One of the earliest references to Karthigai Deepam festival is found in the Ahananuru, a book of poems, which dates back to the Sangam Age (200 B.C. to 300 A.D.). The Ahananuru clearly states that Karthigai is celebrated on the full moon day (pournami) of the Tamil month of Karthigai. It was one of the most important festivals (peruvizha) of the ancient.
Karthigai is essentially a festival of lamps. The lighted lamp is considered an auspicious symbol. It is believed to ward off evil forces and usher in prosperity and joy and indispensavle for the festival of Karthigai.
After the completion of the preliminary 3 day functions; Sri Durgambal on Kamadenu vahanam, Sri Pidariamman on Lion vahanam, Sri Vinayagar on Mooshiga vahanam, the ten days of Bhrammotsavam which takes place in the month of Kartikai (Scorpio, Nov 15 through December 15), started up today.
Each of these festival days is marked by a procession of the Pancha Murthis (5 God idols) inside the Big Temple and around the streets of Tiruvannamalai. The Gods are; Arunachaleswarar (Shiva), Unnamulaiyaal (Shakti, Parvati), Ganapati, Subramanian (Murugan) and Chandikeswarar in gaily decorated mounts.
Most noteworthy among the proceesions are the Rishabha Vahana Utsavam celebrated on the fifth evening (19th November) of the festival and the Rathotsavam (Maha Radham) Big Wooden Chariot around roads of town, celebrated on the seventh day of the festival (November 21st).
Order of Processions
First Day 15th November
Day: Panchamoorthies
Five Deities Silver Chariot
Night: Panchamoorthies
Mooshigan Mayil (Peacock), Adihara Nandi (Bull),
Sina Rishaba Chariots
********************
Second Day, 16th November
Day: Sri Vinayagar
Sri ChandrasekaraVimanams
(Chariots) of Sooriya Prabha; the Sun.
Night: Panchamoorthies
Silver Indra Vimanam Chariots
********************
Third Day, 17th November
Day: Sri Vinayagar
Sri Chandrasekara in new Vahanams
Night: Panchamoorthies
Simha (Lion) Vaahanamam,
Silver Swan etc
********************
Fourth Day, 18th November
Day: 1008 Sanka Abishekam,Sri Vinayagar,
Sri Chandrasekara Vimanams - Naga (Cobra) Vahanam
Night: Panchamoorthies
Silver Kalpatraru, Kamadenu (Cow of Plenty),
Ruby and Silver Chariots.
********************
Fifth Day, 19th November
Day: Sri Vinayagar
Sri Chandraskara Glass, Rishaba Vahanams, Silver Elephant
MAJOR PROCESSION Night: Panchamoorthies
Silver Mooshigan,Silver Mayil
Large Silver Bull Rishaba Vahanam
********************
Sixth Day, 20th November
Day: Sixty-Three Nayanmars (Saints)
Sri Vinayagar, Sri Chandraskara Mooshikan
Night: Panchamoorthies
Indra Vimanam - Silver Car, Etc.
********************
Seventh Day, 21st November
BIGGEST AND GRANDEST PROCESSION
Big Wooden Chariot -
The Maha Radham around roads of town
Night: Panchamoorthies reach Ashthana Mandapam
********************
Eighth Day, 22nd November
Day: Sri Vinayagar,Sri Chandrasekara, Silver Chariot
Night: Panchamoorthies start with Horse
Vahanams etc at night 4.p.m. Pichandavar in Golden Meru
********************
Ninth Day, 23rd November
Day: Sri Vinayagar,Sri Chandrasekara, Glass Vimanam
Night: Panchamoorthies
Kailasa Vahanam,
Kamadenu - Cow of plenty
Raveneswaram Vahanam etc.
********************
Tenth Day, 24th November
MAHADEEPAM DAY
4 a.m. Maha Barani
Day: Tank Teertham
Ceremony 4.00 A.M.
Dusk: Panchamoorthies in Golden Vimanams
6 p.m. Deepam fire on top of Mountain.
Tank Ceremony
********************
Tank Ceremony
25th November
Day: Sri Chandrasekara Boating Festival
Night: Panchamoorthies in Golden Rishaba Vimanams.
********************
Tank Ceremony
26th November
Day: Sri Parasakthi Boating Festival
Night: 7 p.m Sri Arunachaleswara
and Mother Apeethakuchalambal
Sri Chandikeswarar
********************
Tank Ceremony
27th November
Day: Sri Subramania Boating Festival
********************
Tank Ceremony
28th November
Day: Sri Chandikeswarar Festival
Night: Sri Chandikeswarar Utsavam
Rishaba Vahanam
Silver Bull.
Yesterday evening I performed giripradakshina around Arunachala and coming back through the town of Tiruvannamalai (during my hillround) I was able to enjoy the first night of Deepam Festival, namely, Sri Durgambal Urchavam.
The Deepam festival involves a lot more than just the lighting of the flame on top of Arunachala. The first night of the lighting of the flame actually takes place on the 10th day of Deepam and stays alight for between 8-10 days. However the Festival itself lasts for 13 days. Of these the first day is connected with the Durga Amman Temple. Each day denotes different functions and ceremonies at either the Durga Temple, the Annamalai Temple or in the streets surrounding them.
Deepam is a festival which traditionally is connected with the Hill and Arunachaleswarar Temple and Durga Amman Koil (Koil = Temple), is the only other Arunachala Temple that actually participates in the functions.
The reason for this is supposed to be because of the Goddess and the demon Mahisha (see 'The Fight with Mahishasura'). Before her battle the Goddess appointed four noble Bhairavis (celestial damsels) to keep watch on all four sides of Arunagiri. She ordered:
"Admit only those who have come to worship Arunachala and are tired, hungry and thirsty. Others should not enter. She then appointed strong men to guard the boundaries of Arunachala and continued Her penace at Her ashram." [The Glory of Arunachala]
For this reason, the first day of Deepam Festival is always a celebration of the Goddess, recognised as a Guardian of Arunachala.
The below sequence of photographs shows the procession of the Durga Statue seated on Kamadhenu (the wish fulfilling cow) and being taken on a clockwise procession from Durga Amman Temple around the perimeter streets of the 26 acre Arunachaleswarar Temple and thereafter returning back to her own Temple. As is always the case in such functions, the procession stops whenever people along the route make offerings.
This year 4 large screens have been installed around the Temple, and one giant screen inside, so that later days of the Festival can be seen by the greatest number of devotees.
I went on giripradakshina yeterday evening and noticed the new amazing 3-D statues of the Gods; Ganesha, Lakshmi and Saraswati on the outer wall of Vallalar Complex off the hillround roadway.
So here is the statue of Ganesha taken from the leftside.
Now, from the right side.
And from his very best side.
The Vallalar Complex is really fascinating with lots of different features that I hope to feature in an upcoming newsletter sometime. A really interesting new development in the area.
On further investigation I also see that 'Arunachaleswarar Temple' has now been christened 'Annamalaiyar Temple' by the Tamil Group intelligentsia.