7 December 2014

Photographs, Video 2014 Arunachala Karthigai Mahadeepam


Below are two more photographs of the lighting of the 2014 Karthigai Deepam at Arunachala. 


Right click on photographs to view enlargement.





A short video (in Tamil) of the lighting of the flame of the 2014 Karthigai Deepam, Tiruvannamalai. 




Cow Festival 2014 Karthigai Deepam Festival Tiruvannamalai


Below is a pictorial representation of the 2014 Cattle Festival held at Tiruvannamalai during the Arunachala Karthigai Festival. 

The history of the Cattle Festival (which is held at Tiruvannamalai this time each year), is a long one that stretches back for hundreds of years. 

Unfortunately last year 2013, due to an outbreak of an infectious Cattle disease, the Festival had to be cancelled. However this year's Festival is a grand one with many bullocks, horses and even some sheep in evidence at the grounds of the Fair. 


The Fair is held in fields off the NH66 on the southside of Arunachala


Hundreds of Bullocks from Tamil Nadu at the Fair

These lucky bullocks enjoying the shade

White horse commonly used during wedding processions

Large number of horses for sale at the Fair

Horse carts and even sheep this year at the Fair

Beautiful colourful decorative and functional specialty items

Such stalls stretch down the sides of the NH66 near Arts College

Plentiful bells for cows and bullocks

Sometimes selling a bullock, is like losing a friend

Powerful bullocks to be used for agricultural and cart pulling purposes

Traditionally negotiations conducted by finger touching under cover

Excitement surrounding a deal just completed

6 December 2014

Arunachala Karthigai Mahadeepam -- December 5, 2014


Ardhanarishvara 

There are many subtleties and esoteric meanings connected with the mythology and legends of Arunachala. One of the most famous being that of Ardhanarishvara - a form of the divine which is particularly celebrated at Arunachala and not more so than during the festival of Deepam. 

At the mystic hour of dusk when thousands have gathered in the courtyards and roofs of the Temple, waiting since early morning, the pancha murtis, are carried out into the courtyard in a fast running motion, sitting in their golden palanquins covered with festoons. The deities are placed in a Mandapam (ceremonial pavilion) opposite the entrance to the Arunachaleshwara's temple and facing the holy mountain. 

At that time also the deity Ardhanarishvara is brought out and placed on the stairs of the Temple close to the big Deepam. This is the only day of the year that this particular Deity is ever moved. It is most auspicious. 

In the Deepam Festival the union of Shiva and Parvati in the deity Ardhanarishvara is also reflected. Once the Goddess in play covered the eyes of her Lord Shiva with her hands, and thus the whole world was plunged into darkness. However, Shiva opened his third eye on the request of the Gods, and light was restored. 


Ardhanarishvara

Uma was ashamed of her childish behaviour, and she retired from Mount Kailasa to Kanchipuram to do penance and purge herself of her sin. Shiva then directed her to go to Tiruvannamalai to worship him there. Mother Uma became an anchorite and did severe penance and also She performed girivalam around Arunachala with deep concentration on the holy name of the Lord. 

Shiva was pleased and told Her that she was now relieved of the sin which was causing the untimely pralaya (destruction of the world). He blessed Her saying, 'Come and unite with me,' and disappeared into the Hill. 

Then on Kartikeya day the Lord appeared as a blazing light, a jyoti on the top of the Hill, and asked Mother Uma to circumambulate the hill. So she did, and when she rounded the western side of the hill, Shiva appeared on his white bull and blessed her. When she rounded the hill on the north-western side he absorbed her into the left half of his body. Thus came into being the form of Ardhanarishvara, the deity that is represented as half male and half female. 

To learn more about the 'Legend of Ardhanarishvara' at Arunachala go to this link here


Ardhanarishvara darshan Temple Compound

Lord Arunachaleswarar

Lord Arunachaleswarar Darshan Temple Compound

MahaDeepam

“. . . However all this was only preparatory for the last and principal day of the Festival, on which the darshan of the Light is given. This day is also a day of fasting, as the spirit must be pure and completely unencumbered in order to receive the grace of this darshan. On this day one refrains from all food, or at least from taking the normal heavy meal of rice, until the evening after sunset, when one has actually seen the light on the crest of Arunachala. 

I spent this day at the Esanya Madan . . . and arrived around two o’clock, at the inner courtyard of the Temple which was already more than half full. However with the help of friends I managed to insinuate myself onto a balcony from which I could get an excellent view of the whole ceremony. By four o’clock it looked as if not a single square foot in front of the sanctuary remained unoccupied, and yet the crowds continued to arrive. From my balcony I looked down on a sea of heads, all exposed without protection to the fiery rays of the sun. 

In order to divert the crowd, as they awaited the great moment, a succession of speakers came to the microphone which was placed quite near me on the balcony. They had only a limited success, however; and even when Murugan Das took the microphone, began to sing and invited the crowd to join in the refrain he carried scarcely half of them with him. Then he chanted the great mantra “Glory to Shiva!” and at once every tongue took up the cry, which was bellowed from the loud-speakers and echoed back from the enclosure walls. Soon there was only the cry of “Om Namah Shivaya! Om Namah Shivaya!” coming in great waves of sound endlessly repeated from all sides and uttered in fervent supplication.


Deepam inside Arunachaleswarar Temple


Towards five the singing stopped, as a procession emerged from the Kalyana Mandapam. It was the five murtis (Ganapati and Subramaniyar, the two sons of Shiva; the Bull Nandi, Shiva’s vehicle, Parvati, his consort; and finally Shiva himself) which were now coming attired in their most splendid garments and covered with flowers, to mix with the crowd so that they might have the darshan of the Holy Light. Immediately in front of the porch of the sanctuary stands a mandapam which was built in 1202 by Mangayarkarasi to provide a shelter for the Lords of the Temple during this annual function. The murtis passed through the crowd in their palanquins carried on the shoulders of the Brahmins. Once they were in their place, everyone’s attention was once more turned towards the Mountain and the chanting of mantras began again. 

The atmosphere became more and more tense. The sun had now disappeared behind the mountain, and the lengthening shadow of the mighty Linga of rock gradually spread across the sanctuary, the courtyards and the Gopurams. The great moment was drawing near for which everyone was waiting—the appearance of the Flame. Expectation filled every heart and showed on every face. It increased in harmony with the rhythm of the cosmos itself; as slowly beyond the horizon the moon rose into the sky, while in the depths of space the constellation of the Pleiades, of Krittika, appeared in the same direction. 


2014 Mahadeepam Arunachala Hill


Suddenly there was the sound of an explosion, like a gunshot. Young Brahmin torch-bearers came running out of the inner sanctuary, brandishing their lighted torches at arm’s length. Priests offered the flame of the arati before the murti of Arunachala at its space under the mandapam. In front of the main gate a huge bronze cauldron, filled with oil, camphor and clarified butter, burst into a giant flame. 

And from the peak of the Mountain also, - on which all eyes had been fixed for the last full hour, not only in the Temple and the town, but in the whole countryside around to a distance of many leagues—the flame mounted up, manifesting both outwardly and in the heart of the faithful, the mystery of Light which from the beginning has at the same time hidden and revealed itself in Arunachala. 

That is all. The Flame has been seen. Joy and grace have filled all hearts. The crowd immediately begins to disperse, though it will be more than two hours before the Temple courts are completely empty. Each one as he leaves, goes to the bronze cauldron and casts into it his offering of camphor or of oil to be burnt up in the one great flame - a symbol of his own departure into the mystery of the Flame. 


2014 Mahadeepam at Arunachaleswarar Temple and on Hill


Meanwhile those from above begin their slow and difficult descent from the Mountain. They had climbed up early that morning in the first light of dawn, carrying jars of oil and clarified butter. The worthiest of their number were entrusted with bearing the sacred fire, taken from each of the Temple shrines, in order to light the Deepam flame. This had to be done at the very moment when, from their lofty observatory, they saw simultaneously the red sun disappearing in the west while the moon’s dish came over the horizon in the east. 

As soon as I left the Temple precincts amid the crowd of faithful, I joined with many others in once more following the circular road round Arunachala . . . as I stepped into the cool air of the night . . . all the detailed features of the Mountain had disappeared. There was nothing to be seen but the sharp outline of its mystic triangle sketched against the sky. As the moon climbed majestically towards the zenith, it shed over it its silvery light, while all around was spread a mysterious shadow. 

The Mountain had become an immense lamp, from the top of which glittered the bright Fame. OM.”
[By Swami Abhisktananda 1970]


5 December 2014

Bharani Deepam 2014


This is the flame that will light the 2014 Karthigai Deepam on top of Sacred Arunachala. 



Wishing all a Blessed and Sacred Deepam; may that LIGHT bring you a joyous and peace-filled 2015. 




[I hope to post a narrative and photographs of the lighting of the 2014 Deepam tomorrow -- December 6, 2014]


Click here for links and information about 2014 Arunachala Mahadeepam -- Live Streaming Video 

2014 Arunachala Karthigai -- Bharani Deepam



'The all-pervading quiet of early morning is suddenly disrupted by a mad clamor of thunderous sound. Ringing bells, pounding drums and piercing nagaswarams (temple horns) almost overpower the belting voices of hundreds of devotees who are singing songs in praise of Siva, the Lord of Arunachala. It is 4:30 am on the 5th December, 2014, and the main sanctum sanctorum of the massive Tiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar Temple is packed with souls who have been waiting all night for this moment. 

The chief priest has just finished a simple ritual called Bharani Deepam and now ceremoniously waves a huge camphor flame in the direction of nearby Arunachala mountain. Although he is chanting Sanskrit slokas, he cannot be heard amidst the deafening furor of devotion that surrounds him. Finally, he touches the flame he is holding to the wicks of five huge, earthen, ghee-filled pots, representing the sacred elements; earth, air, fire, water and ether. 



As these five flames loom up with red-yellow light, the famous, one-day, South Indian festival of Krittika Deepam officially begins. A single flame is then taken from the pots and kept burning in the Temple throughout the day as a symbol of the merging of manifestation back into God, the one source of all. This single flame is referred to as the Bharani Deepam. 



Significance "There is immense significance in this ceremony called Bharani Deepam. At this time, the universal Lord manifests as the five elements, which will later fully merge to become one when the Krittika Deepam flame is lit in the evening. From one to many and many to one. This is the whole essence of Saivism and the meaning of Krittika Deepam." 



Town's people and pilgrims from far afield, are climbing Arunachala some in order to secure a good viewing point for the evening's lighting of the 2014 Deepam cauldron, others so that they can personally deliver their ghee offerings to the top of Arunachala and some to just touch the cauldron that will hold the flame that will be lit that evening. From the town, the stream of people climbing up the slopes of Arunachala look like a line of tiny ants. 



Around 10:00 a.m. this Bharani morning, a group of fishermen will be blessed by a priest in a ceremony at the Temple. Amidst ringing bells and temple music, the priest will give the fishermen a lamp in a protected container that has been lit from the Bharani Deepam in the Temple. After the consecration ritual, the fishermen take off up the mountain. It will take them about four hours to carry the flame to the top of Arunachala. 

This lamp, also called Bharani Deepam, will be taken to the top of the Hill by fishermen from hereditary fishing families. Others of the same hereditary fishing family will remain at the Temple and this evening light the Deepam flame outside the Arunachaleswarar Siva Sannidhi.'

Festival of Lights


The streets surrounding Arunachaleswarar Temple are full of shops and street stalls selling lamps of every description in time for lighting this evening celebrating Karthigai Deepam. 





4 December 2014

Deepam Puja at Sri Rajarajeshwari Temple


As is my usual custom today, the day before Deepam, went early morning with a friend from Malaysia to Rajarajeshwari Temple to attend abhishekham of the Goddess. A very special Temple at Arunachala.


Goddess Rajarajeshwari

Sri Meru Chaktra

Nandi takes darshan of his Lord

The Goddess

Arasu, previously Civil Engineer who now manages this family Temple

2014 Deepam Festival. Day Eight—Night: Arunachaleswarar Horse Vahanam



In Hindu iconography, positive aspects of the vahana (vehicle) are often emblematic of the deity that it carries. In this procession each of the panchmoorthies not only has the horse as its vahana, but each God also carries a whip in their hand. 

The main characteristic of the horse is its loyalty, industriousness and swiftness. It is symbolic of energy and effort and also symbolises the air or prana which runs through the channels of the body and is the vehicle of the mind. That means, with God as driver, we have the possibility of controlling the mind and wind and guide it towards any direction and at any speed that we wish. The neigh of a horse is also symbolic of the power to awaken the sleepy mind for the practice of sadhana and righteousness. 



Alangarams: (left to right) Karthikeya, Arunachaleswarar, the Goddess

Lord Ganesha, whip in hand

Panchamoorthies Darshan outside Temple Mandapam

Arunachaleswarar on Horse Vahanam


2014 Deepam Festival. Day Eight—Afternoon: Pichandavar



Lord Shiva as Pichandavar 

One story of Lord Shiva in the form of Pichandavar (beggar) goes like this: 

Punithavathiar as Karaikal Ammaiyar was called (the only woman saint of the 63 Nayanars), was born in a Vaisya family. Her father was Danadathan. He was a wealthy virtuous merchant. He and his dutiful wife prayed to the Lord for a child, and the child the Lord blessed them with they called Punithavathy. From her childhood, Punithavathy had an intense love for Lord Siva and His bhaktas. She was married to Paramadattan, a wealthy Vaisya. Both of them were leading an ideal householder’s life. 

One day Paramadattan sent two mangoes to his house. Punithavathy kept them safely so that she could serve her husband with them at meal-time. In the meantime, a Siva Yogi (in the form of Pichandavar i.e. Lord Shiva as beggar Avatar) appeared before her hungry and completely exhausted. Punithavathy worshipped him and offered bhiksha. As she had nothing to give except the mangoes, she gave one to the guest. At midday Paramadattan returned to his home. His wife served him with one mango, which he so enjoyed that he asked for the other. In a state of turmoil, his wife appealed to the Lord for help. 




When she finished her prayer, mysteriously a mango fell onto the palm of her hand. She gave it her husband. He noted that it was exceptionally sweet and asked her to tell him from where she got it—as he was quite sure it was not the mango he had sent. Punithavathy told him the truth. Paramadattan, however, would not believe this and challenged her to produce another. She prayed again to the Lord and another mango appeared on her palm—which she gave to her husband. But, at once it disappeared from his hand. He was astounded and finally understood his wife’s greatness. He felt that it was a great sin to live with her as her husband. On the pretext of going to a foreign country for trade, he sailed with a ship load of goods. On return, he established himself in a big city in the Pandyan kingdom, married a Vaisya girl and lived happily. He had a daughter by her who he named Punithavathy, after his first wife. 

Punithavathy’s relatives came to know of her husband’s whereabouts and took her there in a palanquin. When Paramadattan heard that Punithavathy was coming to him, he, with his second wife and child, went forward, and fell at Punithavathy’s feet. When the people demanded an explanation, he revealed that he regarded her, not as his wife, but as a Goddess. Punithavathy understood his mental condition, and prayed to the Lord: ‘In that case, Oh Lord, deprive me of my present physical charm and let me have a demoniacal form.’ Her prayer was immediately granted and her charming body was transformed into a skeleton. 




She then went on a pilgrimage to Kailasa. Feeling that it would be a great sin to place her foot on such sacred grounds, she made the last part of the journey on her head. Goddess Parvati was surprised to see Punithavathy’s strange form and her wonderful devotion. Lord Siva told her of Ammaiyar’s greatness. When she went near Him, Lord Siva welcomed her with extreme love and granted her a boon. She fell at His Feet, and prayed: ‘Oh Lord of Mercy, give me sincere, pure, unalloyed, eternal and overflowing devotion unto You. I want no more birth. If, however, I have to take birth here, grant me that I should never forget You. Whenever You dance, I must be at Your feet singing Your praise. This is my only wish.’ Lord Siva granted the boon and asked her to proceed to Tiruvalangadu to witness His dance. She went to that place and spent her life singing the praise of Lord Siva. 




A famous festival is celebrated at Karaikal, Pondicherry State which is known as Mangani (Mango) Festival in which mangoes are thrown onto the street in front of the route Lord Pichandavar (avatar of Shiva) will take in his procession during the Festival 

2014 Deepam Festival. Day Eight—Morning: Chandrasekarar on Horse Vahanam



On this the morning of the eighth day of the Karthigai Deepam Festival, God on his horse vahanam visits the Maha Radham which has returned to its permanent spot (near the Temple on Car Street) from its previous day's Temple circumambulation.





3 December 2014

Carrying 2014 Karthigai Deepam pot up Arunachala


Every year during Deepam five earthen-pot lighted lamps, representing the five elements, provide the flame for the single Bharani Deepam which fisherman carry to the top of the mountain for use as the source-light for the Krittikai Deepam. It is also they who are entrusted with carrying the Deepam Cauldron up to the top of the Hill prior to the day of Mahadeepam. 

The Deepam cauldron is hauled up the slopes of Arunachala supported by poles inserted into the cauldron’s rings. The unique privilege for taking the flame (source-light) and cauldron up the Hill and also for the actual lighting of the Deepam Flame is always given (for long as the Hill’s recorded history) to men of the fishing caste. 




The reason for the extraordinary grace shown to the fishing clan reputedly is explained by a famous legend of the time the Goddess Parvati was adopted by the king of the fishermen. A version of the story appears below. 




Becoming a Fisherman 

"Once, the Lord was explaining to the Goddess the secret import of the Vedas. However, the Goddess who was listening to the Lord, seemed to be beset with some anxiety and was otherwise engrossed. It was, therefore, apparent that She was listening in name only. The Lord noticed this and said that as She was not paying full attention to the important things discoursed by him she should be born in the fisherman’s community. The Goddess lamented this and the Lord assured Her that She would be born to the king of fishermen and that He (The Lord) would in due course come to wed her. 

Ganapathi and Subrahmanya, the sons of the Lord were greatly perturbed by this and in their frenzy, considered the books of the Vedas to be the cause of the trouble and threw the offending books into the sea. The Lord took Nandikeswara to task for having allowed Vinayaka and Subrahmanya to go to Him without knowing His convenience and cursed him to become a shark in the sea. Any curse on Ganapathi would recoil on Him (the Lord) and hence the Lord did not impose any curse on him, however, Subrahmanya was cursed to become the dumb son of a merchant. 




There was a place called Pakam on the eastern seashore of the Pandya Kingdom which was inhabited by fishermen and their king of the great fisherman clan of Paravar, was a great devotee of Lord Siva. The king had no children and one day, when he went to the sea for fishing, found a crying female child lying under a Pinnai tree (or Punnai, Calophyllam Inophyllam) on the seashore. He picked the child up with great joy and handed it to his wife saying that it was a gift of the Lord. His wife brought up the child very affectionately and adorned it with various jewels. The child grew to be a girl who constantly meditated on Lord Siva. 

As ordained by the Lord, Nandikeswara became a shark and caused havoc to the fishermen’s boats sailing in the sea. The king of the fishermen took considerable pains to catch the shark – but all was in vain. The king therefore announced that he would give his daughter in marriage to any person who would catch the shark. 





The Lord appeared in the guise of a young fisherman before the king of fishermen, who was struck with the personality and bearing of the young newcomer. To the king’s enquiry He replied that he was a fishermen and could net any big fish or shark. The king told him of the prize offered for netting the shark infesting the area. The newcomer went to the sea and in no time netted the shark. 

The king and his men were astonished at the feat. And happily gave to the newcomer his daughter in marriage and celebrated the wedding immediately. The bride and bridegroom immediately appeared as Siva and Parvati on their Vrishabha mount and the shark also appeared as Nandikeswara. 

The king of the fishermen prayed to the God extolling Him for the great kindness shown to an ordinary and illiterate man like him. The Lord told him that as he has he had been yearning to get a child for so long, he had sent Parvati as his daughter and He came himself came to wed Her. The Lord also blessed the king to have all prosperity and at the end of his life to become a denizen of Sivaloka. Then the Lord instructed Parvati about the secret import of the Vedas and She eagerly and earnestly listened to the discourse."