22 November 2015

Preparing the Chariots for Maharadham Day


Throughout this week preparations have been underway preparing the five radhams for the panchamoorthies for the big day of the Maharadham procession. This year the procession falls on November 22, 2015. As all five of the Radhams (wooden chariots) are so large, they each have a permanent parking spot on the side of Car Street -- i.e. the main thoroughfare running in front of the Alankaram Mandapam on the east side of the Temple. 

Yesterday (i.e. 21 November, 2015) repair and decorating crews were out in force for last minute preparations for the big day of the Maharadham Procession. 




Decorating one of the smaller of the wooden chariots

Clambering on top of a chariot

Town in constant excitement and activity throughout the Deepam Festival

Adding Buntings and Banners to the Maharadham

The Maharadham will be pulled by devotees using metal chains

2015 Deepam Festival. Day Six—Night: Silver Chariot


The first two photos are of the Silver Chariot in its permanent garage in the 3rd Prakaram. The details of the Silver Chariot are easy to see before being covered with decorations, lights and garlands. 


Silver Chariot in its Garage, 3rd Prakaram



Lord Arunachaleswarar on Silver Chariot night of 6th Day

Lord Arunachaleswarar on Silver Chariot on Temple Mada Veedhis

Completing circumambulation of Arunachaleswarar Temple

2015 Deepam Festival. Day Six—Morning: Elephant with 63 Nayanars










21 November 2015

Live TV coverage and online streaming video 2015 Karthigai Deepam



Live TV coverage and online streaming video 2015 Karthigai Deepam Tiruvannamalai Karthigai Deepam – November 25, 2015 

Morning 4:00 am Bharani Deepam 
Afternoon - Theerthavari Brahma Theertham 
Evening 6:00 pm Karthigai Deepam at Arunachaleshwarar Temple 


Watch Karthigai Deepam 2015 live telecast on TV channels, youtube, online streaming 


Karthigai Deepam will be lit on the holy mountain of Tiruvannamalai around 6 pm which will be visible around a radius of 35km. The live telecast of Karthigai Deepam on 25th November will start from 4:00 pm on the following TV channels.



Karthigai Deepam at Arunachaleswarar Temple in previous year

Karthigai Deepam live telecast on TV channels: 

Sun News, 
Vasanth TV, 
Zee Tamil, 
Raj TV, 
Jaya News, 
Podhigai TV, 
SVBC TTD TV, 
Sri Sankara RV, 
Thanthi TV, 
News7 Tamil, 
Puthiya Thalamurai TV, 
Polimer news, 
Captain News channels.


Live Coverage of Karthigai Deepam Function

You can watch the live streaming of Karthigai Deepam on: 



Video of Fifth Night: 2015 Karthigai Deepam


The below short video was taken last night of Lord Arunachaleswarar and Goddess Parashakti leaving Arunachaleswarar Temple by the Thittivasal Gate on their way to the Alankaram Mandapam, where they will be mounted on their respective Vahanas. 

In the case of Lord Arunachaleswarar, his Vahana for the Fifth Night is the giant silver Rishaba. After the priests complete decorating the 5 Gods (panchamoorthies), the Gods give darshan to devotees in front of the Alankaram Mandapam, receive aarti and then are go on their processional route through the mada veedhis (permieter streets) of the Big Temple. The video shows the energy and devotional fervour of the devotees outside the Big Temple. 





2015 Deepam Festival. Day Five—Night: Silver Rishaba


Below are photographs of the night of Day Five of the 2015 Arunachala Karthigai Deepam Festival in which the vahana of Lord Arunachaleswarar is the Silver Rishaba.


Panchamoorthies receiving Aarti at Kalyana Mandapam

Gods Receiving Aarti at Yagasala Shrine, 3rd Prakaram

Panchamoorthies giving Darshan at Alankaram Mandapam


Silver Rishaba

2015 Deepam Festival. Day Five—Day: Chandrasekhara on Rishaba


On Friday, November 20, Day Five of the 2015 Arunachala Karthigai Deepam Festival celebrated Lord Chandrakekhara in Rishaba. 


Lord Chandrasekhara on Rishaba

Procession on Circumambulation of the Temple Mada Veedhis

Parashakti on Rishba in Procession with the other Panchamoorthies

Making Sure it All Works


During Festivals, there is even more work and maintenance (both inside and outside the Temple Compound) to ensure a well run, successful function. 

The below photographs are of preparations and maintenance during this 2015 Arunachala Karthigai Deepam Festival. The first three photographs are from outside the main east Raja Gopura Temple Gate, the rest of the photos are from inside the Arunachaleswarar Compound. 


Garlands, Coconuts and Puja Implements for Devotees to purchase

Many Shops and Stalls with a proliferation of Deepam Lamps

Clay Lamps used around Houses, Gates and streets

Some Garlands are made inside the Temple Compound

Making Garlands

Making Garlands, a day long enterprise

"Stops" to secure the wheels of tractors pulling Vahanas

Throughout Temple Compound, Lamps for use during Night Processions

Holders for Powerful Gas Lamps

Gas Lamps

Preparing Lamps for Night Processions

Master Craftsman repairing a Tabala (drum)

Cultural and Spiritual Programes, Arunachaleswarar Temple 2015 Deepam


Throughout the 2015 Deepam Festival there are cultural programmes both inside and outside the Temple Compound. These programmes include Bharatnatyam dance, Tamil singing and instrumentation and the dramatic re-enactment of spiritual tales. 

As well as the cultural/spiritual programmes, there are also daily spiritual discourses (in Tamil) held in the venue of the Samayva Paravi (which is near the Bhairavi Shrine: 4th Prakaram). 

Singing and dancing programmes inside the grounds of Arunachaleswarar Temple are being conducted in the Auditorium next to the Puravi Mandapam (near Rukku the Elephant)



Children with Dance Programme 2015 Karthigai Deepam Festival

Auditorium next to the Puravi Mandapam (near Rukku the Elephant)

The cultural programmes are preceeding daily in the Auditorium

Singing and Drama presentations also being conducted in the Auditorium

As well as cultural programmes, there are also spiritual discourses being conducted in the Samayva Paravi. The Samayva Paravi is set in gardens near the Bhairavi Shrine. Ordinarily that Compound is closed, so a very nice opportunity to enjoy the tranquility of the gardens and coolness of the historical building.


Samayva Paravi

The peaceful Compound has a garden with ample seating

Gopura backdrop to Compound

Traditional South Indian Architecture

High Roofed, cool, spacious room for Discourses

Traditional Indian Architecture


20 November 2015

Aarti of the Panchamoorthies


To view interactive maps of the various Prakarams of Arunachaleswarar Temple, visit my Website Arunachala Samudra at this link here

In the meantime below is a Map of the Third Prakaram of the Temple to show the sequence in which Aarti is performed to the Panchamoorthies inside Arunachaleswarar Temple before they begin their circumambulation of the mada veedhis (perimeter streets) around the Big Temple. 

In the below map from my Website, the sequence of the five aartis is indicated by the numbering 1 to 5. 


Map showing the 5 Aartis during Deepam Processions



1. The beginning spot is at the back plinth in the Kalayana Mandapam. First Aarti. 

2. The Panchamoorthies are then carried out of the front entrance of the Kalyana Mandapam, go left in the corridor between the outside of the Mandapam and the Shiva Sannidhi. Second Aarti. 

3. At the end of the corridor, the procession turns right and the aarti is then performed in front of the Gods as they are facing the Hill (near the Arunagiri Mandapam). Third Aarti. 

4. Continuing clockwise the procession passes the Shrine to the Goddess on its left until it reaches the Yagasala Mandapam. Where the fourth aarti is performed. Fourth Aarti. 

5. After the fourth aarti, the Panchamoorthies are then carried out through the various Prakarams and exit Arunachaleswarar Temple through the Thittivasal Gate. Inside the Alankaram Mandapam the Gods are decorated and put on their respective Vahanas. Afterwhich they receive their 5th Aarti. Fifth Aarti. 

Thereupon the Panchamoorthies on their vahanas are pulled by tractor (except in the case of the Maha Radham i.e. giant wooden chariot which is pulled with chains by devotees . . . gents on the left and ladies at the right) around the perimeter streets of Arunachaleswarar Temple. 


2015 Deepam Festival. Day Four—Night: Karpavirutcham and Kamadhenu Vahanams


One of the most popular of the processions during the Deepam Festival at Arunachala, is that of the Kamadhenu, the wish fulfilling cow, and the Kalpavriksha (also known as Karpavirutcham), the wish fulfilling tree. Both of which emphasis the wish fulfilling aspect of Arunachala. 

During the Deepam Festival on the Fourth Night, Lord Arunachaleswarar is seated under the Kapavriksha Tree. The Kalpavriksha is a mythological divine tree said to fulfil all desires. Its mythology narrates that the wish-fulfilling tree originates from the churning of the ocean of milk afterwhich the god Indra, returned with the tree to his paradise. 


Lord Arunachaleswarar, Day Four, Night


The second major Radham appearing on that night is that of Kamadhenu (literally meaning; "the cow; from whom all that is desired is drawn", or “the divine cow providing for all needs”). The Kamadhenu is the Divine cow-goddess described in mythology as the mother of all cows who provides the owner with whatever is desired. 

Theories as to the origin of the Kamadhenu are two-fold. One scripture describes her as the daughter of the creator god Daksha, and another narrates that Kamadhenu also emerged from the churning of the cosmic ocean. Upon the divine cow during the Deepam night procession is seated the Goddess Saraswati. 


The God on His way out of the Temple


It is often the wish fulfilling aspect of Girivalam that brings many pilgrims each Poornima (Full Moon) to the Hill, whatever the difficulty or weather, to perform circumambulation. In fact many pilgrims prefer it when the conditions are extreme (cold, heavy sheeting rain, previous tapas such as fasting and mortification etc) as they believe that the greater the difficulties they overcome in performing girivalam, the greater will be the focus of their sankalpa (intention) and success of their wish. 


Circumambulation of the Wish Fulfilling Tree (Kamadhenu behind)


The now deceased Annamalai Swami explains the power of the Hill as thus:- 

“. . . It is not an ordinary hill. It is spirituality Itself. It has a powerful, magnetic pull to the Self. Seekers who come to this place with the intention of realizing the Self will have untold benefits to do pradakshina on a full moon. 


The Gods moving down Car Street


In the proximity of this holy hill the presence of the Self is more powerful and more self-evident than anywhere else. Indian mythology speaks of a wish-fulfilling tree. If you find this tree and tell it what you want, your wish will be granted.

Arunachala also has this reputation. This is why so many people come here on a full moon night and walk around it. But very few people come here and ask for their complete freedom, for undisturbed peace. 


Kamadhenu: The Wish Fulfilling Cow


Arunachala is a light. It shines. It is the light of the Self, and the light of the Self will continue to shine on you whether you believe it or not. Arunachala is greater than all other religious places. There are other holy, powerful places in the world, but none have the power of Arunachala . . . There is a huge amount of shakti, or spiritual energy, here.”