All about the Tiruvannamalai Brahmotsavam and Karthigai Deepam festival at Lord Arunachaleswarar temple
The annual Karthigai Deepam festival is held at the ancient Arunachaleshwar temple in Tiruvannamalai near Chennai, marking the hoisting of the temple flag atop the mast, and lakhs of devotees throng the temple.
Vellore: The annual Karthigai Deepam festival began at the ancient Arunachaleshwar temple in Tiruvannamalai near Chennai on Wednesday with the hoisting of the flag atop the temple, also called the Dwajarohanam. The event marks the hoisting of the temple flag atop the mast amidst the chant of Vedic mantras by priests.
The Karthigai festival falls every year in the Tamil month of Karthigai (Kartik in northern and rest of India), and it's called "Karthigai Brahmotsavam". Lakhs and lakhs of devotees visit the temple in this pilgrim town during the festival. Here are some important points about it:
*The Karthigai Deepam has two lighting festival on the same day. One is Bharani Deepam which will take place in the morning and Maha Deepam which will be held in the evening.
*This year on November 23, Bharani Deepam is going to be lit in the morning 4 am and Maga Deepam will be light up in the Tiruvannamalai hill which is at a height of 2668 feet, in the evening at 6 pm. This is the main ceremony in this festival.
*On the first day of this 10 days of this annual festival, Lord Ganesha pooja and Dwajarohanam is held with Vedic mantras. And the flag is hoisted in the top of mast amidst with the chants of Vedic mantras by priests.
*Every year on the first day itself, festival statue of Lord Arunachaleswarar is taken out on the Silver Adhikara Nandi vahana in a grand procession in the night.
*In Thiruvannamalai, Lord Arunachaleswarar represents Agni, which means fire. The Deepam festival happens here every year on the hillside. Maga Deepam will start with the outing of Lord Periya Nayagar on the Rishaba vahana.
*On 6th day of this festival, Silver chariot procession will take place.
*On the day of 7, Maha chariot festival will take place. Idols or murthis of Panchamurthy's Lord Ganapathi, Lord Murugan, Lord Sandeswarar, Lord Arunachaleswarar and Goddess Parvati who called as Unnamulai Amman here are also taken in the festival procession follow with deeparadhana. The procession of the chariots will be watched by the devotees. Unnamalai amman chariots will drag only by woman devotees.
*As a special of this day, Devotees will see and pray Lord "Arthanareeswarar" on this day. The Lord will be seen in this way only one time every year at the time of Maha Deepam.
*The Light which lit in Arunachala hill will brighten up 11 days after the festival. On Maha Deepam day, the devotees chant in chorus "Annamalaiyarukku arogara, aruchaleswararukku arogara" which makes them feel blessed and energised.