In the sacred Tamil month of Karthigai (mid-November to mid-December), when the full moon aligns with the Krittika star, Arunachala reveals His original form—not as stone, nor word, but pure flame. The Karthigai Deepam festival celebrates this timeless manifestation of Lord Shiva as the Tejo-Linga, the boundless pillar of fire.
A Festival of Light That Burns Within
Over ten luminous days, the temple town of Tiruvannamalai becomes a living mandala. Rituals echo through the corridors of Annamalaiyar Temple, and the divine forms of Shiva and Parvati are carried in majestic processions through the ancient streets.
Devotees arrive in the tens of thousands, eyes fixed on the Hill, hearts lit with longing.
The Bharani Deepam: The Flame of Origin
At dawn on Deepam Day, within the sanctum of the temple, a sacred flame—the Bharani Deepam—is lit. No match or modern fire touches it. Instead, it is kindled through friction, echoing the ancient ways and symbolizing tapas, austerity, and inner fire. This is the first spark, the cosmic ignition.
The Maha Deepam: Shiva Lights the Sky
As the sun sets and golden dusk blankets the Hill, all eyes turn upward. Atop Arunachala’s summit, a giant cauldron packed with ghee-soaked wicks is set ablaze. This is the Maha Deepam—the great flame.
It burns through the night, visible for miles, radiant with stillness and grace. In that moment, Arunachala is fire—the hill, the sky, and the heart all alight with Shiva’s presence.
Processions, Prayers, and Girivalam
Each evening of the festival, the Pancha Murthis—the five sacred forms of Shiva and Shakti—emerge in processions accompanied by drums, chants, and conches. Devotees walk in rhythm, hands folded, minds silent.
On the night of Deepam, thousands walk the 14-kilometre Girivalam path, barefoot, singing or absorbed in inner stillness. The town glows with oil lamps in every window, doorstep, and shrine—an ocean of flickering devotion.
The Inner Meaning of Deepam
The Maha Deepam is no ordinary fire. It is the symbol of the Self—eternal, formless, and luminous. To see it is to be reminded that the light we seek outside already shines within. Every lamp lit during this festival becomes a whisper: "You are That. You are Light."
For centuries, saints like Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi watched the Deepam in silence, their gaze merging with the flame. For the people of Tiruvannamalai—and for seekers around the world—this is not just a festival. It is Arunachala’s promise: that even in darkness, the Light never leaves.
Arunachala
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