This is also a festival closely connected with light. Even after the advent of electricity, the tiny little earthen lamps called ‘Ahalvilakku’ still holds its charm with the people. The Thiruvannamalai Deepam when thousands of lights lit-up the temple hills is a rare sight and devotees’ delight. Special sweet and savory like ‘appam’ and ‘pori-urundai’ are prepared to mark the occasion which occurs sometime in December every year.



The anniversary of Karthigai Deepam which is abutting anon is the one of the oldest active festivals in India. It takes abode in the Tamil ages of Karthigai if the brilliant Kirthiga is on the antecedent and usually occurs on a abounding moon day. In age-old tamil literature, the oldest accessible plan Tolkappiyam which dates aback to 2500 B.C. carries a apparent advertence to this festival. In addition age-old Tamil classic, the Kalavazhi Naarpadu, dating aback to the third Sangam aeon (around 1000 B.C.), the artist writes, “In the battle, the claret arising out from the asleep soldiers’ bodies is like the red coloured blaze of the ablaze lit on Karthigai Deepam”. Addition song in Sambandar’s Thevaram says that the Lord is absolutely the Deepam (lit during the Karthigai festival).

Everyone knows that Karthigam Deepam is the lighting of the blaze on the acme of Arunachala on Karthigai day but not abounding humans apperceive about why this anniversary is celebrated. Readers may bethink the fable of the Navaratri anniversary in beforehand posts about how Goddess Parvathi accepting incurred the acrimony of her husband, Lord Shiva, came to the angelic acropolis of Arunachala to do Tapas and achieve the favour of her Lord. And so, afterwards a continued aeon of backbreaking Tapas which the Goddess Parvathi performed with abundant adherence and strength, Lord Shiva’s acrimony was agreeable and He came down to Arunachala to yield her back. If He arrived, Lord Shiva was so confused by the backbone and force which emanated from the Goddess as a aftereffect of her Tapas that he absitively that She was his according in every way. Therefore he accepted her bisected his physique so that the Two would become absolutely affiliated in One form. This was the bearing of Ardhanareeswara. Physically It signifies the Divine Abutment of Shiva and Parvathi. Spiritually it signifies the complete abutment of Advaita. Not two but One. Shiva and Parvathi are not two but One. Man and God are not two but One.

This momentous accident is believed to accept happened in the ages of Karthigai on the day of Kirthiga Nakshatra and that is why till today the blaze is lit on the acme of Arunachala in anamnesis and honour of this admirable Abutment which affiliate Man and God.

When Sri Muruganar asked Bhagavan Ramana about the acceptation of the Karthigai Deepam festival, Bhagavan composed a arrangement of four curve in which He says, “The accurate acceptation of the Karthigai Deepam anniversary is to about-face the ability inwards and accept it anchored in the Heart, thereby amalgamation it with the citizen of the Heart”