Deepam News

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Thiruvannamalai Deepam the festival of lights was celebrated on December 01, 2009 with grandeur and enthusiasm by the people of the Tamilnadu in the Arunachaleswarar Temple at Tiruvunnamalai. Several Lakhs of devotees from various towns, not only in and around Chennai, but also from far off places like Bangalore, Puducherry and Coimbatore have come to the holy shrine, which kept the security personnel and the policemen constantly on their toes; they had tough time controlling the frenzied devotees.

Thiruvannamalai Deepam was also celebrated with gaiety by every house-hold, every temple located in around Tamilnadu, to mark the occasion of the Kartigai Deepam. Thiruvannamalai Deepam, fell on a beautiful full-moon’s day corresponding to the Karthikai star of Karthigai month, this year on the first day of the last calendar month to mark the end of a ten-day festive celebration.

The history of Thiruvannamalai Deepam dates back to mythology—recorded facts have it that, the Lord Shiva is believed to have shown his gigantic presence to Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu on their askance, in the form of a torch or ‘jyothi’ on the hills of Thiruvannamalai. Therefore the name ‘Thiruvannamalai Deepam’ got closely associated with this largely celebrated (after Deepavali) festival in Tamilnadu, especially at Thiruvannamalai.

Thiruvannamalai Deepam festival is celebrated with distinctiveness every year at the most popular and recognized temple, the Arunachaleswarar Temple at Thiruvannamalai; it is regarded as one of the most venerated and enshrined temples out of 275 Shiva Temples, and is said to be ‘glorified by the Tamil Tevaram hymns of the 7th through the 9th centuries’.

To set the mood for celebration of the Thiruvannamalai Deepam festival, the devotees in Tamilnadu, this day, have doubled the count of the deepams from the day of Deepavali. As per the usual ritual devotes in Tamilnadu shifted the lamps from one place to the other around their homes, to invite divine moments of the festive spirit to every corner of their dwellings. Every place seems to have come alive with decorations and deepams in the Tamilnadu today on the auspicious eve of the Thiruvannamalai Deepam.

Going back, in the last ten days preceding, Thiruvannamalai Deepam every day was celebrated with festive grandeur. For ten splendid days, each day saw a grand procession taken out on colorfully decorated mounts carrying the revered images of the Pancha Murthys: Somaskandar, Unnamulaiyaal, Ganapati, Subramanyar and Chandikeswarar, through the streets of Tiruvannamalai. The fifth day evening and seventh day especially hosted the most famous events of this festival, the Rishabha Vahana Utsavam and the Rathotsavam festivals, which were celebrated with zest and fervor by several Lakhs of devotees, amidst the chilly weather.

At 6.00 P.M, this day (December 01, 2009), the gigantic ‘Mahadeepam’ located at the height of 2668 foot Thiruvannamalai hill was lit as culmination of the Kartikai Deepam to end Thiruvannamalai Deepam festival, by the . Symbolizing the Lord Shiva, the Mahadeepam was seen across from larger distances in and around the Thiruvannamalai, as almost a tonne of Ghee and more than 1500 meters of cloth was used to keep the lamp glowing till the early hours.

But the state administration on this day of Thiruvannamalai Deepam has stood a testing time this year. The police and the state administrative officials were put on a treadmill literally! They had difficult time in controlling the huge crowds who thronged to witness the Thiruvannamalai Deepam festival on this day.

Around 8000 policemen and many other volunteers were deployed on this auspicious day of Thiruvannamalai Deepam who has done an excellent job this year till the end of Thiruvannamalai Deepam festival, in preventing the occurrence of any untoward instance.