The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Adorn your houses with lamps

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 13, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Adorn your houses with lamps

Arunachala - the mountain of light, the mountain without beginning or end, the mountain of bliss, is believed to be the physical embodiment of the great Dakshinamurthi, the Lord Shiva in his benign avatar of Guru. Tiruvannamalai is one of the most affluent and unspoilt unique locations with exceptionally good quality of spiritual life.

It is believed through our Puranas that the mountain is agni mountain in Kruthayuga, golden mountain in Thruthayuga, brass mountain in Thrvabarayuga and stone mountain in the present Kaliyuga. It is also believed that Lord Shiva is in the form of fire in this hill.

There is an antiquity of deep mysticism which precedent a popular parable that people attain Mukthi (self realization) by merely thinking of this town, as there is a galaxy of temples and ashrams, which helps to learn the secrets of life in the spiritual way.

It is recorded that there are as many as 360 Thirthas and 400 Lingams in the eight-mile i.e. 12 kilometers circuit of this sacred hill. The Tamil month of Karthigai is an auspicious month brings new hope and enthusiasm into people's life. Karthigai deepam is also known as a festival of lights especially in south India.

Almost all houses in Tamil Nadu take pride in displaying or decorating their houses with akal villakus (earthen lamps - made using mud and water) each holding an illuminates wick immersed in oil. The number of vilakus may be 51 or 108 or even 201, according to the family's wealth and tradition. It is believed that these lighted lamps dispel Moodevi, the Goddess of misfortune and ushers in Sreedevi, the Goddess of wealth. It is believed that all the evil forces take to their heels at the sight of the lighted lamps, leaving the people in peace and prosperity.

The temples devoted to Lord Shiva celebrate the Karthikai Deepam by burning "Sokkapanam" \ palm fronds tied to each other at a height of about 25 feet. Also crackers are burst in the evening. Fire is the symbol that stands for God and is believed to be one of the panchaboothas. It is a destroyer and also a preserver.

The very purpose of the "Sokkapanam" (bonfire) is to visualize Lord Shiva to not only worship him but also to realize that people are just sparks from the great fire, destined to go back and disappear into the fire. The bonfire is done differently in Tiruvannamalai. Thiru: is a Tamil word and means `loved by every one' Annamalai refers to one of the many names of Lord Shiva.

Thousands of devotees visit this place to go around the hill on the days of full moon. Spiritual reasons apart, people believe in the curative properties of the air circulated in the mountain.

The day of Karthigai deepam is celebrated in a very grand manner as a ten-day mahotsovam in Tiruvannamalai. Lord Shiva and Goddess have the mada veethi Ula both on day and night time on specially designed vagnas to bless the piligrims.

The kamadhenu utsavam on fifth day, silver car on sixth day and Maharatha on the seventh day deserves special mention amongst other days of utsavams.

Karthigai Deepam is celebrated on the tenth day of the mahotsavam. A huge cauldron is rolled to the top of the mountain to hold an enormous amount of ghee and it is set on fire at the appropriate time. This deepam is like a huge torch for every devotee to worship Lord Shiva with their hearts and to receive his divine blessings.

S.MOHHANAA

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