The festival begins with Dwajarohanam, the ceremonial flag hoisting, marking the start of ten days of ritual grandeur. Each day features elaborate processions of the Panchamurthis —including Lord Arunachaleswarar and Goddess Parvathi—carried on magnificent vahanas such as the Simha (lion), Kamadhenu (divine cow), and the majestic wooden Maha Ratham. A key ritual throughout the festival is the lighting of agal vilakku —thousands of oil lamps illuminating homes, streets, and the temple, symbolizing inner awakening. On the tenth day, Bharani Deepam is lit in the early morning within the temple. By sunset, the climactic Mahadeepam is ignited atop Arunachala Hill in a giant cauldron filled with ghee, visible for miles. This sacred flame represents Lord Shiva in his elemental form as Agni, and draws vast crowds of devotees who simultaneously light lamps, chant prayers, and embark on Girivalam, the 14-km barefoot pilgrimage around the hill. Complementing the rituals are abhishekams, Rath Yatras, and Theppal (boat) festivals, where the deities are taken out on the temple tank—each event reinforcing devotion through form, movement, and light. These spiritually charged days culminate in a golden Rishaba vahana procession and the ceremonial lowering of the festival flag, signifying the festival’s conclusion.
Flames of Divinity: The Sacred Karthigai Deepam of Tiruvannamalai
Karthigai Deepam, the most revered festival at the Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai, is a ten-day spiritual celebration centered on fire, light, and Lord Shiva’s cosmic presence. At the heart of this grand Brahmotsavam lies a sequence of deeply symbolic rituals that honor divinity, purify the soul, and connect devotees with eternal light.
The Karthigai Deepam festival, which takes place every December at the Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, turns this historic city into a bright sea of devotion and draws thousands of worshippers from all over the world.