Karthigai Deepam
Anually many festivals are carried out in the temple. Some of the festivals are famous and important The most famous festival is "Karthigai Deepam" and is celebrated in the month of November/December.
The 'Karthigai Deepam' festival is celebrated for ten days. During the festival everyday in the morning and night 'Lord Arunachaleswara' will come for procession. In the morning 'Lord Chandrashekara' will come for procession. In the Night 'Lord Periya Nayagar' will come for the procession. The smilling face of the 'Periya Nayagar' steals the show. Everyone should dharshan 'Periya Nayagar'.
Everyday in the night 'Pancha Moorthis' will come for the procession. They are 'Vinayagar' , 'Subramaniyar' , 'Arunachaleswarar' , 'Abeethakuchaambal' and 'Sandeswarar'.
On every day of the festival elobarate arrangements will be made for the procession. On everyday night 'Deeparadhana' will be performed for 'Pancha moorthis' in the 'Kalyana Mandapam' and they will go for procession. Everyday big 'Vahanas' will be there for swami. Arunachaleswarar will give dharshan on 'Vahanams' and big umberllas will be put.
Fifth day has the very big vahanam and it is 'Rishabha Vahanam'. It is made up of silver and the total height is 25 feet from the ground. The diameter of the umberlla for that day is 17 feet.
The scene of climbing over 'Rishaba vahanam' is very nice and emotional. Everyone in a life time should see this day.
The sixth day is 'Silver chariot'. The chariot is made up of pure silver and it is beutifully built. The seventh day is 'MahaRatham'. This chariot is made up of wood and it is very big. It takes the full size of the road while running. All these 'Silver Vahanams' are maintained by the Nagarathars.
The Tenth day is 'Maha Deepam'. On the morning at 4'o clock , the 'Bharani Deepam' will be light on. And then these Deepams will be placed all over the temple.
On the Evening, 'Panch Moorthis' will have the maha-abhishekam and very grand 'alankaram' then they come to the 'Deepa-darshana Mandapam'. Exactly at 6,o clock 'MahaDeepam' will be lighted on the top of the Mountain. At the same time 'Deeparadhana' will be performed to 'Pancha moorthis'. Lakhs of people will dharshan the 'Mahadeepam' every Year and they will go to the extreme exitement.
Two days after the 'mahadeepam' Arunachaleswarar will go to perform the 'GiriPradhakshina' (Making round the hill).
ThiruVoodal Festival :
This is the another grand festival for Lord Arunachaleswarar on the day after 'Mahara Shankaranthi' or 'Pongal' day in the month of January. It will come usually on 15th of January every year. During the leap year it will come on the 16th January of every year.
There very big Umberlla will be put for the swamy. The total weight of swamy and the umberlla is in tonnes, but they are carrying with the grace of Lord Arunachaleswara.
Swamy will make three rounds of the temple and in the Evening 'Thiruvoodal' festival will be performed. This festival also is important and to see.
Why this Festival:
The importance of this festival is that Lord Arunachaleswara is giving darshan in three form as Brhamma, Lord Vishnu andLord Rudhra. There was a Saint called Bhringu Maharishi who was a follower of Lord Shiva only. He worships only Lord shiva and not Goddess Parvathi. In the Mount.Kailash he usually go rounds Lord Shiva and not Lord parvathi. Once Parvathi gets angry and sit very close to Lord Shiva. As usual Bhringu Maharishi came and see parvathi is sitting very close to Lord Shiva. So he makes half round as human form and take a form of insect that will penetrate into woods. He penetrates in between Lord Shiva and parvathi and completes his pradhakshana(rounding). And parvathi gets really angry and takes all the energy from his body. Bhringu Maharshi is now with only Bones and skin. By seeing his condition Lord Shiva became very pity on him and he wants to give him "Mukthi". But parvathi objects to that. But Lord shiva goes ahead and gives him "Mukthi".
Karthigai Deepam Festival '2006
