TIRUVANNAMALAI

KARTHIKA DEEPAM

It is one of the major annual festivals celebrated in the temple and it draws lakhs of bhaktas who throng the city and overflow the vast courtyards. It is on this day Mother Parvathi merged in Lord Siva after purificatory function. 

It is celebrated on a grand scale with rituals due. Of the ritualistic offerings made, the ghee offering to the Deepam merits mention. Devout theists offer ghee on this day for burning the gargantuan deepam atop the hill, which burns for seven days - round the clock. Indeed, the size and capacity of the Deepam stun imagination and it is the only of of its kind in Hindu India, fiat and last to be brief. The deepam is a gigantic, circular metal vessel that can hold about 2000 liters of ghee. It is five and half foot in height and five feet in diameter. For making wick, 30 metres of ghada cloth is used and is burnt with 2 kilos of camphor on the night of Karthika Pournumi. There is a traditional Mirasidar devout and dedicated who attends to this great sacred ritual. 

The requisite materials such as tins of ghee, camphor cloth, cotton bags are carried by him by noon, trekking a 8 KM rugged hilly path and burn at the auspicious moment with due of anting to relevant slokas. When once lighted, it burns for a wee , it a Rain-God does not descend on it. 

It can be seen from nearly 1 0 K M around!. A sight of it flashes the whole episode. It is a sight worthy! An occasion mighty!! A festivity most rejoicing. Hence the longing and visiting by the theists. The temple authorities and the Mirasidar attend to this with devotion unique and marvour commendable.

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