TIRUVANNAMALAI

Brahma too could not, despite flying higher and higher, but accidentally he saw a ketaki - fragrant flower coming down from a top and requested it to give evidence of his seeing the top. It agreed. So he declared his victory, citing the Ketaki flower as witness. Enraged at the insolence of Brahma, Lord Maheswar cursed that Brahma would not have any separate temple for him anywhere in the world, and Ketaki be prohibited for puja. 

Lord Vishnu was given then the pride of place. The victor and vanquished - then prayed to Maheswar to establish himself here as hill, and to take the form of Jyothirlingam for worshipping by devotees at the foot of hills. Conceding to their request, lord Maheswar proclaimed his willingness of appearing in the form of Jyoti every year on Karthika Pournami to mark this event. Thus emerged, the celebration of the much-venerated Karthika Deepam festival every year with unusual devotional fervour. Lacs of persons participate in the Beacon Festival on that auspicious day, illumining the whole town, and is seen for miles around and for three days it burns unhindered and undiminished.

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