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Sri Chandikeswarar Utsava: Deepam Festival December 9, 2014


Sri Chandikeswarar



Sri Chandikeswarar Alankaram Mandapam



Arunachaleswarar Temple with Arunachala Deepam background



2014 Deepam at Yogi Ramsuratkumar Ashram

The following photographs are of the Deepam display created by Yogi Ramsuratkumar Ashram. The flame on their own Arunachala hill was lit every evening from December 5 until last night December 15 - coinciding with the 11 days of Deepam on top of Arunachala.


Mandir Ashram



Arunachala Display



Arunachala with Shiva, Parvati, Temple (Yogi Ramsuratkumar front)



Flame lit at dusk for 11 days coinciding with Arunachala Deepam



Flame at Yogi Ramsuratkumar Ashram front of Arunachala Deepam


2014 Karthigai Deepam Cauldron back to Temple
The amount of time the Arunachala Deepam stays alight depends on calculations made by the Temple priests. This year the jyothi on the Hill stayed alight for 11 days. Today the cauldron, with its duty complete was carried down by men from the family of the fishing caste in charge of the cauldron for 2014.







Arunachala Deepam Cauldron Puja
Individual devotees, organisations and Ashrams donated to Arunachaleswarar Temple towards the purchase of ghee for the recently completed 2014 Karthigai Deepam. In addition individual devotees climbed Arunachala over the duration of the Karthigai Festival to personally deliver their own ghee offerings, often in the form of small packets and bottles.


Puja of Cauldron inside 1000 Pillar Hall, Big Temple

This year the flame on top of Arunachala, remained alight for 11 days - at no time was the flame allowed to go out. Each day over 150 kgs of ghee (clarified butter) were fed to the flame.


Puja before the pot is put into storage at Big Temple

The giant cauldron took 10 men (from the fisherman caste) more than three hours to haul to the top of Arunachala. Women are not involved in either carrying the Cauldron or tending it while its on the Hill. However women are welcomed on the Hill during the Deepam Festival.

Each Cauldron is used for about 10 years before being replaced. The current one was first used in 2004. After Deepam the Cauldron was taken down the Hill by the same fisher-folk. After puja in the 1000 Pillar Hall in the 5th Prakaram of Arunachaleswarar Temple, the Cauldron remains in storage until the following year.