WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY DEEPAM!!!

BUT DO YOU ALL KNOW WHY WE CELEBRATE DEEPAM???

Hmmm well the answer for some of you might be yes and for some it might be a no….well we live in a country rich with culture and heritage and as a matter of fact we have a lot of festivals that we celebrate…some festivals are celebrated country wide while a few native to some states…but whatever be the nativity of the festival it is important people know why a festival is celebrated and what is its background…after all without reviving the pristine picture of the past it is not possible for us to weave a glorious future! And so here you go…a deep insight to our very own deepam festival!!!!

v Karthigai is essentially a festival of lamps. The lighted lamp is considered an auspicious symbol. It is believed to ward off evil forces and usher in prosperity and joy. While the lighted lamp is important for all Hindu rituals and festivals, it is indispensable for Karthigai.

v Not many of us are aware that it is one of the oldest festivals celebrated in the State, perhaps even before people began celebrating Diwali and Navarathri.

v The Karthigai Deepam festival is celebrated in the Tamil Month of Karthigai (November - December). It begins on Uttradam day with flag hoisting and goes on the nine days. In the early hours of the tenth day Bharani Deepam in five agantams will be lit in Arunachaleswarar's Sannithi. In the evening, the Pancha Murthis will be brought to the Katchi Mandapam. At dusk (Pradosham) the Karthigai day synchronizing with the full moon day, the deity, Ardhanareeswarar is taken out to this place with the five deepams, which are put in a big receptacle near the flug-stuff. At the same time the beacon light on the hill is lit. The huge concourses of devotees from all parts of our country in a million voices raise a cry simultaneously "Annamalaiyarukku Arohara”.

v The Agananuru clearly states that Karthigai is celebrated on the full moon day (pournami) of the Tamil month of Karthigai. It was one of the most important festivals (peruvizha) of the ancient times.

v It is also considered as the extension of the Diwali festival. In some houses, they double the number of lamps every day from the day of Diwali and this way, they end up with a number of lamps on the day of Karthigai Deepam.

HISTORY WEAVES BACK TO SAY WHY CELEBRATE DEEPAM
There is a reason why every festival is celebrated there is a reason for the deepam festival too…
Lord Shiva asked Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu to find out the exact location of his head and his feet. Since Lord Shiva took a gigantic form, they were not able to find out anywhere. Then Lord Shiva took the form of a jyothi on the hill of Thiruvannamali. Therefore, this festival is also known as Annamalai Deepam.

Lord Muruga took the form of six babies in a lake called "Saravana Poigai". On this day, all his six forms were united by Parvathi (his mother) and this way, he had six faces. Special poojas are performed to Lord Muruga on this auspicious day.

PROCEDURAL RITUALS ON THIS DAY

Sasthram (age old specification for ritual procedures) say that on this auspicious day all the lamps are first to be lit in the pooja and after the deepa aarti the lamps be moved to different places in the house.

A STORY

There is an interesting story explaining the link between Karthigai and lamps. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma began to quarrel as to who was the more powerful of the two. While they were fighting, Lord Shiva appeared before them in the form of a huge pillar of fire. Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma gave up quarrelling and decided to find the top and the bottom of the pillar. Accordingly, Brahma assumed the form of a swan and moved upwards. Vishnu transformed himself into a boar and started digging deep into the earth. But even after searching for several years, neither of the two was able to find the ends the pillar. Finally, they realized that the pillar was none other than Lord Shiva. Soon afterwards, Lord Shiva appeared as a hill (Arunachala Hill) at Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. Indeed, the very names Thiruvannamalai and Arunachala translate as `holy fire hill.' The Sivalingam in the temple here is the agnilingam. The tiny lamps lit during the Karthigai festival (Karthigai Deepam) are believed to be the miniature replicas of the Agni lingam.

SPECIAL RECIPES ON KARTHIGAI DEEPAM

Pori urundai, Appam and vadai are the special menu on this day. I provide here with the recipe for Pori urundai. But trust me it was got from trustable sources or probably all your mothers might already have an idea about these…So go ahead try out the recipe and relish Pori urundai on this auspicious day…

Pori Urundai (Puffed Rice Balls)

Puffed Rice - 3 cupsPowered Jaggery - 1 cup
Heat up 1/4 cup water in a heavy bottomed vessel and dissolve the jaggery in it completely. As it starts to thicken, remove from the heat fire and add the puffed rice. Mix uniformly and while still warm, form firm lemon sized balls. If the mixture becomes cool and you are unable to form balls out of it, heat it up for a couple of minutes over a low flame and stir to mix well. Then try forming the balls.

So why waiting it’s a really simple item…go ahead try making it this deepam and surprising everyone at home and celebrate happily…
Hope the information provided was of use to all of you and all those who know more about the festival do post in your information too… after all Information is wealth.

WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS KARTHIGAI DEEPAM!!!