Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Masik Karthigai: Light Up The Divine Flame

Masik Karthigai is the monthly celebration of the festival “Karthigai Deepam”. For the month of August, the day of celebration is 27th.

Now, for a quick viewing, let’s take a look at the most significant things related to Karthigai Deepam.

To know more about Karthigai Deepam and its celebrations, please click here - About Karthigai Deepam


  1. This year “Karthigai Deepam” the festival of lights will be celebrated on the 15th of December 2013. However, Karthigai day is celebrated every month, this festival is dedicated to the supreme Lord Shiva.
  2. Karthigai Deepam is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Karthigai, when the Karthigai nakshatra prevails during Ratrimana (the time between sunset and sunrise).
  3. This festival is mainly celebrated by the Tamil community, and is considered to be one of the oldest festivals.
  4. One of the many attractions of this festival is the grand celebration held in Thiruvannamalai temple, Tamil Nadu, known as Karthikai Brahmotsavam.
  5. It is a 10 days festival, celebrated with much pomp and gaiety. Thousands and thousands of devotees comes to witness this spectacular event every year.
  6. Another attraction of this festival are the lamps.
  7. Agal vilakku (clay lamps) symbolises Karthigai Deepam, all the houses in Tamil Nadu will be decorated with these lamps throughout the month of Karthigai in 2013, this is one sight you would not want to miss.
  8. Many legends are associated with this festival, two of the most famous of them are:
    (a)Fight for supremacy among the great trinity “Brahma-Vishnu-Maheshwara”
    (b)Birth of Lord Muruga also known as Karthikeyan, Subramanya, Shanmuga and many more.
  9. It is believed that in the month of Karthigai, river Ganges joins all the other rivers. Hence, bathing in river water, pond or lakes is believed to be equal to bathing in the holy waters of Ganga.

Karthigai Deepam In Thiruvannamalai


The Annamalaiyar temple is one of the most grandest and famous temples in South India and one of its main attractions is the Karthigai Deepam celebrations.


This is a grand 10 days celebration. It is started off with the flag hoisting known as Dwajarohanam, which indicates the commencement of the festival.

Each day of the 10 days festival, special pujas and rituals will be performed in the temple, which attracts thousand of devotees each year.
Then on the day of Karthigai Deepam, Bharani Deepam is lit inside the temple premises at 4am in the morning. Later in the evening the Maha Deepam is lit on the top of the Annamalai mountain from the flames taken from the Bharani Deepam. To witness this spectacular event is a blessing many would not want to miss.

On every pournami day, thousands of devotees throng to this holy city to circumambulate the Annamalai mountain which is stretch of 14 kms to get the blessings of Lord Shiva.

Click here to know more about the legends associated with this beautiful festival - Significance Of Karthigai Deepam

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