Overview
Kārttikai Deepam is Tamil Nadu's festival of light — the state tourism department describes it as celebrating the victory of light over darkness. At Tiruvannamalai the ten-day Brahmotsavam (per the district administration) ends on the full-moon evening with the Mahādeepam: a great fire lit on the crest of Aruṇācala, visible for kilometres, before which lakhs of pilgrims walk the girivalam.
2 sources
- Official Tamil Nadu Tourism (Government of Tamil Nadu) — Arunachaleswarar and Karthigai Deepam pages
- Official Tiruvannamalai district portal (tiruvannamalai.nic.in) — Girivalam and places pages
Sthala Purāṇa tradition
The hill-fire recalls the Aruṇācala Māhātmya: Śiva's manifestation as the column of light whose ends Brahmā and Viṣṇu could not find. The tradition holds that the Deepam kindled each Kārttikai full moon makes that light visible to every eye.
1 source
- Purāṇa Skanda Purāṇa, Māheśvara Khaṇḍa — Aruṇācala Māhātmya
Related in the knowledge graph
Sacred to
- Deity
Shiva
Śiva
Celebrated at
- Mandir
Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple, Tiruvannamalai
Aruṇācaleśvarar Tirukkōyil, TiruvaṇṇāmalaiTiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu
Where traditions differ, MandirPal shows each view with its sources and declares none of them absolute. Sacred narrative is labelled as tradition, history as documented evidence. Timings and rules change, so confirm with the official temple channel before you travel.