Tiruvannamalai (Tamil Nadu) [India], November 15 (ANI): Ahead of the annual Thirukarthigai Deepam festival at the Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple, Lord Ganesa (Vinayagar) and Lord Chandikeswarar were taken out in a grand procession on silver vahanas.
The Thirukarthigai Deepam festival, one of the most significant annual celebrations at the temple, is scheduled to commence on Sunday with the traditional flag-hoisting ceremony. The Arunachaleswarar Temple is revered as the Agni Sthalam among the Pancha Bhootha Sthalams, representing the element of fire.
As part of the preliminary rituals, Goddess Durga, the guardian deity of Tiruvannamalai, was taken out in a procession on Thursday night, followed by Goddess Pidari Amman, the guardian deity of the temple, on Friday.
Continuing the festivities, special abhishekams and poojas were performed for Sambandha Vinayagar at the shrine located in the temple's third prakaram on Saturday. The deity was adorned with a silver kavacham.
Later, Lord Vinayagar was placed on a silver Mooshika (mouse) vahanam, while Lord Chandikeswarar was taken on a silver Rishaba (bull) vahanam. After special Panchamukha Deepa Aradhanai, the deities circumambulated the temple's inner prakaram.
They were subsequently taken in a procession through the four Mada Streets surrounding the temple, blessing devotees who had gathered along the route. A large number of devotees offered prayers and broke coconuts at the Sambandha Vinayagar shrine.
As part of the annual Thirukarthigai Deepam festival celebrations, Goddess Pidari Amman, the guardian deity of the Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai, was taken out in a grand procession on a lion vahana on Friday.
The annual Thirukarthigai Deepam festival at the Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple, one of the Pancha Bhootha Sthalams representing the element of Fire (Agni), will commence on the 15th of this month with the ceremonial hoisting of the temple flag. The ten-day festival is expected to be celebrated with great religious devotion and grandeur. The temple is also considered a sacred destination, believed to grant liberation merely by thinking of it.
As part of the Deepam festival celebrations, the annual festival of Goddess Pidari Amman, the guardian deity of the temple, was celebrated with devotion and grandeur. Her shrine is located in the third prakaram, or inner circumambulatory corridor of the temple. (ANI)
Lord Ganesha, Chandikeswarar taken out in procession on silver vahanas ahead of Thirukarthigai Deepam
