This festival which marks the ten day Brahmotsav of the great Arunachaleswarar Temple is also the Brahmotsav of
our Agasthiar Ashram in Arunachala. Long before the Agasthiar Ashram was founded in its current location on the girivalam route, Sathguru Venkataraman has been celebrating this festival in Arunachala.
Right from the time his divine Siddha teacher taught him about feeding the poor and the disadvantaged at Arunachala, the Sathguru has been following his teacher's command and performing annadhanam (giving food) and vastra dhaanam (giving clothes) here. He has done this without a break for about four decades now.
What you see below is a video of the most blessed event - the ligthing of the Karthigai Deepam at the peak of the holy Arunachala Hill at 6 pm IST on November 24 2007!
This event occurs every year on the Krittika nakshatra day of the Karthigai month in the November/December timeframe.
The deepam jyoti is lit in fond remembrance of the Arunachala avatar as an infinite pillar of light - the light of knowledge dispelling the darkness of ignorance and arrogance.
This video shows the lighting as observed from the Agasthiar Ashram in Arunachala.
It is customary for the Ashramites, led by Sathguru Venkataraman, to herald the blessed event with conches, dundubis, nadhaswaram, tavil, cymbals, bells and other auspicious instruments.
Here, the cymbals in the hands of the youngsters drown out the other instruments including the tavil drum, believe it or not!
In part 1 of this video, you will see the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam.
In part 2, you will continue to see the lit deepam as you hear the Agasthiar Ashramites play the
nadhaswaram and tavil in honor of Arunachala.
As you watch this video, concentrate on the peak of the Arunachala Hill and on the jyoti deepam flame which embodies the eternal wisdom, mercy, grace and compassion of Arunachala, the Lord and Master of the Universe.
VIDEO: 2007 Arunachala Karthigai Deepam being lit
