Karthigai Deepam 2022: Know About Date And Time, History, Legends And Celebrations

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Karthigai Deepam, a Tamilian Hindu festival is celebrated in the southern parts of India and falls in the month of Karthikai when Karthigai Nakshatra coincides with Pournami, the full moon day in the month of Karthikai. Karthigai Deepam is also spelt as Karthikai Deepam. On the Karthigai Deepam, clay oil diyas are lit in a row in every home, and they are called Agni vilakku, which they believe, is capable of warding off evil forces. Read on to know more about this day.

Karthigai Deepam 2022: Date And Time

This year, Karthigai Deepam will be held on Tuesday, 6 December 2022.
• Karthigai Nakshathram begins at 08:38 am on 06 December 2022
• Karthigai Nakshathram ends at 10:25 am on 07 December 2022

Karthigai Deepam 2022: Celebrations In Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleshwara Swamy Temple

Karthigai Deepam festival is celebrated on a grand scale in Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleshwara Swamy temple where it is popularly known as Karthikai Brahmotsavam. It is celebrated for a continuous 10-day stretch that begins with Dwajarohanam on the day when Nakshatra Uthiraadam is present at sunrise. Nakshatra Uthiraadam, most of the time coincidentally comes on 10 days before the main Karthigai Deepam festival arrives. Karthigai Deepam is lit after sunset at 6 pm with the flame lit from Bharani Deepam. This flame is carried to the top of the hill to light it when it is dusk.

Maha Deepam, a tradition is followed for three days which are generally known as Appa Karthigai, Vadai Karthigai, and Thiru Karthigai. Devotees visit the Tiruvannamalai temple on the last day to seek divine blessings as the main ritual is performed there. There is a huge diya that is lit, which attracts a lot of attention and hence it is popularly referred to as Mahadeepam.

Karthikai Deepam is also known as Karthikai vilakkidu in Tamil Nadu. In Kerala, it is called Thrikarthika or Karthika Deepam to commemorate Goddes Shakti. Here we have different names for the Karthikai deepam festival which are- Karthika Deepam, Trikartika, Kartika Villaku, Tirrukarttikai, Karthikai Natchathiram, Bharani deepam, Vishnu deepam.

Karthgai Deepam 2022: History And Legends

There are multiple stories behind this karthigai deepam and here is the most popular and prominent story.

The Story Of Six Stars

Karthigai Deepam has a mystical background, which is associated with six stars or the six celestial nymphs of Hindu mythology. These nymphs gave birth to six babies that were joined together into one who came to be known as Muruga or Lord Kartikeya. Lord Shiva used the power of his third eye to achieve this purpose. The six forms were then brought up by the six celestial nymphs.

And, as each form was being raised by the nymphs, Lord Shiva, pleased with the nymphs, blessed them nymphs with immortality. Hence puja done to them equals the worship done to Lord Muruga himself. People light up diyas and decorate their homes and streets in the evening time.

Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu's Tussle For Supremacy

Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu, once upon a time were engaged in a quarrel of one-upmanship between each other. Lord Shiva appeared before them as a column of flame and asked them to find the origin and ending point of that flame. Lord Brahma took the form of a swan whereas Lord Vishnu turned into a boar for this purpose. After several failed attempts, Lord Shiva returned to his original form and told them that God is infinite and does not have an end or beginning.

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