Maha Deepam Festival, Thiruvannamalai

The Festival of Lamps, also known as the "Karthigai Deepam Festival," is one of Tamil Nadu's most important festivals. The Tamil month of Karthigai, which takes place between the months of November and December, is significant in the South Indian states' religious and spiritual traditions. The Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple at Thiruvannamalai hosts a 10-day festival called Maha Deepam or Annamalai Deepam. In this temple, Lord Shiva is worshipped under the name "Arunachaleswarar." This temple also holds the privilege of representing one of the five cosmic elements. Lord Shiva is believed to be present at Thiruvannamalai in the form of a mountain, signifying the element of fire in the cosmos.The other four temples representing the cosmic elements are located at: Thillai Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram(sky), Jambukeswarar Temple in Thiruvanaikaval(water), Ekambareswarar Temple in Kanchipuram(Earth), and Srikalahasti Temple in Andhra Pradesh (Wind). The 10-day celebrations commence on the day of Uttradam with the flag hoisting and Lord Arunachaleswarar is carried in procession atop the silver vahanas. The Panchamurthis (Panchamurthigal) - Lord Ganapathi, Lord Murugan, Lord Sandheswarar, Lord Arunachaleswarar, and Goddess Parvathi are also carried upon chariots during the procession.  Each day, these processions are done on a variety of vahanas, including the Lord Indira's chariot, the Indira Vimanam, the Simha vahanam, the chariot of the lion, the Kamadhenu Vahanam, the Rishaba Vahanam, and the Kailasa Vahanam. On the tenth day, the famous Bharani Deepam with its five "Agni Deepams" is lit in the temple of Arunachaleswarar's Sannithi. On the festival's last day, lakhs of devotees gather in the Annamalai Hills to worship the Maha Deepam.