Karthigai Deepam - A Festival of Lights in Tamil Nadu

There are brightly lit diyas everywhere you look – on the streets, in homes, in the balconies, in shops and offices. The rest of the country has fallen into a lull after the Diwali bashes, card parties and fireworks, but the people of Tamil Nadu refuse to let the revelries end. Diwali may be over, but Karthagai Deepam has just begun! A festival exclusive to this southern Indian state, it falls in the on December 12 in 2016, with the festivities continuing for nearly ten days.

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Origin of Karthagai Deepam

Karthagai Deepam is believed to be a very ancient festival, celebrated even before Diwali became a major festival in India. There are ancient myths and legends revolving around the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, which give the festival its mythological genesis. However, while the modern Tamilian will believe these legends and offer prayers to his/her deity, today the festival is more about family gatherings, traditional feasts and a break from work, more than anything else.

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Local Festivities

Celebrated in the month of Karthikaye, Tamil Nadu’s Festival of Lights is a time for extended celebrations with family and friends. Every household makes a rangoli and places a lamp at the entrance after sundown. The day of the actual celebration sees houses light up with hundreds of diyas or floating candles, adding a shimmering magnificence to each abode. The day is also akin to Bhai Duj and celebrates the unique bond between a brother and a sister. As sisters welcome their brothers to the house, they are laden with gifts and promises of protection in return. People feast on traditional fares including delicacies such as vella seedai, karthigai adai, adhirasam and pori urundai, all predominantly made with jaggery, coconut and cardamom.

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Celebrations in Tiruvanammalai

Karthigai Deepam has a special significance in Tiruvanammali, a town located on the foothills of the beautiful Annamalai range. An ancient city, it witnesses a surge of tourists, pilgrims and devotees to the famous Arunachalaeshwara Temple during this time. Many come to witness the grand spectacle of the lighting of the mahadeepam or giant flame, which lights up the hilltop behind the temple on this day. While the celebrations here last the customary ten days, they gather momentum towards the latter half with lacs witnessing the lighting of the flame. A special metallic lamp, nearly 5 feet in height, is brought for the purpose and filled with ghee. The wick of this lamp is made with meters of cotton cloth. After sundown the lamp is lit on the hilltop and once its flame is visible in the town below, the temples and houses follow suit, lighting their own candles and diyas, and dressing up the town in thousands of dancing lights. A magnificent spectacle, you’ll agree!

Make the most of your Diwali break and head to the beautiful state of Tamil Nadu to be a part of the festivities. It could also be the perfect excuse to experience the delights of places such as Ooty and Kodaikanal and witness the beauty of Karthigai Deepam. For flight and hotel bookings, log on to MakeMyTrip.com.