Tiruvannamalai's Sacred Beacon: Lakhs Converge for Mahadeepam Festival

The festivities began at 4 a.m. with the ceremonial lighting of the Bharani Deepam inside the main sanctum’s Arthamandapam. Shivacharyas performed special rituals and a yajna before lighting the sacred flame, which was then ceremonially carried through the Vaikunta Vasal and taken towards the hill.

Five lamps representing the five elements were lit using the Bharani Deepam and subsequently taken to various shrines within the temple complex.

The flame was then brought to the Unnamulai Amman shrine, where thousands of devotees chanted, “Annamalaiyar be blessed, Unnamulai Amman be blessed,” offering prayers in unison.

On the festival’s final day, special 'abhishekams', 'alankarams', 'deepaaradhana', and 'homams' were performed early in the morning for Lord Arunachaleswarar. The temple premises, adorned with flowers and elaborate lighting displays, welcomed devotees from across Tamil Nadu, other states, and abroad.

At exactly 6 p.m., the Mahadeepam will be lit on the hilltop, in perfect synchrony with the procession of Ardhanareeswarar arriving near the temple in a special vehicle to bless the crowd. Once lit, the Mahadeepam flame will continue to burn for 11 consecutive days and will be visible from as far as 40 km, a sight millions consider profoundly auspicious.

In anticipation of the massive crowd, an unprecedented security deployment of 15,000 police personnel has been arranged. Over 4,700 special buses and several dedicated trains are operating to Tiruvannamalai. As many as 130 parking lots and 24 temporary bus stations have been set up.

Free food distribution points line the girivalam path, where lakhs of devotees undertake the sacred 14-km circumambulation around the hill.

Despite early morning rain in Tiruvannamalai that initially reduced footfall, the number of devotees gradually surged through the day. Prominent visitors included Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P.K. Sekar Babu, former Andhra Pradesh minister and actor Roja, Justice Mahadevan, IG Asra Garg, DIG Dharmarajan, Collector Darabagharaj, and SP Dr Sudhakar.

This year’s Deepam festival is being celebrated with unprecedented enthusiasm, with an estimated 40 lakh devotees expected to witness the sacred Mahadeepam -- a testament to the enduring spiritual magnetism of Tiruvannamalai.

- IANS