| Karthika Deepam | |
|---|---|
_for_Kaarthigai_Deepam.jpg) Oil lamps arranged onKolam during Karthika Deepam | |
| Observed by | Tamil andMalayaliHindus, andCaribbean Shaktism |
| Type | Hindu |
| Significance | Shiva's manifestation asJyotirlinga Origin ofKartikeya Veneration ofParvati |
| Celebrations | Puja, celebrations, lighting of bonfires and lamps |
| Date | Kṛttikānakshatra in theTamil month ofKarthigai |
| 2024 date | 13 December |
| 2025 date | 4 December |
| Frequency | Annual |
Karthika Deepam (Tamil:Kārtikai tīpam) is aHindu festival of lights. It is mainly observed byTamils in India, Sri Lanka and other regions with significantTamil diaspora. It is celebrated on the firstfull moon day of the month ofKarthigai coinciding withKṛttikānakshatra, falling on theGregorian months of November or December. Though it corresponds to theKartik Purnima, it falls on a different day due to the correction ofequinoxes in theTamil calendar.
The festival is associated withShaivism, commemorates the origin ofKartikeya andShiva's manifestation asJyotirlinga. InKerala, it is celebrated as Thrikarthika, in honour of goddessParvati.
One of the earliest references to the festival is found in theTamil anthologyAkanaṉūṟu, dating back to theSangam period (200 BCE to 300 CE). The festival is referred in songs of poetessAvvaiyar.[1] The festival is also referred in theSangam literature asPeruviḻa.[2]
According to theKanda Puranam, threeasuras (a race of celestial beings)Surapadman,Tarakasuran, and Singamukhan performed austerities to propitiate godShiva. Shiva granted them various boons which gave them near-immortality and the ability to conquer thethree worlds.[3] They subsequently started a reign of tyranny in their respective realms which forced the celestial beingsdevas to plead with Shiva for his assistance. In response, Shiva manifested five additional heads and a divine spark emerged from each of the six heads. The sparks were carried by wind-godVayu, and fire-godAgni toGanga river. The water in the Ganga started evaporating due to intense heat, and so the goddessGanga took them to the Saravana lake, where each of the sparks developed into a baby boy.[4] The six boys were raised byhandmaidens known as theKṛttikās and they were later fused into one byParvati, thus giving rise to the six-headedKartikeya.[5] As perHindu mythology, the six Kṛttikās–Śiva, Sambhūti, Prīti, Sannati, Anasūya, and Kṣamā,[6] who helped in rearing the child, were granted withimmortality by Shiva and transformed to become eternal stars in the sky as a part of thePleiades star cluster.[7] The festival commemorates the Kṛttikās and the day Parvati united the six forms of Kartikeya.[8][9]
According to theShiva Purana,Brahma (god of creation) andVishnu (god of preservation) had an argument over their supremacy.[10][11] To settle the debate, Shiva took the form ofjyotirlinga, an infinite pillar of light.[12] Shiva declared that the dispute would be resolved if the two could discover his head and feet. Vishnu took the form of a boarVaraha and descended to locate his feet, while Brahma rode his swanHamsa to locate his head.[13] Vishnu failed in his search of the feet and returned, honest about the outcome of his quest. However, Brahma chanced upon aPandanus flower falling down from Shiva's head and presented the same to Shiva claiming that he had seen Shiva's head. The dishonesty of Brahma angered Shiva, causing him to curse the creator deity that he would not be worshipped; he also declared that Vishnu would be eternally worshipped for his honesty.[14] The festival is celebrated to commemorate the manifestation of Shiva as jyothirlinga.[9]
Karthika Deepam is a festival of lights observed mainly byHinduTamils in India, Sri Lanka and other regions with significantTamil diaspora.[15] The festival is celebrated on the firstfull moon day of the month ofKarthigai coinciding withKṛttikānakshatra, falling on theGregorian months of November or December.[16] Though it corresponds to theKartik Purnima, it falls on a different day due to the correction ofequinoxes in theTamil calendar.[17] InKerala, the festival is known as Thrikarthika, and is celebrated in as a form of veneration to goddessParvati.[18]
On the occasion of the festival, people light clayoil lamps.[19] The oil lamps are considered auspicious symbols and is believed to ward off evil forces, and usher in prosperity and joy.[20] People also burstfire crackers, and exchange sweets.[19] Maavali is a traditional firework made from burntpalmyra flowers and spun around to create sparks.[21][22]
InHindu temples, specialpujas are performed and a lamp cauldron is usually lit to commemorate the festival.[23] InTiruvannamalai, the festival is marked by the lighting of a large ghee lamp atop theArunachala hill.[19][24] Millions of devotees participate in the car festival ofArunachalesvara Temple at Tiruvannamalai andcircumambulate the hill.[25][26]
On the occasion of Thrikarthika, oil lamps are lit after sunset. The lamps are decorated by leaves fromcoconut andmango trees and placed onbanana stems. Special dishes are prepared, and offerings are made to cattle.[18]
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