Thiru karthigai/Karthigai Deepam is celebrated in the month of Karthigai on full moon day according to the Tamil calendar. It is one of the oldest and most celebrated festivals that is known as an extension of Diwali. The festival is celebrated from the day of Diwali to Karthigai Deepam.
People celebrate the festival by lighting up the whole house with Deepak or lamps. It is believed that the light wards off evil powers and negativity from the houses. This year’s Karthigai Deepam will be celebrated on 29th November 2020.
What is the Legend Behind Celebrating Karthigai Deepam?
It is said that once under the influence of egoism, both Brahma and Vishnu started arguing about who is the greatest. Instead of doing their duties, they were trying to prove the points that make them superior. The argument was not ending up any soon, and that is why Lord Shiva appeared in front of them in the form of fire.
He told them that whoever will find the top or the bottom of this fire is the greatest Lord. Brahma took the form of a bird Annam and started finding the top of the fire. Vishnu went in the form of a pig to dig the bottom of the fire. Since the fire was limitless, both couldn’t find its top or bottom.
When their egoism broke, and they prayed to God, Lord Shiva showed them the real form. This transformation of Shiva into the fire is known as Thirukarthigai/Karthigai Deepam. To mimic the effect of a fire pillar or fire linga, people celebrate this as a festival.
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva appeared as a hill (Arunachala Hill) at Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. On this day, several people travel to Tiruvannamalai to celebrate Karthigai Deepam in its full glory.
The lesson behind this legend is that God is infinite, and his light washes off our egoism. It inspires us to believe in God while leaving our arrogance. People light up the lamps to pray Lord Shiva’s fire pillar avatar or the “Jyothi Swarupam.” Devotees prepare foods like All devotees will offer pori, adhirasam, vella seedai, vetrilai pakku, fruits as neivedhyam, and offer to Lord Shiva.
Lighting Up the Elephant Lamp on Karthigai
In Tamilnadu and Kerala, there is a practice of lighting up the elephant lamp where people pray for their brothers. The lamp is also known as Gajalakshmi Vilaku, which signifies prosperity and wealth.
According to mythology, there was a King who had one daughter. His daughter grew up with an elephant that she used to love very much and consider him her brother. After marriage, she went to her laws house and missed her brother elephant.
So to remember him, she used to light up the diyas or the lamps on Thirukarthigai/Karthigai deepam. She would light up Gajalakshmi vilaku and prepare tender coconut, elephant leg size milagu Milagu Adai, Pori, Adhirasam, Vella Seedai, and offer them to God. For this legend too, people celebrate Karthigai deepam and seek God’s blessings, which would bring them happiness and prosperity.
Kārtikai Chutru – The Homemade Fireworks
In the rural areas of Tamil Nadu, Kārtikai chutru is a popular kind of firecracker that both youngsters and adults craft. It is a charcoal-based hand-rotating firecracker that is safe and non-explosive since it is based on Charcoal.
People use three twigs or any plant stems that are a bit flexible. These twigs are then tied together with ropes like coir or jute rope, so it doesn’t catch fire. Then they place the firecracker packing inside the twigs tightly. The packing is made of crushed and packed charcoal into a coconut shell.
A few burning charcoals are placed on the packing and blown hard, so the packing catches fire and produce a firecracker-like effect.
Karthigai is one of the most significant festivals in Tamil Nadu that came to knowing even before Diwali and Navratri. The worship of Lord Shiva liberates the devotees from every fear and gets them rid of evil powers and negative influences. On this day, you can also witness six stars near the moon, another legend related to Lord Muruga that increases the significance of this day.