fasts and vrats
What is the Karthigai Deepam vrat observed in Tamil Nadu and how is it related to Shiva?
The festival and the vrat
Karthigai Deepam falls on the full moon day of the Tamil month of Karthigai, usually in November or December. The word deepam means lamp. On this day, many people observe a vrat, or fast, and light oil lamps in their homes as an act of worship. The lamps are lit in the evening as a form of prayer called deepa aradhana, or worship through light. Some people fast completely, while others eat light food. The fast is meant as a way to draw closer to Shiva and to mark the sacred meaning of the day.
Shiva as the infinite light
The festival is rooted in the idea of Shiva as Jyotirlinga, which means the linga, or symbol of Shiva, in the form of light itself. According to the Skanda Purana, Brahma and Vishnu once argued about who was the greatest. To settle the dispute, Shiva appeared as an infinite column of light with no beginning and no end. Both Brahma and Vishnu tried to find its limits but could not. This light is what Karthigai Deepam celebrates. The most famous place where this is remembered is at Arunachala, a sacred hill in Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. On Karthigai Deepam night, a massive lamp is lit atop the hill, and thousands gather to see it. The sight of that great flame is seen as a glimpse of Shiva's boundless light.
Today
Karthigai Deepam remains deeply important in Tamil Nadu and among Tamil Hindus worldwide. Families light lamps at home and at temples. The gathering at Arunachala on the night of the festival draws pilgrims from all over. The vrat is observed with varying strictness from home to home. Some people keep it as a quiet day of prayer and fasting, while others combine it with family meals and temple visits. It is distinct from Diwali, which is celebrated across India with a different story and timing, though both festivals centre on light and lamps.