It is the time of the year to adore the mighty powers of Lord Shiva as we celebrate Kaarthigai Deepam today. Every Indian house can be seen lit up and decorated with oil lamps. Kaarthigai Deepam according to the Tamil month falls exactly on a Pournami day (Full moon day). Karthigai today (6 Dec) begins at 11.08 AM and ends at 12.55 PM the following day (7 Dec). Lamps are lit after sunset at 6 pm.

How to celebrate this auspicious day

Clean the house

First thing first, make sure you do some cleaning to make the house look bright and new. Remember to clean outdoor spaces, like your front door and windows, to ensure that your lamps will be visible to your neighbors.

Decorate the house

Place mango leaves and hang colorful fresh flowers on every god/goddess’s photo around the house. Then draw a kolam/rangoli at the doorstep and in front of the pooja area. This is to welcome the deities to the home.

Here are some kolam/rangoli ideas for you :

Light the house

After dawn, lit the agal vilakkus in all corners of the house. Mainly place those lamps at the main entrance. It is believed that by doing this, evil forces are warded off.

The Rituals

Individuals can observe fasting to purify the mind and body and acquire divine grace. Light the earthen lamps made of clay and add ghee to them. While lighting the lamps, chant the Kartigai deepam slokhas during the pooja. And once the pooja is done, distribute neivedhyam as prasadam to family members in the house.

Karthigai Deepam’s Myth

Once, Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu had a quarrel. Each claimed that he was the supreme God. The fight disturbed Lord Shiva. He appeared before them as a pillar of fire and told the two gods to find the end or beginning of the fiery column. The one who was the first to do so would be the supreme God. So Brahma took the form of a swan, while Vishnu took the form of a boar. Brahma flew up to find the end of the flame, and Vishnu dug deep into the earth to find its beginning. But they failed in their attempts. Then they realized that Lord Shiva himself was the supreme God.

Source: (1,2)

Experience the power of the divine as you remove all darkness and enhance brightness in your life this Kaarthigai.

Happy Kaarthigai Everyone!