Story of Karthika Deepam – Why Arunachala Hill is Considered Lord Shiva Himself

Introduction: The Sacred Mountain of Fire

In the ancient town of Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, stands a mystical hill that is not merely a geographical formation but a living deity—Arunachala, the physical manifestation of Lord Shiva himself. The words Arunachala and Tiruvannamalai both translate as “Holy Fire Hill”, and this sacred mountain holds one of Hinduism’s most profound stories about divine supremacy, ego dissolution, and eternal grace.

Karthika Deepam is a Hindu festival of lights mainly observed by Tamils in India, Sri Lanka and other regions with significant Tamil diaspora. It is celebrated on the first full moon day of the month of Kartika coinciding with Kṛttikā nakshatra. This ancient festival commemorates the day when Lord Shiva manifested as an infinite pillar of fire, eventually taking the form of Arunachala Hill to bless humanity with his eternal presence.

The Legend of the Infinite Pillar of Fire

The Divine Dispute

The earliest Hindu scripture states that the two great deities of Hindu culture Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma started fighting among them regarding the superiority. They both thought each one was stronger than the other. This cosmic quarrel threatened the harmony of the universe, causing distress to all living beings.

As the argument escalated into a battle, Lord Shiva came in front of them and tried to show his supremacy. He took the shape of a huge fire and challenged the two fighting Gods to find the end of the fire from the top and bottom.

The Impossible Quest

Lord Vishnu turned into a boar and dug deep into the earth to find the end of the fire pillar, while Lord Brahma as a swan flew towards the skies. Both deities searched for eons, traveling through countless realms and dimensions.

Lord Vishnu took the form of a boar and tried to reach the end of the fire beneath the earth. He failed miserably and came back to Lord Shiva saying that he was unable to find the end of the fire from the bottom. Vishnu, in his humility, admitted his inability to find the base of the infinite column.

However, Brahma’s pride led him astray. Lord Brahma, based upon a piece of ‘mogali’ flower and learnt from it that it had been floating down for thirty thousand years from Lord Shiva’s head. He seized upon this and claimed to Lord Shiva that he had seen the other’s top.

Shiva’s Divine Judgment

Lord Shiva realized the falsehood and pronounced that there would never be a temple for Lord Brahma in this world. He also prohibited the use of the mogali flower in his worship. Through this, Shiva demonstrated that honesty and humility are essential virtues, even for the gods.

This event established Lord Shiva’s supremacy and taught a profound lesson about the infinite nature of the divine—it has no beginning, no end, and cannot be comprehended through ego or deception.

The Birth of Arunachala: When God Became a Mountain

Shiva’s Compassionate Manifestation

After proving his supremacy, Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu requested Lord to take a pleasing form here for the benefit of all beings. On their request, Shiva took the form of the Arunachala Hill.

Lord declared that “Every year on the day of Karthigai, I will appear on this highest point of the hill in the form of a peace-giving beacon”. This divine promise is fulfilled every year through the lighting of the Karthika Deepam.

Why Arunachala is Lord Shiva Himself

In Tamil, “Aṇnudhal” means “to approach” or “to come near.” “Aṇṇā” means “that which cannot be approached” or “inaccessible.” Since Lord Shiva appeared in a form whose beginning and end could not be measured even by Brahma or Vishnu, the hill came to be known as Annamalai, meaning “the inaccessible hill” or “the hill that cannot be measured or approached”.

When talking of all the temples dedicated to Lord Shiva’s manifestation, the Arunachala Temple is considered the most sacred of all the names. The Agni Lingam in the temple symbolizes self-sacrifice, liberation, duty, and virtue.

The hill is not a symbol or representation of Shiva—it IS Shiva in physical form. The simple fact of seeing or even thinking of Arunachala is said to be enough to neutralise all karma.

The Transformation Through the Yugas

As per the ancient legends the Annamalai Hill was Agni (fire) during Krithayugam, was Manikkam (Ruby) during Threthayugam, was Pon (Gold) during Dwaprayugam and is rock now during Kaliyugam. This transformation reflects the changing nature of human consciousness through different ages, yet the divine essence remains eternal.

The Goddess Parvati Connection

Parvati’s Penance

There is another beautiful legend connecting Goddess Parvati to Arunachala. Goddess Parvathi closed Lord Siva eyes in a playful mood, which pushed the entire creation into darkness. Angered Siva directed Parvathi to perform penance for this mistake.

Parvathi came to down to Earth and started a strict penance at Kanchipuram. On Siva’s advice, Parvathi moved to Tiruvannamalai and did penance on top of Iruvannamalai Hills.

Victory Over the Demon

Goddess Parvathi killed the demon Mahisasura and organized a festival on the day of Karthigai. Goddess joined with the Lord here, who appeared as a cosmic flame on the summit of the hill. This said to be the beginning of Karthigai Deepam.

Lord Shiva presented himself in the form of holy fire on top of the Hill and combined Goddess Parvathi with Him on the left half of his body, forming the Ardhanarishvara form—the perfect union of masculine and feminine energies.

The Agni Lingam: Fire as Divine Essence

The Pancha Bhoota Sthala

The Annamalaiyar Temple is one of the Pancha Bhootha Thalams, or five major Sivan temples, each representing a manifestation of a natural element: earth, water, air, sky, and fire. Arunachala represents the element of fire (Agni).

The presiding deity of the temple is Annamalaiyar, a manifestation of Shiva, who is worshipped as the embodiment of the Arunachala (Annamalai) hill itself. Shiva is worshipped as Annamalaiyar (meaning “The mountain that cannot be reached”), and is represented by the lingam known as the Agni Lingam, symbolizing the element of fire.

The Sacred Temple Structure

The ancient temple at the foot of the hill houses the Agni/Fire lingam, one of five great shrines around India that represent one of the five elements. The Shivalinga in the temple here is the agni linga. The tiny lamps lit during the Karthigai festival (Karthigai Deepam) are believed to be the miniature replicas of the fire linga.

Karthika Deepam: The Festival of Divine Light

Ancient Origins

One of the earliest references to the festival is found in the Tamil anthology Akanaṉūṟu, dating back to the Sangam period (200 BCE to 300 CE). The festival is referred in songs of poetess Avvaiyar.

One can find a reference to this festival of lights in the age old literature of Tamils known as Ahananuru, a collection of poems. It is one of the great books of Sangam literature that talks about the happenings between 200 BC and 300 AD.

The Sacred Celebration

This festival, which has been taking place annually for many thousands of years, culminates in the lighting of a huge lamp on top of Arunachala Hill. During the following ten days, it is relit each evening and burns brightly throughout the night.

The lighting ceremony is extraordinary: A group of fishermen carry a portion of this fire inside a container of baked earth to the summit of the Arunachala hill where a large copper cauldron filled with three tons of ghee, and pieces of cloth has been placed in readiness for the evening.

The Bharani Deepam Ritual

The worship of Bharani depam starts in the temple, at around four am. A fire sacrifice is held in front of the shrine of Lord Surya, following which, a lamp is lit in the main shrine of Lord Arunachala. A small terracota ghee lamp lit at this fire is used to light five other lamps representing the five aspects of Shiva.

It is believed that the flame of the lamp does not sputter on this day and takes the form of Lord Muruga and reaches up to the sky.

The Magnitude of Celebration

The event is witnessed by three million pilgrims who gather to witness this divine spectacle. It can be seen from miles around, and symbolizes the Siva lingam of fire joining the sky.

The Spiritual Significance of Arunachala

The Power of the Sacred Mountain

Even before the Maharshi came and lived here, there were innumerable sages who had discovered the power of Arunachala for themselves. Many came here, realised the Self and attributed their realisation to the power and grace of this mountain.

Ramana Maharshi, one of the greatest sages of modern times, taught about Arunachala’s unique power: The Maharshi always maintained that the power of this mountain was not a matter of belief. He said that if you sit in the shade of a tree, you will feel the cool shade. This is a physical fact, not a matter of belief. Then He went on to say that Arunachala worked in the same way. It affects the people who are here, whether they believe in it or not.

He once said, ‘Arunachala is like a fire. If you go near it you will feel the heat whether you believe in it or not.’ I also heard him say once, ‘If you go round this Hill, it will give you its grace, even if you don’t want it’.

A Living Deity

It is also said that this hill is the centre of the world and that Lord Shiva lives there with his consort Parvati. As Arunachala is regarded as Lord Shiva in person, the circumambulation round it, called Giri Pradakshina in Sanskrit and Giri Valam in Tamil, is considered to be of great spiritual benefit.

Sri Annamalaiar Hill is considered as Lord Shiva’s great presence in Thiruvannamalai. People believe that the huge light lit during 5 pm will make people close with Lord Shiva on Kathigai Deepam.

Girivalam: The Sacred Circumambulation

The Spiritual Practice

Throughout the year, pilgrims engage in a practise called giri valam (circumambulation of Annamalaiyar temple and Annamalai hill 14 km in circumference), considered to be a simple and effective form of yoga.

The ritual of circumambulating the sacred Annamalai Hill is known as Girivalam. The route around the hill measures about 14 kilometers and is regarded as exceptionally auspicious. Devotees often undertake this sacred pilgrimage, particularly on full moon days, believing it to purify the soul and confer spiritual benefits.

The Eight Lingams

There are eight small shrines of lingams located in the 14 km circumference of the hill, each associated with the 12 moon signs. The Asta Lingams of Arunachala, eight revered Shiva lingams that encircle the sacred hill, are ancient relics, with a history spanning centuries.

Each lingam has a specific name and significance:

Indra Lingam (East) – represents birth and knowledge
Agni Lingam (Southeast) – burns karmas of past lives
Yama Lingam (South) – associated with death and transformation
Niruthi Lingam (Southwest) – destroyer of negative forces
Varuna Lingam (West) – associated with water and purification
Vayu Lingam (Northwest) – represents air and life force
Kubera Lingam (North) – bestows prosperity
Esanya Lingam (Northeast) – grants spiritual knowledge

Guidelines for Girivalam

One should go round either in mouna (silence) or dhyana (meditation) or japa (repetition of Lord’s name) or sankeertana (bhajan) and thereby think of God all the time. One should walk slowly like a woman who is in the ninth month of pregnancy.

On the day preceding each full moon, pilgrims circumnavigate the temple base and the annamalai hills in a worship called Girivalam, a practice carried out by one million pilgrims yearly.

The Lord Murugan Connection

The Six-Faced God

Another legend links karthigai Deepam to Lord Muruga. Lord Muruga adopted the form of six babies in Saravana poigai, a lake and was looked after by six krittika stars. On this day, Goddess Parvathy united all the six forms of Skantda.

This is why Karthika Masam is also considered the birth month of Lord Murugan (Kartikeya), the son of Shiva and Parvati. According to another legend, on Karthigai Deepam, Lord Muruga who was born as six flames from the third eye of Lord Shiva and was nurtured by the Karthigai Pengal (six maidens) as six beautiful babies, who were unified by Goddess Parvati.

Symbolism and Spiritual Teachings

The Meaning of Light

The wick in the lamp symbolizes our ego, the oil in the lamp denotes our inborn nature that cultures the ego and the flame signifies the spiritual wisdom that can inflame the ego (wick) by burning out the innate behavior (oil). Therefore, the lighting of the lamps represents the victory of good over evil.

The Universal Truth

The story of Arunachala teaches us several profound truths:

The Infinite Nature of God: The divine cannot be measured, contained, or fully comprehended by the mind
The Danger of Ego: Even great beings like Brahma fell due to pride and falsehood
The Value of Humility: Vishnu’s honest admission was honored while Brahma’s deception was punished
God’s Compassion: Despite proving his supremacy, Shiva manifested in a gentle, accessible form for humanity’s benefit
The Power of Sacred Geography: Certain places on Earth hold concentrated spiritual power that can transform seekers

Liberation Through Darshan

Worshipping Lord Shiva on this day can destroy your ego, pride, greed and delusion. The very sight of Arunachala is believed to grant spiritual merit and eventually lead to moksha (liberation).

Scientific and Mystical Aspects

The Geological Wonder

Arunachala stands at approximately 2,668 feet (813 meters) above sea level. Annamalai Hill is in the South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests ecoregion. Its reddish appearance, especially during sunrise and sunset, gives credence to its name “Aruna” (red) + “Achala” (mountain).

The Spiritual Energy Field

During Karthikai Deepam there is an intense focusing of the power of the Hill. Thousands of saints, sages, and spiritual seekers have attested to the unique energy emanating from Arunachala.

The sacred hill, almost 2668 feet high, itself is Lord Annamalaiyar here. This statement is not metaphorical in the Hindu understanding—the hill truly is considered a living deity.

Celebration Across Tamil Culture

Regional Observance

Karthika Deepam, Karthikai Vilakkidu or Thrukarthikai is a festival of lights that is observed by Hindus of Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Telungana and Kerala in India, and in other places with Tamil population like Srilanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius and Reunion islands.

Home Celebrations

On Karthigai Deepam, people clean their houses and decorate the doorstep with beautiful rangolis (drawings). Clay lamps of various sizes and patterns are lit around the house and on the rangolis to welcome the divine. Special delicacies are cooked and offered to the Lord during the Pooja.

The Eternal Promise

This festival of lights involves lighting lights almost anywhere to put an end to darkness. They want to show lights to the Gods who will be impressed with their worship and continue to look after the followers for ages to come.

Every year, as the Karthika Deepam is lit atop Arunachala, it fulfills Shiva’s ancient promise to manifest as a beacon of peace. This light represents:

The eternal presence of the divine
The dispelling of ignorance and darkness
The fire of spiritual knowledge
The unchanging truth amidst changing times
The grace that flows from God to devotees

Conclusion: The Living Mountain of Light

Arunachala is not simply a pilgrimage site or a temple—it is Lord Shiva himself in the form of a mountain. Soon afterwards, Lord Shiva appeared as a hill (Arunachala Hill) at Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, and this manifestation continues to bless seekers to this day.

The story of Karthika Deepam reminds us that the infinite divine chose to become accessible, taking physical form so that even ordinary humans could approach, see, touch, and circumambulate God himself. The lighting of the Deepam each year is not merely a commemoration of a past event—it is the annual renewal of Shiva’s promise, the rekindling of the eternal flame that burns away ignorance and illuminates the path to liberation.

As the ancient Skanda Purana declares: “In this place, He always abides as the glorious Aruna Hill!” This is the miracle and mystery of Arunachala—the mountain that is God, the fire that purifies, the light that liberates.

Whether one believes these stories literally or symbolically, the power of Arunachala remains undeniable. Every year thousands of devotees from Chennai and elsewhere flock to Tiruvannamalai to see the spectacular Karthigai Deepam there, and each one carries home the light of Arunachala in their hearts.