Today is the holy day of Karthika Pournami. Karthika Masam is thename of the current Lunar month and today is Pournami that is Full Moon Day andhence the day is called Karthika Pournami. Today is also called as KarthikaPunnami and Karthika Poornima / Purnima. It is a holy celebration to both LordShiva and Lord Vishnu. It is the day on which Lord Shiva killed Tripurasura ademon king and protected the world. With boons from Lord Ganesha, Tripurasurabecame indestructible, grew into an evil force and defeated all the kings of Earthand the Gods in Heaven. According to Lord Ganesha’s boon, Tripurasura could bekilled only by Lord Shiva. After witnessing the evil deeds and destructionunleashed by Triupurasura, Lord Ganesha approached Tripurasura in the guise ofa Brahmin with a plan to eliminate him. The Brahmin displayed 64 arts to the demon king, and pleased with theBrahmin; Tripurasura offered to grant him any wish he made. The Brahmin askedfor the Idol of Chinthamani which is with Lord Shiva. As Lord Shiva refused topart with the Idol, a war took place between Lord Shiva and Tripurasura. TheChariot that Lord Shiva rode in this war is described as Prithvi (Earth) withthe Sun and Moon as its wheels and the bow as Meru (the huge mountain) and LordVishnu as the arrow. This single arrow from Lord Shiva destroyed all thematerialistic boons that Lord Ganesha had offered to Tripurasura in the form ofpalaces and vimanams (planes). The speed and force of the arrow caused heavylightening which made Tripurasura faint and ultimately brought about his end.
People in very large numbers bathe in the holy rivers of thecountry today. They visit Temples and offer prayers. ‘Abhishekam’ is performedto Lord Shiva. As such, Karthika Masam that is the entire month of Karthikam isconsidered very auspicious. During this entire month and specially today oillamps are lit at Temples, at holy rivers and houses with hundreds of wicks,sometimes thousands of wicks (‘Karthika Deepa-aradhana’) and in modern days 365wicks to represent the days of the year. Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi alongwith all the Gods are said to visit and reside under Amla that is Usiri orGooseberry trees by the side of Tulisi plants that is Basil plants, in thismonth. Hence a lot of prominence is given to these plants, prayers are offeredto the plants on this day and in this month, and picnics are organized outdoors,preferably under Amla trees. These rituals are called Vana Mahotsavam orVanabhojanalu. All these actions are considered very beneficial, they are saidto liberate us from all sins and bless us with good health, wealth, prosperity,success, longevity and fulfillment of all wishes.
The above photographs are of Karthika Pournami festivities at SriRamalingeshwara Swamy Temple, at Keesara Gutta (Keesara hillock), Keesara Village,30 Kms. from our house in Secunderabad.
You may click on the following links to read articles I wroteearlier on Karthika Masam:
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