karthigai

This article is abot the Kaarthigai – the month of lamps.

Lighting lamps during twilight hours on all days of the solar month of Kaarthigai is an age-old practice.
The special occasion is the full moon day in Kaarthigai when all houses and temples will be decorated with oil lamps after sunset. This festival is an important one for both shivites and vaishanvites and is variously known as Bharani deepam, Kaarthigai deepam and Vishnu deepam. This is considered solely as a Tamil festival, as it is not celebrated in other parts of India.
First of all, a clarification on the difference between lighting lamps on Deepavali (as it is done in most of India barring Tamilnadu) and lighting lamps on Kaarthigai pournami. The obvious difference is that Deepavali coincides with New / no moon day whereas Kaarthigai deepam coincides with Full moon day. But the intricate difference is that, lighting lamps on Deepavali is to celebrate a historical event of the death of Narakasura while that of the Kaarthigai is a kind of worship on a cosmically important day. According to the astrological text, Kalaprakasika, kaarthgai deepam is celebrated on the Full moon day of the solar month of kaarthgai. The Full moon is the fundamental signifactor. The star krittika may or may not be present. But the deepam must be lighted on the Full moon. If the full moon continues in the next evening, the deepam must be lit then. Even if there is a lunar eclipse, the deepam must be lit. This festival ensures prosperity and good rains to the country. The lighting time must coincide with exact sun set or just before sunset or at twilight. The twilight is defined as the time when sun will be within 18 degrees below the horizon. It takes 4 minutes to cross a degree. That means twilight stretches for 1 hour.
SAMIHETA A/P GOPAL
SA08027