Today is Karthigai Deepam. Karthigai as used here refers to the month of Karthigai on the Tamil Calender and Deepam means lighted lamps. My mom prepared 9 lamps to be placed all over the house. She explained that for auspicious events Hindus always believed in using the odd numbers - not the even numbers. Hence 9 lamps in the house will be lit. My mom has special clay lamps just for this festival. The most famous temple in India where this event is celebrated is in Thiruvanamalai. Here Lord Shiva is in the form of Agni Lingam (Agni meaning fire). Thiruvanamalai means Holy Fire Hill. And according to legend Lord Shiva is believed to have appeared on this hill in the Tamil town of Thirvanamalai. The fire or the lighted lamps signify the sacred or spiritual fire which puries one's heart and mind.
Today is also my nephew's birthday - he turns 11. And it seems that every eleven years his birthday will fall on Karthigai Deepam. So we plan to light the lamps at home and scoot off to his birthday party later.
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