Karthikai Deepam - The Tamizh Festival of Lights

Karthikai Theepam, perhaps the oldest Tamil festival still celebrated today, is more commonly known as the Tamizh festival of lights. It is celebrated during the full moon evening in the Tamil month of Karthikai (mid-November to mid-December). Karthikai Theepam is referenced in both Sangam literature, which dates back to 200 B.C. and in the poems by Avaiyaar. The festival signifies the end of the monsoon season and was seen as a time to offer gratitude for abundance and pray for the safe return of sailors. 

Sacred texts state that Karthikai Theepam honours Lord Murugan (affectionately known as the God of Tamils) and the Karthikai maidens. Lord Murugan who was born as six flames from the third eye of Lord Shiva, was raised by the Karthigai pengal (six maidens) as six babies, before being merged into a single boy with six faces by his mother, Goddess Parvathi. These six maidens were blessed with immortality for rearing Lord Murugan and turned into the six stars that form the Karthikai (Pleiades) constellation, by Lord Shiva. 

On Karthikai Theepam, homes are thoroughly cleaned, new clothes are worn, kolams are drawn near the front entrance of homes, and theepams/lamps are in lit and around homes to welcome prosperity and auspiciousness into the home while warding off negativities and evil forces. The lighting of the lamps also represents the burning of the behaviours responsible for our egos, in place of spiritual wisdom, thus signifying victory of good over evil or light over darkness.