Devotees barred from climbing Aruṇācala for the Mahā Dīpam on 24 November, but the hilltop lamp will be lit by tradition
Only the community that has lit the lamp for generations will climb, carrying a 175 kg cauldron and 750 kg of ghee.
- The Hindu
For the third year in a row, devotees will not be allowed to climb the Aruṇācala hill near the Aruṇācaleśvara temple on Mahā Dīpam day, 24 November. Tiruvannamalai District Collector Vandhana Garg announced the decision on Thursday, citing forecasts of heavy rain.
"The decision to prohibit devotees from climbing the hills has been taken to ensure the safety of people's lives," she said. About 50 lakh devotees are expected in the temple town during the Kārttika Dīpam festival, she added.
The ban began in 2024, after a landslip triggered by Cyclone Fengal killed seven people, including children. An eight-member expert team led by Prof. K. Premalatha of Anna University later surveyed the 2,668-foot hill.
Officials said the slopes remain wet and the soil loose after recent monsoon rain. The lamp atop the hill will still be lit as per tradition by local fishermen who have done so for generations, on special passes from the Collector.
They will carry a 175 kg cauldron, 750 kg of ghee, 10 kg of camphor and about 300 metres of cotton cloth for the wick. In the past, about 2,500 people received passes to climb on Mahā Dīpam day.
The Forest Department opposed this after the 2024 landslip. Revenue officials have also issued notices to about 1,400 families living on the hill to move to temporary shelters for their safety.
Key data
Mahā Dīpam on 24 Nov 2026; ban in force for a 3rd straight year; about 50 lakh devotees expected; 7 deaths in the 2024 landslip; hill height 2,668 feet; 175 kg cauldron, 750 kg ghee, 10 kg camphor, about 300 m wick; earlier about 2,500 climbing passes; about 1,400 families served notices; hills span 698.03 hectares.
Why it matters
Seeing the Mahā Dīpam on Aruṇācala is among the most sacred moments of the Śaiva year in Tamil Nadu. Devotees can still have its darśan from the town and on the Girivalam path, and the hereditary ritual continues unbroken.
GK: did you know?
Tiruvannamalai is revered as the agni (fire) sthala among the five Pañca Bhūta sthalas of Śiva. Kārttika Dīpam is celebrated when the Kṛttikā nakṣatra falls in the Tamil month of Kārttikai.
