Unlike the other parts of India, (or even the USA with President Bush’s Diwali and President Obama’s Diwali) where Deepavali is considered to be the ‘festival of lights’, the Tamils consider the ‘Karthigai Deepam’ – literally ‘the light in (tamil month of) Karthigai* – to be the actual ‘festival of lights’, which was on 1st of Dec, 2009 this year.
It is on this day the lamps are lit in and around the houses and several sweets and savouries are prepared (what else is a festival for – if not eat and be merry ? )
:-D
Here are the pix of the stairs to my apartment :- (11 days late)
*Karthigai is the tamil month which corresponds to the Sanskrit month of ‘Dhanu’ or the Solar month of ‘Sagitarius’. The equivalent month in the Northern Indian / Vikarama / Saka calendar is the month of ‘Agrahayana’ or ‘Margashirsha’ and in the Gregorian calendar falls between 15 Nov - 14 Dec.
Always keep in mind – the Vikram / Saka calendars begin with or near a Full Moon and ends with or near a New Moon. The Tamil calendar is the opposite – it starts at or near a New Moon day and ends with or near a Full Moon Day. Thus the Vikram / Saka calendars will have the brighter half of moon cycle during the 1st fortnight, whereas the Tamil Calendar will have it during the 2nd fortnight.
It is on this day the lamps are lit in and around the houses and several sweets and savouries are prepared (what else is a festival for – if not eat and be merry ? )
:-D
Here are the pix of the stairs to my apartment :- (11 days late)
*Karthigai is the tamil month which corresponds to the Sanskrit month of ‘Dhanu’ or the Solar month of ‘Sagitarius’. The equivalent month in the Northern Indian / Vikarama / Saka calendar is the month of ‘Agrahayana’ or ‘Margashirsha’ and in the Gregorian calendar falls between 15 Nov - 14 Dec.
Always keep in mind – the Vikram / Saka calendars begin with or near a Full Moon and ends with or near a New Moon. The Tamil calendar is the opposite – it starts at or near a New Moon day and ends with or near a Full Moon Day. Thus the Vikram / Saka calendars will have the brighter half of moon cycle during the 1st fortnight, whereas the Tamil Calendar will have it during the 2nd fortnight.
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