The temple town of Tiruvannamalai is gearing up for lighting Maha Deepam atop 2,688 feet-high Arunachala Hills near Arunachaleswara temple on December 3, 2025 (Wednesday) as part of Karthigai Deepam festival.
The 2025 Maha Deepam festival comes an year after landslip that killed seven persons including children on December 1, 2024 due to rains triggered by Cyclone Fengal in the town. “Forest staff from neighbouring divisions like Vellore and Tirupattur have been roped to assist local forest teams to prevent people from climbing the hills during the festival. However, people who are associated with lighting the lamp atop the hills as part of Maha Deepam will be allowed,” M. Sudhakar, District Forest Officer (DFO), told The Hindu.
7 trapped in house after landslip found dead in Tiruvannamalai
Devotees won’t be allowed to climb Arunachala Hills in Tiruvannamalai on Maha Deepam Day
Despite rain, efforts taken to light Maha Deepam atop Arunachala Hills
