Every year at the time of the full moon in nov/dec Tiruvannamalai attracts millions of people for the Kartik deepam festival. At around midnight the Statues of the gods are taken out on big cars around the main temple. Over a period of a week the cars get bigger and bigger each night. On the main day 3 cars go around in the day and evening.
Amazing and expensive statues are decorated with flowers and lights. Next they are put on silver animals on cars. A parade with fireworks, elephant and musicians takes them around the main temple.
On the main day the big lamp on the mountain is lit at 18.00 and everywhere people light lamps and fireworks at the same time. About 3 million people waked around the mountain at that time this year.
Many organisations cook free food for all the 3 million pelgrims.
There is a market for all sorts of things all around the mountain.
Richard is enjoying the madness
Pulling the big car is a dangerous thing to do.
This year 3 people ended up in hospital and one died.
I climbed up the top ofthe mountain with Peter to donate some butter for the lamp.
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