Karthigai Deepam is celebrated on full moon day on the month of Tamil month Karthigai.This year it falls on 5 Dec 2014.
On the day of Karthigai the whole house is decorated with oil lit lamps.Every year we used to get more oil lamps and decorate it with paints and pearls.Typically gingelly oil is used to lit the lamps.
Kids used to burst crackers as well (We used to save some for Karthigai when we buy crackers for Diwali).
Karthigai Deepam is celebrated predominantly in Shiva temple especially at Arunachaleswar temple at Thiruvannamalai.Thiruvannamalai is also known as Agni (Fire) sthalam.Barani Deepam is lit on that day
