People may wonder how Deepam was celebrated when Bhagavan was alive. Here is an account of it by Suri Nagamma in Letters from Ramanasramam:

In the afternoon from 3 o clock onwards the devotees started making preparations for the festival. At the Asramam the floor was decorated with lime and rice powder, floral designs and mango leaf festoons. On such occasions the crowds which come to town for this festival usually visit the asramam in the morning as they go round the Hill, whereas in the evening it is mostly the Asramites who are present at the Asramam celebrations…

On this evening when Bhagavan went out the attendant placed his couch in the open space facing the summit. Opposite the couch a large shallow iron pan was placed on a high stool, ghee poured into it and a wick placed in the centre. We then sat in rows, the men on Bhagavan’s right and the women on His left. The space in front of Bhagavan was filled not only with baskets of flowers but also with vessels of all sorts of sweetmeats and other preparations. When the ghee brought by the devotees was poured into the pan for kindling the light, the pan was overflowing. Camphor was then placed on the wick. The fragrance from the lighted incense sticks spread on all sides and created a holy atmosphere. Bhagavan sat lovingly looking at all the devotees and related to those near Him the significance of the festival of Light. He also pointed out the exact place where the light was to be kindled at the top. Everyone was eagerly awaiting the lighting of the sacred beacon on the Hill top. While His gaze was concentrated on the summit of the hill, ours was concentrated on His divine face, for it was just a reflection of Arunachala. With the firing of  crackers at the temple, the light on the Hill top appeared. Immediately the Akhanda Jyothi (perennial light) opposite Bhagavan was lit. The brahmins rose and chanted the mantra, “Na karmana na prajaya dhanena” and lit the camphor. After Bhagavan had partaken of a little fruit and some sweetmeats, the rest were distributed amongst the devotees. Immediately after that the devotees divided themselves into two groups, singing the hymn Aksharamanamalai. After that, the five stanzas beginning with “Karunapurana Sudhaabhde” in Sanskrit and its equivalent in Tamil were recited. Bhagavan sat resting His cheek on His hand, His characteristic pose. His face appeared as though mirroring His Self-Illumination, what with His silence and His profound thought reflected on it. The moon rose in the East and cast its light on Him as though seeking its light from Him…

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