One of the special features of Hinduism is its treatment of Gods and Goddesses as human beings and interacting with them as with humans.

God can not be known.

But can be and is felt.

Divine experience relates to Heart , emotions and feelings and never to Mind and Brain.

The fact is despite all reasoning and Rationalism Man is driven by emotions and lives by it.

The sense of devotion is heightened when one treats as one among ourselves and not some one or thing which sits in a Lofty tower wielding clubs and delivering punishment.

I can never relate to this God.

Goddess Andal’s Hair being combed.Margazhi Utsavam

I relate to God as a Human Being till I spiritually evolve to know that He is a Principle.

Till then I shall treat Him as my Father, Mother, Brother, Teacher, Lover and Friend.

The Path of Devotion called Bhakti Marga is this.

One gets engrossed in the emotion of God and gets spiritually elated.

In Tamil literature there are poems belonging to the Middle Ages, around 1200 -1400 extolling this aspect of Bhakthi, propagated by Azhwars( of Vishnu) and Nayanmaras( of Shiva)

Each temple in India is associated with the activity of God a Human Being and there are temple festivals relating to them, when these events are enacted.

Andal Ennaikkaappu

In Srivilliputhur, The Home of Andal one of the Saints of Hinduism and Vishnu Chitta, her father, both of them venerated Azhvars( which happens to be my place of Birth and early schooling) this interaction of Man and God is very much in evidence in the form of Festivals.

One special Festival is the bathing of Andal in Oil.

Then she is bathed with a specil bathing powder Snana Powder, whic is miles ahead of your Shampoos in therms of clearing oil and emitting fragrance)

The she is decked up.

This is called Ennaikkappu(anointment of Oil)

Gingelly Oil is anointed to the Utsava Murthy of Andal.

This festival falls on the last seven days of Margazhi,Mrigasira month(December end, January first week) and one day in Thai Month(Makara Sankaranthi)

‘Margazhi Ennai Kappu Utsavam is presently taking place at Srivilliputtur Sri Andal Rangamannar Divya Desam. Ennai Kappu Utsavam is annually celebrated during the last eight days of the Margazhi month. During this utsavam, Andal is taken to the Ennai Kappu mandapam and thailam is applied by the Battars to Andal and the uapcharams is  performed by Archakars. The highlighted fact of this utsavam is the famous Souri kondai. There are four sessions in a day during Ennai kappu – first from moolastanam special alangarams is performed for example Azagarkolam, Krishanar kolam and Muthangi; then the second session is the Ennai kappu kollam with Andal in Souri Kondai; the third session is Thirumanajam; and the fourth session  is Vahana Seva (different vahanams on the 8 days).’

Citation.

http://anudinam.org/2014/01/10/srivilliputtur-sri-andal-margazhi-ennai-kappu-utsavam/