It is an object of the present invention to provide a high pressure discharge lamp lighting apparatus, has a structure to control decrease of illuminance on a screen which is thought to be a cause of wear of an anode in an early stage of the life span. The high pressure discharge lamp lighting apparatus has a high pressure discharge lamp in which a pair of electrodes is arranged so as to face each other at an interval of 2 mm or less in an arc tube which is made of quartz glass, and mercury of 0.16 mg/mm.sup.3 or more, rare gas, and halogen of 1.times.10.sup.-6 to 1.times.10.sup.-2 .mu.mol/mm.sup.3 is enclosed, and a power supply apparatus supplying direct current to the discharge lamp, wherein the power supply apparatus superimposes an alternating component on the direct current and impress the superimposed current to the discharge lamp.