A high pressure discharge lamp lighting device comprising: a power supply circuit for supplying AC power to a high-pressure discharge lamp; an activation voltage generating circuit adapted to activate the high-pressure discharge lamp by repeatedly supplying a high-voltage pulse for activation to the high-pressure discharge lamp; pulse control means adapted to alternatively perform, at activation of the high-pressure discharge lamp, with respect to the activation voltage generating circuit, a control to continuously repeat the high-voltage pulse for activation only for a first period of time and a control to stop repeating the high-voltage pulse for activation only for a second period of time, such that a sequence of the first period of time followed by the second period of time is repeated; and abnormality detection means adapted to detect an abnormal lighting state of the high-pressure discharge lamp, characterized in that upon detection of an abnormal lighting state of the high-pressure discharge lamp by the abnormality detection means with determination that a circumstance of having the abnormal lighting state corresponds to a predetermined circumstance the pulse control means is adapted to change a ratio of time occupied by the second period of time (T21, T22) relative to the first period of time (T11, T12) in the repeated sequence of the first period of time (T11, T12) followed by the second period of time (T21, T22), wherein the pulse control means is adapted to make the ratio of time larger than that obtained before the detection by making the first period of time shorter than that obtained before the detection upon determination that a circumstance of having the abnormal lighting state corresponds to the predetermined circumstance. a power supply circuit for supplying AC power to a high-pressure discharge lamp; an activation voltage generating circuit adapted to activate the high-pressure discharge lamp by repeatedly supplying a high-voltage pulse for activation to the high-pressure discharge lamp; pulse control means adapted to alternatively perform, at activation of the high-pressure discharge lamp, with respect to the activation voltage generating circuit, a control to continuously repeat the high-voltage pulse for activation only for a first period of time and a control to stop repeating the high-voltage pulse for activation only for a second period of time, such that a sequence of the first period of time followed by the second period of time is repeated; and abnormality detection means adapted to detect an abnormal lighting state of the high-pressure discharge lamp, characterized in that upon detection of an abnormal lighting state of the high-pressure discharge lamp by the abnormality detection means with determination that a circumstance of having the abnormal lighting state corresponds to a predetermined circumstance the pulse control means is adapted to change a ratio of time occupied by the second period of time (T21, T22) relative to the first period of time (T11, T12) in the repeated sequence of the first period of time (T11, T12) followed by the second period of time (T21, T22), wherein the pulse control means is adapted to make the ratio of time larger than that obtained before the detection by making the first period of time shorter than that obtained before the detection upon determination that a circumstance of having the abnormal lighting state corresponds to the predetermined circumstance.