Kumbhabhishekham

First day Vedic rituals of Kumbhabhishekham of the restoration of the Gunjanarasimha Swamy Temple

Kumbhabhishekam, also known as Samprokshanam is a Hindu temple ritual that is believed to homogenize, synergize and unite the mystic powers of the deity. It is part of the consecration ceremony of Hindu temples.[1] Kumbha means the Head and denotes the Shikhara or Crown of the Temple (usually in the gopuram) and abhisekam or prokshanam is ritual bathing. Kumbhabhishekam is widely celebrated as a festival in South India.

On the appointed day and at an auspicious time, the Kumbha is bathed with the charged and sanctified holy waters in the sacrificial pot and, by a mystic process, these pranic powers trickle down a silver wire and enter the deity installed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. The deity, which was until then only a granite sculptured stone image, is believed to transform into a vibrant and vivid living representation of the deva with innate beatitude, grace and grandeur, conferring divine blessings on all devotees.

  1. ^ "Consecration: Kumbhabhishekam | The Pluralism Project". pluralism.org. Retrieved 10 January 2020.