Kumbhabhishekham

"Kumbhabhishekam" is a Hindu temple ritual that is believed to homogenize, synergize and unite the mystic powers of the deity. "Kumbha" means the Head and denotes the "Shikhara" or Crown of the Temple (usually in the "Gopuram") and "Abhisekham" is ritual bathing.

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 Lord with innate beatitude, grace and grandeur, conferring divine blessings on all devotees.

Performance of Kumbhabhisekham in temples

The inherent infused spiritual powers of the installed idols in temples are believed to diminish and erode over a period of time and require recharging. It is also held that through unintended deficiencies in the conduct of the daily worship services -- "poojas", prayers, "aradhanas", etc.-- to the installed deities in the temples due to various reasons, the idol's spiritual powers or omnipotence ("sannidhya") gets progressively diminished and demands rejuvenation/restoration. So it is ordained in the "Agama sastras" that, in the 12th year of the planet Guru returning to his native position, a "Jeeranoddharana Kumbhabishekam" is required to be performed to all the installed deities of gods and goddesses in temples. This elaborate ritual is done at an appropriate time on an auspicious date, when the planets Jupiter ("Guru") and Venus ("Sukra") are in the ascendant.

Ashtabandhanam

"Ashta" means 8 in Sanskrit and "Bandhanam" means tying or fixing. "Ashtabandhanam" is the process of affixing an idol to its pedestal ("peetham") with a clay-like paste made of 8 specific herbs mixed with wood lac, limestone powder, resin, red ochre, beeswax and butter. The paste is formed into long rolls about 2 cm thick and applied directly around the base of the idol, so that the cemented joints become watertight. This process is believed to keep the idol rejuvenated for a period of 12 years. When the "Bandhanam" is performed with gold ("Swarnabandhanam"), the rejuvenating power of the deity is believed to last for a period of 100 years.

The "Ashtabandhanam" paste is pliable like rubber. Through repeated interactions with "abhishekha dravyams" - materials used to bathe the idol during daily worship like water, milk, buttermilk, sandal paste and oils - and atmospheric oxidants, the paste loses its flexibility, becomes rigid and gets riddled with a lot of fissures. Through these fissures, the "abhisheka dravyams" percolate and attack the "Yantra" embedded under the "peetham", obliterating the "Bijaksharamantras" -- mantras of sacred syllables ("bija") -- that are inscribed on the "Yantra", and this is believed to contribute to the lowering of the pranic spiritual power of the deity with the passage of time.