At the famous Thanjavur Bragadeshwar temple, Annabisekam was performed on the 6 th of November, 2014. It was a big temple ritual for which 500 kgs of rice and 700 kgs of vegetables and fruits donated by the devotees were cooked on the temple premises with the help of hundreds of volunteers who were involved in various chores - washing rice, cutting vegetables and taking the cooked rice, etc to the sanctum sanctorum.
In the late afternoon cooked annam and vegetables were reverentially applied on the shiva lingam – 13 feet in height and 7 feet in diameter by temple priests along with selected volunteers. Annam etc was applied on the deity as to form the image of Lord Esawar. After Mahadeeparadhanai was done in the evening by the priest, the annam along with vegetables were removed from the idol and given to the devotees as prasadam. It is believed the prasadam applied on the deity, if eaten, will give good health and cure ailments. This mammoth ritual was well conducted by the temple authorities along with Thanjavur palace devasthanm staff. Thousands of devotees witnessed this rare temple event with devotion.
To the Bragadewar temple built by Rajendra Chola in Jayakondam, Ariyalur district, the people contributed about 2500 kgs of rice for annabishekam which was done with religious fervor.
