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| Thanjavur big temple,youtube.com |
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| Anna Abhishekam at Thanjavur big temple 2013. thehindu.com |
Above image: In 2013 Anna Abhishekam was done on the Pournami day of the Tamil month Aippasi with 800 kg of cooked rice and 300 kg of vegetables. The Prasadam was distributed among the devotees......
Among the Shiva temples, abhishekam is part of daily puja ritual before decorating the deity and doing Aarti. It is also true of many other temples including those dedicated to goddesses. On the other hand in the case of Sri Vishnu temples, it is done rarely. ''Thailakkappu'' is a common ritual and it involves applying herbal oil on the moolavar idol before decoration of the deity with flowers, jewels, etc.
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| Gangaikondacholapuram Templecommons.wikimedia.org |
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| UNESCO recognized Big temple, Thanjavur, TN. flicker.com |
Generally speaking Abhishekam is done with sacred items like holy water, cow’s milk, ghee (clarified butter), coconut water, sugarcane juice, sandalwood paste, Vibhuti (sacred ash), curd, panchamirtam (made of 5 items including bananas, dates, honey, crystal sugar, etc.), mango powder, rice and turmeric powder. Cooked rice is commonly used followed by sandalwood paste or turmeric water.
The ritual of Anna Abhishekam is done reverentially as a way of expressing our gratitude to Lord Shiva, who is an embodiment of pancha boothas - five essential elements needed for survival and sustenance. The raising of food grains is the result of the acts of 5 natural elements in unison When the seed that is sown in the land, is nourished by water from the sky (in the form of rain), energy from the Sun and is transformed into paddy with the help of wind. Rice from the paddy is cooked and eaten by all living creatures.
The idol of Shiva is covered with cooked rice, along with an assortment of vegetables decorating the upper part of the Lingam. Aarti is done (Deepa Aradhana) at the end of the ritual and the cooked rice on the deity is normally distributed as Prasadam (offering) to the devotees.
The ritual is famous at the Brahadeeswarar temple of Thanjavur where the huge lingam (13.6 feet tall and 60 feet in diameter) is enshrined in the garbagriha/sanctun or srikovil. The presiding deity is covered entirely with cooked rice and boiled vegetables form the garland. Tradition has been that “Sri Rudram” is being chanted continuously throughout the ceremony. This ritual is done at many Shiva temples in Thruchirapalli, Thiruvarur, Kumbakonam, etc.
As to the benefits of Anna Abhishekam it promotes peace of mind, family welfare, success in business and promotes memory and retention.
Anna Abhishekam ritual was done today 20 October 2021 at the famous Sri Brahadeeswarar temple, Thanjavur. Locally called Peruvudaiyar the main deity tall Sivalingam was covered with cooked rice. In accordance with age old tradition being followed at Shiva temples, the Moolavar idol will be anointed with a specific items t on every full moon day. The ‘Siva lingam’ will be normally covered with cooked rice. About 750 kg of rice and 600 kg of vegetables and sweets were used to decorate the Sivalingam at the Big Temple. As for the Shiva linga at the Gangaikondachola Puram, annabishekam was done with hundred kg of cooked rice right from the morning to evening at the temple. and the prasadam was distributed among the devotees.
After Maha abishekam and deeparadhana (Aarti) in the noon, the Sivalingam was adorned with cooked rice in the afternoon. A large number of devotees thronged the temple on the occasion.
The Kanchi Sankaracharia Mutt in the past 3 decades or so has been making special arrangement and provide 100kg of rice for Anna abhisehekam.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/temple/article37094249.ece
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/annabhishekam-at-siva-temples/article5250718.ece
