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Home > Temples of Kerala > Temple rites Adhivaasa-homaIt is a very important rite done on the afternoon of the fifth day by the Aachaarya and other priests simultaneously in different homa-kundas. The number of homa-kundas vary in their position and size depending on deity. The homa-kundas are made in front of the Aachaarya as well as in eight directions of the sayya. They have different shapes viz. squre at the east, in the shape of the leaf of arayaal(scared fig) at the south-east (Agni-kone), in the shape of semi-circle (half-moon shape) at south, triangle at south-west, hexagonal at north-west (vaayu-kone), eight petalled shape at north and octagonal at north-east (Isaana-kone). Though the above is the general pattern there are variations in the number of kundas for each deity. For Vishnu, Durga and Sankaranarayana five kundas are made (four at four directions of the sayya (east, south, west and north) besides at the front of Aachaarya, known as Aachaarya-kunda. Siva, Ganapathi and Saastha have either five as that ofVishnu or 9 kundas (four directions, four corners and the Aachaarya-kunda) while Subramanya has 7 kundas (Aachaarya-kunda, four at the four directions and two at the comers of south-east and north-east). But if the adhivaasa homa is done as a very simplified one then all the homas can be done at the Aachaarya kunda itself. In the case of Durga, Sankarananiyana and Subramanya the kund.a at the north is triangle, if no homa is conducted at the Nirthi (south-west) direction. On the other hand if there is one at Nrthi also then the shape of homa-kunda at north is ashta-dala. The Aachaarya and other priests sit at the west of their respective kundas. The priests conduct poojas as directed by the Aachaarya. The fire for each kunda is taken from the Aachaarya-kunda by chanting Rk-manthras of Agni and the kundas are lit in the clock-wise direction. The manthras are separate for each kunda. The poojas conducted at the homa -kunda are same up to peetha-pooja based on general principles followed by offering of dravyas specified for each deity. For each homa¬kunda the twigs of specified trees and dravyas (articles) and also manthras are different. Once the dravya homas in all homa-kundas are completed, then saanthi-homa is done at the Aachaarya-kunda.
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