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Home > Temples of Kerala > Temple rites Temple ritesThese are sacred rites and associated with the birth of the body of the main deity of the temple. The sankalpa here is that the garbha-grha, as the very term denotes, is the womb-house, which symbolizes the womb of the mother earth. The rites associated with it, commence on the night of the previous day at an auspicious time fIxed for ishtaka-nyaasa (which means laying of burnt bricks in a specified order (square in shape with a cavity at the centre) at the top of the adhishtaana-sila, where the place of the right pillar of the front door of the garbha-grha has to be erected. Before ishtaka-nyaasa, vaasthu-bali, (as explained earlier) is again done followed by anwaadhaanaadi-homa and poojas for kalasa and ishtakas (4,8 or 12) on separate padmas. The manthras for it are different for each deity. Mter poojas the kalasa and ishtakas are covered with cloth for the rest of the night. Next morning these purifIed ishtakas are placed over the adhishtaana-sila after reciting the concerned manthras. The. depression at the centre formed by these ishtakas is then covered with fresh earth followed by purifIcation with kalasa-jala (purified water in a kalasa) poured over it. Then four bricks are fiIxed over the earlier one with fresh mud mixed with Paddy. A small wooden plank is then kept at the depression After the pooja of peetha the vessel is kept upright and wiped three times inside by fresh mud taken from the sea and then with gold. Afterwards two lines are drawn at its centre pointing east and north and lipi-pooja conducted. The next step is preparation of samghaatha consisting of dravyas which are different for each deity and composed of seven items viz,. (i) mrtthu (soil) taken from different sources like mountains, rivers, ant-pits, paddy fields etc. (ii) tubers of lotus, karinkoovalam (bilwa), etc. (iii) dhaathu (chemical substances) (iv) ratna(gems, pearls etc) (v) beejas (cereals and millets) (vi) weapons and (vii) vaahanas of the concemed deity (made up of either gold, silver, iron, copper etc). By reciting manthras these samghaathas of seven articles are kept inside the vessel at its eight directions and at the centre. The cardinal principle here is that the samghaatha with the initiation of manthras becomes the beeja or sperm which is capable of giving birth to the deity of the temple. Thus by ishtaka-nyaasa (which is the replica of the human body) and by garbha-nyaasa (which reflects the sperm and all the characteristics of the deity as per the sankalpa like weapons, vaahan;a etc.), the deity is given birth at this spot. The divine energy thus bom can then be utilised for installation of idol and subsequently by the devotees for their progress in spiritual as well as material pursuits.
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