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Home > Temples of Kerala > Temple rites Mulayital or AnkuraaropanamThis rite is meant for purifing the prasatha and bimba simply washing with water is not suffice for this purification.As both spiritual and material purity is essential the nectar of sahasraara is required. As the nectar is not available as such here an artificial nectar is created by having a somamandala within the naalambalam of the sreekovil, and it is known as mulayital. Generally an area on the northem-side of the sreekovil, particularly within the naalambalam, is covered and adorned with darbha-maala (garland of kusa grass). Within this area a padma of 16 squares, which is equal to 16 kalaas of Soma, is laid either in 2 rows or 4 rows. - On each of the sixteen squares of padma-bamboo paalikas (ladles) covered on their sides with mango leaves and thread and filled up to three-fourth by mud of ant-hill, powdered cow-dung and sand are placed. Over each paalika, a koorcha (bunch of kusa grass tied at the top and kept in conical shape), is also kept after thep.rescribed rites. 128 In each paalika seeds are sown in a specified order after washing them with pure water and milk and invoking with asthra-manthra. The washing with milk is very significant as it symbolizes amrtha. The seeds for each deity are different . Either the seeds can be separately sown invoking with the concemed manthras or they can be mixed (known as samghaatham) and put in all paalikas. Though the former is the ideal situation, the latter is followed presently for convenience. If they are invoked separately the manthras are also different as each seed has a separate Devatha.Sacred water has then to be sprinkled on these paalikas with separate manthras. The principle here is that Vishnu-chaithanya is invoked in the paalikaas, Soma chaithanyain beejas (seeds) beside the moola-manthra of the deity to be installed in the sreekovil, followed by other stipulated poojas. Mula-pooja has to be done thrice daily, forenoon, noon without bali and at night with bali. There are instances where this is restricted to two poojas daily (forenoon and afternoon) for convenience though inadvisable.
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