At the beginning of the spring Navaratri (Vasant Navaratri) we performed 4 days of Lakshmi and Ganesha yagyas. Two of those days took place in local Kanchipuram temples.
The temples tend to be very crowded at this time of year, so our abishekams are performed in the evening.
Here we see the Lakshmi temple as we are ready to begin. Note the fresh malas on the left ready for the final decorations.
In most temples there is a dark granite deity as seen in the rear of this photo. It is never moved from the temple. In the front of the photo you see an uttsava (festival) form of the deity which can be taken out of the temple for various pujas and festivals. The uttsava deity is usually made of brass.
The abishekam form of yagya involves the pouring of liquid items over the deity; water, milk, sandalwood paste, etc. Here you see the abishekam begin with milk being offered.
The sandalpaste is scented and the smell is absolutely amazing!
At the end, Lakshmi is dressed in a new silk sari and fresh flower malas. They look very festive! It is also worth noting that we make a point of performing our temple yagyas in smaller, less wealthy temples, so it is a special occasion when the deities are dressed so beautifully. The elaborate abishekams that we perform don't happen often in the smaller temples because of the cost, so it is an inspiration and a treat for those in the local community who visit the temple.
