The consecration of Sri Brahadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur was performed on Wednesday with religious fervour and gaiety. Thousands of people converged to the town to witness the event at the 1,000-year-old historic temple.
Holy water, brought from the ‘yaga salai’ was poured on the gold-plated ‘kalasam’ atop the 216-feet high ‘vimanam’ over the sanctum sanctorum of Sri Brahadeeswarar, and on the towers over the sanctum sanctorums of Goddess Brahannayaki and other deities at around 9.20 a.m. Later, the granite idols of Peruvudaiyar (Brahadeeswarar), Periyanayaki (Brahannayaki) and other deities were sanctified with the holy water brought from the ‘yaga salai’, at around 9.45 a.m.
The ‘yaga pujas’ at the ‘yaga salai’, which commenced on Saturday evening, culminated on Wednesday with ‘mahapoornahuthi’ at around 7 a.m. following which the pots containing the holy water were taken in a procession to the respective sanctum sanctorums of the deities.
Though the Big Temple is a Saivaite temple, the procession of pots from the ‘yaga salai’ was taken out in the pattern in which such processions would be conducted in Vaishnavite temples, where Thamizh Divya Prabhantham reciting ‘goshti’ would lead the line-up. At the Big Temple, the ‘Othuvamoorthys’ led the procession from the ‘yaga salai’ to the sanctum sanctorums and the ‘vimanams’.
Apart from the Maratha Royal family members, led by the Prince, Babaji Rajah Bhonsle Chattrapathi, who witnessed the consecration from within the temple precincts, thousands of devotees witnessed the kumbhabishegam, held after 23 years, from within the temple complex and from the lawns surrounding the temple.
While the devotees and VIP pass-holders were allowed to enter the temple through the two mini-gates on the southern side of the temple, the VVIPs arrived at the enclosure put up for them on the northern side of the main shrine through the mini-gate on the northern side.
A large number of people gathered on the rail over-bridge connecting the Big Temple Road and the Medical College Road, the Corporation park, the Giri Road junction, Sevappanaicken Vari Kizhatheru, and Srinivasapuram area to witness the event.
