The Rituals at the Heart of the Festival

Certain rituals recur throughout the Brahmotsavam and form its heart.

Ālaya Shuddhi: before the festival begins, the temple is cleansed and decorated to create a pure and sacred setting, and its adornment, the alankāram, is completed with flowers and mango leaves.

Mritsangrahaṇam: on the day before the festival, earth is ceremonially gathered. This earth is used for the Ankurārpaṇam, a symbol of fertility and abundance.

Dhvajārohaṇam: on the first day, the Garuḍa Dhvajam, the flag bearing the emblem of Garuḍa, is hoisted to mark the start of the festival and to invite the celestial beings to join the celebrations.

Vāhana Sevā: each day the Lord is taken in grand procession on a different vāhanam. Each vāhanam carries its own meaning, and together they reveal the many aspects of the Lord's role in the cosmos.

Snapanam and Chūrṇābhishekam: these daily sacred baths refresh the Lord after the processions and signify purification.

Chakrasnānam: on the final day, the Sudarshana Chakram and the Lord are bathed in the sacred temple tank, the Swami Pushkariṇī, and devotees too bathe in its holy waters.