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Showing posts from November 3, 2016


Balalayam – What is Balaalayam in the Kumbhabhishekam ceremony?

Balayalam is a miniature temporary structure erected during the renovation and Kumbhabhishekam ceremony in a Hindu Temple . The divine presence of the main deity in temple is transferred from the murti worshipped to a Kalasha. This Kalasha is place atop the Balalayam. ‘Baala’ means mini and ‘Aalaya’ means temple or structure in Sanskrit. During the Jeernodharana (renovation period) of a temple, the divine presence of the Murtis is transferred to the holy waters contained in the Kalasha (pot). Pooja is done to these Kalashas and Ustava deities (the small murtis of the main murti of the temple that are used during processions). The Kalashas remain in a miniature structure known as Balalayam. During this time the devotees will not be able to see or do poojas to the moola vigrahas or murtis worshipped in a temple. The scheduled poojas will be done only to Utsava deities. The divine presence of the temple deity will in the Kalashas atop Balalayam until it is transfer

Vaishnavi Mudra

Vaishnavi Mudra is the hand gestures attributed to Goddess Vaishnavi. She is believed to have appeared from the body of Lord Vishnu. The Goddess is a benevolent deity and is generally represented with four hands. The lower hands of Goddess Vaishnavi portray two major divine mudras (gestures) namely abhaya and varada abhaya mudra – in boon granting and protecting posture. The upper hands of Goddess Vaishnavi hold conch and discus. Vaishnavi holding the weapons in the manner as Lord Vishnu evince her relation to him as his feminine shakti (power). Symbolically Vaishnavi mudra suggests auspicious and victory over adharma. A symbolic gesture of hand is termed mudra in Hinduism. Mudras are the important attributes of Hindu gods and goddesses, which serve as one of the iconographical tools to distinguish one from the other. Mudras are attributed according to the cannons prescribed in Shastras.