Chennai: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court today said the consecration (kumbabhishekam) of the Thanjavur big temple can be carried out in both Tamil and Sanskrit. It also dismissed all other pleas filed in this regard.
A division bench of Justice M Duraiswamy and Justice T Ravindran delivered the verdict and also said that the HR&CE officials should file a report of the event within four weeks.
The court was hearing a batch of petitions relating to the conduct of the Kumbabhishekam of Lord Brahadeeswara temple, also known as Peruvudayar Kovil, in Tamil.
During the previous hearing, the State government had mentioned that importance is given to Tamil in the practices adopted during the Kumbabhishekam. It would be performed both in Tamil and Sanskrit, the government added.
The ceremony of yagasalai puja and maha abishekam to the deities included Thirumurai Parayanam is done in Tamil, it said. The State also said that the the same procedure which was followed while performing the ceremony in 1980 and 1997 would be followed in the forthcoming Kumbabishekam as well.
The homam ceremony in connection with the Kumbabishekam will begin on 1 February and culminate with maha poornahuthi on 5 February, the day of the Kumbabhishekam.
More than 300 sivacharyars will perform the homam and other rituals at the yaga salai. Apart from this, 33 homa kundams have been setup around the swami vedhigai and 25 homa kundams have been set up around the amman vedhigai. The pots containing the sanctified water will be taken in a procession from the yaga salai to the temple complex at 7.25 am on 5 February.
The holy water will be poured on the vimanas, including the 216 towers atop the sanctum sanctorum of Peruvudaiyar at 9.30am. The sanctification of the granite idols will be performed at 10 am.