Abhishekams in Temples Abhishekam is a Hindu custom of gently bathing a deity with water, milk, honey, coconut water, chandan (sandal), fruit juices and other ingredients. During the abhishekam, Sri Rudram mantras are usually chanted. This custom seems to have evolved over many generations as a part of our religious tradition. Some of the ingredients for the Abhishekam are donated by the devotees. Abhishekam in temples is watched with deep reverence by devotees symbolizing their bhakti and faith in the deity. The products of abhishekam are intended to be distributed to the devotees as it is believed they have absorbed some divine energy. Devotees in temples are often seen rushing to get a sprinkle of the abhisheka theertham over their heads and/or swallow a few drops of it distributed in their palms. In a typical abhishekam, what is offered to the Lord may be an infinitesimal part of what He generously provides us. However, many people feel that Abhishekam is a waste and the materials could well be distributed to the poor and hungry people. They may have a point but lets understand a few important things. The Almighty is not really demanding abhishekam, food, money, or jewellery. In fact, He is not asking us anything! People offer these things voluntarily to a temple (like Balaji in Tirupathi) because of strong unabiding faith, a sense of love and gratitude to the Lord who has given us everything. The Lord does not gain anything from the Abhishekam but the ritual seems to satify the religious hunger of the devotees. It is believed that the sacred ceremony contributes to the well-being of the devotees and the community at large. In temples, as in most other places, we cannot totally avoid waste in abhishekams but certainly we can keep it to the minimum. Efforts must be done towards this goal. At the same time, Taittareeya Upanishad says: Annam na nindyaat --Don’t abuse food; annam na parichaksheeta— One should not discard food; The tragic reality is that millions of us waste food in our homes, restaurants, supermarkets, weddings and at social parties. Nearly a quarter of the food after parties, weddings or in restaurants goes waste and is thrown away. As per the recent UN report, India surpasses China in terms of food waste and its impact on natural resources (source: dnaindia/…/column-thought-for-food-why-waste…). A survey by the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bangalore says that annually, Bangalore alone wastes 943 tonnes of quality food during weddings and the total food wastage in the city is estimated at Rs 339 crores. As per data from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), around 140 tonnes of leftover food is collected daily from the hotels and restaurants in the city which nearly 50 percent is good to consume. India is facing the loss of Rs.50,000 crores worth of food items. (source: yashwanthx.blogspot). It is strange that very few question this colossal waste that occurs everyday or do anything about it. Yet, for some people, the ancient practice of Abhishekam seems to be an easy target for bashing! Finally, hunger persists mainly because poverty persists. To really eradicate hunger, we may have to address the root causes of poverty. It is highly doubtful if you can eradicate poverty and malnutrition by merely distributing the products of abhishekam to such people who suffer from it.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Nov 2014 19:54:25 +0000