Abhishekam - Shri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple

Abhishekam at the Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple in Vemulawada, Telangana, is one of the most sacred and spiritually uplifting rituals performed for Lord Shiva in the form of Raja Rajeshwara Swamy. This divine ritual involves bathing the Shiva Lingam with various sacred items like water, milk, curd, honey, ghee, coconut water, and sometimes fruit juices, amidst Vedic chants and hymns. Devotees believe that participating in or witnessing the Abhishekam cleanses one's sins and brings blessings of good health, prosperity, and spiritual upliftment. The ritual usually takes place in the early hours of the morning and draws hundreds of pilgrims daily. Offering Abhishekam is considered a powerful form of devotion, symbolizing purification and surrender. Many devotees also perform special Abhishekam on Mondays, festivals, and auspicious days like Maha Shivaratri. The serene temple ambiance during Abhishekam creates a deeply devotional and divine experience for every worshipper.

Devotees take a dip in the Dharma Gundam (holy pool) before entering the temple. The puja begins with Ganapati Puja and Sankalp. The deities are then invoked by the pandit ji invokes god and goddess with chanting mantras and prayers. where devotees express their wishes in their mind. The pandit ji then anoints the main Shivalinga with holy substances such as water, milk, curd, honey, ghee, sugar, coconut water, turmeric and sandalwood. Each offering is accompanied by Vedic mantras, especially the Rudra mantra and Namak chamak. After the bath, the lingam is decorated with flowers, bilva leaves, vibhuti and kumkum. Devotees may also offer fruits, nuts and clothes as part of the ritual. The puja concludes with aarti and distribution of prasad.