Govindaraja temple gets new flag post | The Hindu
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has taken up installation and consecration of a new flag post ‘Dhwaja Stambham’ at its Sri Govindaraja temple, located in the heart of the city.
Dhwaja Stambham is an important component in any Hindu temple architecture, as it is on this tall post that a sacred flag is symbolically hoisted to signal the launch of annual festival. The present flag post was consecrated around seven decades ago.
Similarly, the ‘Maha Samprokshanam’ was performed twelve years back in May 2004.
As the renovation ritual requires to be performed every twelve years to maintain sanctity and also the change of flag post, the management team led by Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal decided to take up this ambitious project.
Thirty ritwiks (scholarly priests) from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were roped in to chant Vedic hymns for the consecration ritual that ended late on Saturday evening.
‘Balalayam’ performed
It may be recalled that ‘Balalayam’ was performed in December last. Before taking up renovation inside the sanctum sanctorum, it is mandatory to perform ‘Balalayam,’ a process in which the magical powers of the deity is captured and shifted out and held in another form.
The ‘Pranapratishta’ (refilling the magical powers inside the deity) ritual will be performed on April 12.
