RITUALS ASSOCIATED WITH WATER

STRUCTURES, WATER BODIES, ETC.

MIT SOA
FY MARCH
SHIVANJALI MANE
 IMPORTANCE OF WATER IN HINDU RELIGION

• ‘Thanneer kudathil pirakirom, thanneer karayil mudikirom’

• Life begins in a pot of water (amniotic sac) and ends on the seashore

• In six words, Tamil poet Vairamuthu encapsulates human existence on earth. We rise from water, we are returned to it. Our
cultures too made this journey with us.

• Civilizations evolved around rivers, whether in the Indus Valley, ancient Egypt or Mesopotamia. Great metropolises from
Mumbai to Manhattan flourished along the sea. World trade has always flown through the waterways that link cities to countries
to continents.

• Religion validates the timeless human connection with water. ‘In the beginning, when there was darkness, the world was covered
by water; there was water alone’. A version of this idea is found in many sacred texts, from the Mayan Popol Vuh to the Rig Veda
to the Hebrew and King James bibles. The Quran says, ‘We have created every living thing from water.’

• In India, where both droughts and floods are common, water is regarded by many cultures as the manifestation of divine will.
Religious centres are built around or near water-bodies like tanks, stepwells, rivers and seas. For centuries, these have served
ritualistic, spiritual as well as social functions.

• These sacred waters tell us a lot about Indian culture. On the one hand, they serve as symbols of our heritage of water
conservation and architecture. On the other, they reflect the injustices of our society with caste order dictating access to both
freshwater and holy sites.
 1) Meenakshi Temple, Madurai, Tamil Naidu
Meenakshi Amman temple located in Madurai city, Tamil Nadu state of India, is believed to have been built by
Kulsekara Pandya in the year 1190 CE, but could very well be much older than this. It is known for the hall of
thousand pillars (aayiram kaal mandapam) and 33,000 sculptures.

LILY TANK

People bath in this tank before entering the main complex

of the temple.
 • The temple has a fully functional ancient rainwater harvesting system installed when it was built.
the rain-drain pipes are also camouflaged as pillars and hardly visible to the eyes.
• The water collected by the rain water harvesting system installed in the temple drains to the Golden Lotus tank, which is partially
visible to the visitors, and rest of the tank is underground. It is no easy task to collect water from a temple spread across 12 acres
of land (48,562 sq meters) into a tank located on one side of the temple compound.

• The fact that the land needs a certain slope for water to use gravity to move towards one corner of the temple. This is pretty much
how water from a wash basin sink or tub drains into one hole. In case of a temple, slope should be such that the devotees who visit
it should not feel uncomfortable while circumambulating it. Yes, it is tricky. This is where brilliant civil engineering of ancient
Hindus comes to play. The slope decided was such that no one in the temple compound feels uncomfortable, usually 1-2 percent
slope works best. This explains why the temple is spread over such 12 acres of land.
In the picture below you can
see a rain-drain pipe.
 2) RADHA KUNDA, MATHURA, U.P.

Once Lord Krishna slayed a mighty asura

(demon) in the form of a bull, his consort
Radha tersely told Krishna to wash off his
sins by taking dips in various holy rivers.
Krishna laughed it off and struck the ground
with his foot whereupon the mighty rivers
emerged, welled up and formed a kunda
(little water body). Subsequently the Lord
bathed in the water to please Radha. The
kunda came to be called "Shyam-Kund".
Indignant that Krishna used his powers for
this, Radha and her girl attendants dug out a
kunda with their bangles and filled it with
water from “Manasi-Ganga”, another holy
kunda at nearby Govardhan. That particular
kunda is today's "Radha-Kund" where
people come from far and wide to take a dip.
RADHA KUNDA SNAN

Holy bathing in Radha Kund is believed to be very auspicious and thought

to have therapeutic properties. This holy deep is recommended to couples
troubled trying to conceive. As per Sanatan Hindu scriptures, on the
auspicious day of Ahoi Ashtami, if childless couples take a dip and swim in
the holy water of Radha Kund, it can help them conceive a child. The pair
also has to observe a Nirjala Vrat on this day along with a holy dip in the
Radha Kund.

If devotees perform a ritualistic snan in the Radha Kund Ahoi Ashtami

on the auspicious day of Ahoi Ashtami, it is considered
very sacred and beneficial. Devotees come here to
pumpkins, fruits, garlands and prasad to the sacred pond
Radha Kund. After taking a holy dip in the Radha Kund
at midnight, they take another holy dip in the Shyama
Kund.
 3) 22 KUND SNANAM, RAMESHWARAM TEMPLE.

• This templeis one of the largest in India and famous for its many
teerthams or watertanks. There are a total of 51 Teerthams, 22 of
them situated inside the temple compound.
• A pilgrimage is considered complete with a bath and a sip of the
water in each of the 22 Kundas

The Jyotir Lingam was worshipped by Lord Rama to atone the sin of
killing Ravana. Hanuman flew to bring the Linga from Kailasa, for
Lord Rama to worship. As it was getting late and Hanuman did not
arrive, Rama worshipped the Lingam that was made of sand by Sita
Devi. The Lingam thus worshipped by Lord Rama became known as
Ramanathar. When Hanuman returned he was disappointed that his
Lord had not used the Lingam that he had brought. Lord Rama pacified
Hanuman and named the Lingam Hanuman brought, "Kasi
Viswanathar".
Thats why devotees bring sand from the beach of Rameswaram and
take it to Varanasi to offer it to the Viswanatha Shiva Lingam there.
• The absolute most spectacular Abisheka ritual in India
you will find in the Rameswara Temple. Inside the
temple compound 22 Teerthams has been constructed
with water from supposedly all the holy rivers of
India.
• Each of the 22 Teerthams (tanks) are believed by
devotees to have particular powers and every day you
will see ritual bathing taking place under great
commotion! The number of Teerthams is said to
correspond with the number of arrows in Rama's
quiver, with which he used to generate water on the
island.
• The water in each of the 22 sacred wells are
considered to have medicinal qualities and is said to
taste differently.

• At each Teertham the holy water will be poured over

you 3 times. This add up to 66 times ablution and
purification and it's a great pilgrim feast in the huge
temple.
Gandhamadana Teertham
The sixth teertham inside the temple corridor lies close to the Sethumadhava Perumal shrine. Devotees bathe here to seek blessings, get riches and purify
themselves from their evil deeds.

Kavatcha Teertham & Gavaya Teertham

The seventh teertham that lies inside the temple corridor is Kavatcha Teertham. It is also Gavatcha or Swatcha Teertham. Bathing in this teertham's bathing
is believed to protect yourself from going to hell after the death. The bathing in the eight teertham (Gavaya) is recognized to ensure you shelter under a
wish-filling tree. Amusing, right? Plan your vacations and stay in hourly hotel in Madurai from MiStay so that you can pay only for the stay time.

Nala Teertham & Neela Teertham

The ninth teertham among 22 teerthams found inside the temple courtyard is Nala Teertham. It's believed that bathing in Nala teertham will help you to get
enlightment from the God Sun and make sure to get you a place in heaven. Located near the Sethumadhava Perumal shrine, the tenth teertham is Neela
teertham. Bathing in this well is believed to give the benefits of Agni Yoga.

Sangu Teertham & Chakra Teertham

The eleventh teertham inside the temple compound is Sangu Teertham. Also called as Chanku Teertham, this teertham lies in the inner corridor. Bathing in
this teertham will help you to repent from being ungrateful to others in their time of need. The twelfth teertham is Chakra Teertham. It is believed that
bathing in waters of this teertham will give you a boon of good health.

Brahmahathi Vimochana Teertham

Located inside the temple corridor, Brahmahathi Vimochana Teertham lies in the inner praharam (or courtyard). At this place, it's believed that the
brahmahathi (a person who has knowingly or unknowingly killed the cow in their present or past lives) will get rid of his sins. Intriguing, right? Plan and
book an hourly hotel in Madurai for your stay and visit this spectacular temple.
Surya Teertham & Chandra Teertham
Both these 14th and 15th teertham are in the inner corridor of the temple. It's believed that bathing in these teerthams will impart you with the
knowledge of past, present, and future times.

Ganga Teertham, Yamuna Teertham & Gaya Teertham

These 16th, 17th, and 18th number teertham lie in the inner praharam inside the temple corridor. Named after famous rivers of India, these are the
places where Gananasuruthi Raja attained wisdom.

Siva Teertham & Satyamirtha Teertham

The 19th teertham, Siva Teertham, lies inside the temple corridor. At this place, it's believed that you can repent for saying bad words against the
God Vishnu and God Shiva. The 20th teertham, Satyamirtha lies in the inner corridor. Taking a bath in the holy waters of this teertham will help you
get rid of your sins.

Sarva Teertham
The 21st teertham inside the temple corridor, Sarva Teertham, is built in the inner corridor. It's believed that taking a bath in Sarva Teertham will
give you the same benefit as bathing in all the teerthams combined. So, when are you planning? Pack your bags, book hourly hotel in Madurai for
your stay and visit these teerthams.

Kodi Teertham
Kodi Teertham is noted as the most sacred teertham of all. Last of the 22 teerthams inside the temple corridor, this historic teertham was believed to
set God Krishna free from his sin of killing his wicked uncle, Raja Kansa.
4) KADRI SHRI MANJUTHA TEMPLE, MANGLORE,
KARNATAKA
• The temple of Manjunatheshwara on the hills of
Kadri is said to be built during the 10th or 11th
century.
• The idol of Manjunatha is one of the oldest.
• In front of the temple, at a height there are a
number of water ponds. There's a garden
surrounding the ponds. When one walks down
from there in front of the temple is a huge
lightpole. During karthika maasa, deepothsava is
held here. There are statues of Machendranath,
Gorakanath, Shringinath, Lokeshwara, Manjushri,
and Buddha in the temple.

There is a natural spring at an elevated location at the back of the temple. It is

called Gomukha. It is believed that the water flows from Bhageerathi river, in
Kashi and thereby it gets its name as Kashi Bhageerathi theertha. The water from
this spring is let into nine ponds of different sizes adjacent to it. Visitors wash
themselves in these ponds before entering the main temple.
• There is a natural spring at an elevated location at the back of the temple. It is called Gomukha. It is believed that the
water flows from Bhageerathi river, in Kashi and thereby it gets its name as Kashi Bhageerathi theertha. The water
from this spring is let into nine ponds of different sizes adjacent to it. Visitors wash themselves in these ponds before
entering the main temple
 5) SHRI SIDDHESHWAR TEMPLE, RAJGURUNAGAR
• Siddheshwar Mahadev Kund is a historical landmark located in Rajgurunagar, Maharashtra.

According to history, the Siddheswar

temple was built by a yogi and a devotee of
Sri Mallikarjuna of Srisailam, Sri
Siddharameswara. He built this temple and
got d Shivlings built in the temple as per the
instructions of his Guru.It is said that Sri
Siddheswara, who is also considered to be
the Six Prophet of Lingayat religion,
believed that the birth of this saint brought
prosperity to the city and the deity is able to
bless the devotees.Here the Amrit Linga
and Lord Ganesha temples deserve special
mention. The silver plated Nandi, and
shrines of Vithoba and Lord Rukmini as
well as many other deities are a part of the
temple.There is a marble tomb of
Siddheshwar in the centre of the temple.
Here Maha-Prasad is offered to all the
devotees.
The plan of the Kund is a perfect square of size 60 feet, to which the
plug-on elements of steps and corridor are added.The north and south
sides of the kund consists of pavilion like structures which might have
been built to house the deities. The eastern side consists of a large flight
of steps that lead directly to the Kund. The western side is of the
corridor that stretches throughout the length of the Kund, giving the feel
of a large covered deck overlooking the water.One is mesmerised to see
this layout of elements coming together in-the modular
 6) TAPTA KUNDA, BADRINATH
• Badrinath Tapt Kund is the sacred Kund located near the holy shrine
of Badrinath temple.
• Taptakund, as the name suggests is a hot water spring, which lies between Badrinath shrine and
Alaknanda River.
• This thermal spring is situated in the Badrinath temple in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
• The Taptakund is a natural hot water spring, having 45 degrees temperature.

• The Badrinath Tapt Kund lies between

Badrinath temple and Alaknanda River.
• This is famous for its hot water spring where
devotees take a holy dip before Darshan of
Shri Badrinath.
• It is believed that the water of Tapt Kund
cures all body ailments as it possesses healing
qualities.
• The devotees take bath in this natural hot
spring to purify their body and soul.
• This is the only place where you will see the
natural hot spring in spite of the cool weather
and snowfall.
• The water of Tapt Kund comes in the form of
an eaves trough from the Garun Shila and
flows into a concrete stone tank.
 7) NEAK PEAN, CAMBODIA (THE ENTWINED SERPENTS)
• It was built in second half of the 12th century by king Jayavarman VII, dedicated to Buddhist, with following to Prasat Bayon art style.
• It is an artificial island with a Hindu temple on a circular island in Jayatataka Baray, which was associated with Preah Khan temple .

• Although. Neak Pean is small and a collection of five ponds, it is worth a visit for its unique features. It is believed to
have been consecrated to Buddha coning to the glory of Nivana.

• The central pond is a replica of Lake

Anavatapta in the Himalayas, situated at
the top of the universe. The lake gives
birth to the four great rivers of the earth.
These rivers are represented at Neak Pean
by sculpted gargoyles corresponding to
the four cardinal points Lake Anavatapta
was fed by hot springs and venerated in
India for the curative powers of its waters.
The orientation of the ponds at Neak Pean
ensured that the water was always fresh
because the pods received only reflected
light.
 • Neak Pean is a large square man-made pond (70 meters, 230 feet each side) bordered by steps and surrounded by four
smaller ponds. A small circular island with a stepped base of seven laterite tiers is in the center of the large square pond.
Small elephants sculpted in the round originally stood on the four comers. The central tower was dedicated to
Avalokitesvara.

• historians believe the structure and its surrounding represent Anavatapta, which is a mythical lake said to have
water with medicinal properties. This Cambodian Buddhist temple is closely associated with Preah Khan Temple as
well. As you cannot enter inside the temple, this is rather a sight to admire .
 8) TIRTA EMPUL, BALI, INDEONESIA
• One of the busiest water temples in Indonesia, Tirta Empul is a temple considered sacred by Balinese Hindu community. The
temple has several holy springs which are said to have been created by The God Indra and believed to be blessed water that
could purify those who bathe there.
• Tirta Empul is dedicated to Vishnu, the Hindu God of water. In the Balinese language, Tirta Empul loosely translated means
water gushing from the earth, which for this reason Tirta Empul is regarded as a holy spring. The Tirta Empul Temple includes
shrines to Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, as well as one for Indra and Mount Batur. It is considered one of the five most holy temples in
all of Bali and is considered one of the holiest water sources in Bali.
• The holy springs here bubble up into a large, crystal-clear pool within the temple and gush out through 30 waterspouts into the two
sacred purification pools.
• Local Balinese and Hindu worshippers stand in long lines in the pools waiting to dip their heads under the waterspouts in a
purification ritual known as melukat.
• Bathers start in the pool on the left side standing in the pool to the waist under the first water spout.
• Once they have cleansed themselves under the first spout they join the next queue.
• This process is continued until they have cleansed themselves under each waterspout.
• However, there are two spouts that are meant only for cleansing the dead and are prohibited to be used by the living for the melukat
ritual.

• Behind the purification, pools are the final section of the Tirta
Empul Holy Water Temple, called the jeroan.
• Mostly overlooked by tourists, the jeroan or inner courtyard is a
pleasant place where people come to pray.
• The front part of the courtyard is dominated by the large water
spring that feeds the purification pools.
• The spring is filled with green algae and small fish swim among the
reeds.
• Behind the springs are large Hindu shrines.
• This part of the temple is nice to quickly explore.
• The shrines are brightly decorated, which contrasts with the starched
white clothing of the Balinese who come here to pray.
• As you exit Tirta Empul you pass through a large pool filled with
koi fish.
• This section of the temple is walled off on all four sides from the
rest of the complex, which gives it a calm and relaxing atmosphere.
• Fat koi swim lazily in the pond waiting for their next meal.
 9) PURA TIRTA, SUDAMALA, BALI,
• INDONESIA.
Located in the village of Bebalang, this water temple occupies an upstream area of a small waterway.

• When you arrive at Pura Tirta Sudamala, you’ll be greeted by 11 spouts of water, which come directly from a spring. These
jets stream into a petirtaan, where Balinese worshippers engage in melukat — ritual cleansing in order to rid themselves of
any pollution or negative energy.
• Before the self-cleaning activities begin, you need to go to the main temple to ask permission. Then a Pandita will lead a
prayer and sprinkle holy water on you. After that, melukat activities can be carried out. You can see all series and procedures
for melukat at the entrance of the main temple.

• The water fountain here is very fresh because the water comes directly from nature. Nine out of eleven showers are higher
up. If you are interested in bathing in this shower you should prepare a change of clothes. You are free to use any clothes
as long as it's polite. Well, for female tourists, it is better not to come to Tirta Sudamala Temple during menstruation.
Because this is one of the taboos or rules that must be followed in all Balinese temples.

• Near the temple is a clear Sangsang River. Well, you must take a bath or wash your body in this river before finally bathing in
the holy water fountain. If it turns out there is a negative disorder, your body will issue responses such as nausea, vomiting,
and even possessed. For those of you who want to rid yourself of negative things, let's visit the temple! Because the water that
comes out of the shower is believed to be sacred and bring peace to those who use it.
 10) Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu, BALI, INDONESIA.
• Also called Pura Tirta Dawa by locals, this 11th-century water temple .

• The whole environment of Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu feels lush and jungle-clad, making it seem like
another world entirely. The bonus here is the option to bathe in two of the petirtaan pools here, each fed
by five spouts of water.
• Less-visited holy spring temple dedicated to one of the principal Hindu deities, Vishnu, is located in the
highland village of Sebatu.