The ritual involves offering fire into the altar (Mrutyunjaya Homam), chanting relevant hymns (Mrutyunjaya Japam) and giving a celestial bath to the Shivalinga (Mrutyunjaya Abhishekam), The Hindu has reported.

On Friday, the second of the five-day Maha Mrutyunjaya Homam at Srikalahastheeswara Devasthanam, priests conducted the ceremony with great devotion, though in the absence of common devotees.

The ritual involves offering fire into the altar (Mrutyunjaya Homam), chanting relevant hymns (Mrutyunjaya Japam) and giving a celestial bath to the Shivalinga (Mrutyunjaya Abhishekam).

The Homam is generally performed to ensure prosperity and well-being at the global level and health and longevity at the individual level, but coming in the wake of COVID-19 threat, the devasthanam performed this in order to ward off the evil effect of the deadly virus.

This temple is already famous across the world for performing ‘Rahu Ketu Puja’ every day to fight the ‘toxic’ effect of Rahu and Ketu, considered ‘rogue serpents’ among the pantheon of Hindu gods. Moreover, this is the only Saivite shrine in the country to remain open during the solar and lunar eclipse periods, as Lord Shiva in the guise of Srikalahastheeswara at this temple ‘tamed’ the two serpents, which, according to Hindu mythology, cause the eclipse.

Image Source: Wikipedia