This is the holy ritual of bathing of the divinities to whom worship is offered; it is performed by the priest on behalf of the devotees, with the chanting of mantras and pouring of symbolic offerings over the dieties. Some items used for the bathing include milk, honey, ghee, curd, gingelly oil, sesame oil, rose water, sandalwood paste, rice powder, turmeric, tender coconut water, fruits / juices of fruits. The Abhishekam is a method of devotion and prayer, with the purification and cleansing of one’s mind as symbolised by the actual pooja ritual.
Abhishekam maybe offered to various deities like Lord Ganesh, Lord Shiva Parvati, Goddess Durga, Lord Krishna, Lord Venkateshwara, Goddess Laxmi, Lord Murugan, Lord Subtramanya, Lord Hanuman