KANAKAABHISHEKAM

The video above is a rare video of the Abhishekam to Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala which was shot in 1966. It is a very rare video.

Kanakaabhishekam is also a very rare function in the family. “Kanaka” means gold and “Abishekam” means sacred bath. “Kanakaabhishekam” means the sacred golden bath. It is a very unique and divine occurrence which happens in the lifetime of one in a million.

“Kanakaabhishekam” is performed for a person (who is alive with his wife) when his son’s grandson is completing one year. The fourth generation child’s first birthday – ayush homam will be performed by honouring the child’s great grand parents.

Husband and Wife will be made to sit and a brass tray (with lot of pores) will be held above their heads. Gold Coins will be placed on the brass tray and ladies would also keep their Jewellery on the tray. The sacred water will be poured with the chanting of mantras on the tray and through the pores the water will fall on the heads of the couple who have seen the next three generations in their life time. The couple would bless the fourth generation child – great grand child.

All relatives and friends of the family should attend the function and take the blessings of the great old couple. It is very rare and unique as there are several conditions to be satisfied to qualify for this:
(a) the great grand parents should both be alive
(b) they should have a son
(c) the first son of their son (grand son) should have a son
(d) the child should be a male child born to the grand son of the old couple
(e) All the three couples should be present for the function with the child, viz., great grand parents; grand parents and the parents.

My father’s uncle Shri.Gopala Iyengar had the rare distinction of celebrating the Kanakaabhishekam in Tirupathi in 2007. According to my father this was the first time in our family that there was a celebration with the three couples and great grand son. I was fortunate enough to attend the function with my wife and took the blessings of that great couple Shri. Gopala Iyengar and his wife. In my lifetime so far that was the only Kanakaabhishekam that I attended.

-T.P.Anand, Dubai, U.A.E.
29th September 2011