Abhishek is the ritual bathing of a deity for the fulfilment of one’s prayers. The worshiper pours water over the deity amidst the chanting of prayers and mantras.
Visitors can perform abhishek of the murti of Neelkanth Varni - the youthful, yogic form of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
This ritual bathing of the murti is a uniquely participatory ritual, open to all visitors.
An abhishek is most commonly accompanied by prayers for wish fulfilment.
Pramukh Swami Maharaj, spiritual leader of the BAPS Swaminarayan fellowship,
consecrated this murti of Neelkanth Varni in 2005.
The abhishek ritual begins with the tying of a sacred thread on the wrist. A brief recital of sanskrit shlokas follows, after which each visitor or family bathes the murti of Neelkanth Varni with a small pot of sanctified water. During the shlokas and the bathing, visitors are encouraged to pray for their families, friends, themselves and for harmony and happiness for all.
Since Vedic times, India has a glorious tradition of respecting rivers, lakes and stepwells. Following this tradition, a sacred water body, Narayan Sarovar, surrounds the main Akshardham mandir. Narayan Sarovar contains the holy waters of 151 rivers and lakes sanctified by Bhagwan Swaminarayan, including Manasarovar, Pushkar Sarovar, Pampa Sarovar, Indradyumna Sarovar, Manikarnika Ghat, Prayag Triveni Sangam, River Kshipra, Rivers Ganga and Yamuna and many others.
On the outer wall of the mandir are 108 bronze gaumukhs, symbolizing 108 names of God, from which holy water spouts forth.
