Atop the Jalakanteshwara Temple gopuram, 1965

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Administrators , Campus Buildings

This photograph was taken during the kumbhabhishekam of the Jalakanteshwara Temple in IIT Madras. A kumbhabhishekam is the consecration of a temple. It is used to synergize the powers of the deities of the temple. Kumbha refers to the head and denotes the crown or top of a temple’s gopuram. During this ceremony, the crown of the temple is bathed in holy waters, and the pranic powers are said to trickle down a wire into the sanctum sanctorum and turn the deity into a vivid depiction of the real deva.

Seen in the photograph, from left, Prof. R. Krishnamurthi (Head of Humanities Department, extreme left), Prof. B. Sengupto (Director of IIT Madras, fourth from right), Mr. Y. S. Ramaswamy (Superintending Engineer, second from right) and Mrs. Ramaswamy (extreme right).

Collection:

Gourishankar Collection

Album Name:

Jalakanteshwara Temple Kumbhabhishekam, 1965 and Visit of Mahaperiyavar, 1966

Photograph ID:

001/0290/IMG_0081

Album ID:

0290

Photographer:

C. Gourishankar (1936-2002). A geologist by qualification, Gourishankar started his career as a photographer after working for many years with the Geological Survey of India. In everything that he did, Gourishankar strove to achieve flawlessness and impeccable quality. Thus his photography too was characterised by this drive for perfection. Every photograph that Gourishankar took was meticulously planned and shot and printed with diligence and patience. Gourishankar carried out most of the official photography at IIT Madras in the 1960s.

Event:

Jalakanteshwara Temple Kumbhabhishekam

Place:

Jalakanteshwara Temple

Date:

18 June 1965