Theertham

Last updated October 15, 2023

Theertham (Theertha or Tirtha) literally refers to water. In Hindu sacred literature, it is referred to as the physical holy water body associated with a temple or deity. As per Hindu religious belief, water is the principal purification mechanism. While external purification is believed to be through a dip in sacred water bodies, internal purification is through truthfulness. Most Hindu temples are associated with bodies of water, which are called Theertham. In Vishnu temples, devotees are offered a few drops of sacred water called Theertham.

There are various Hindu legends which mention that the temples tanks are usually created by celestial bodies or have been propitiated off their curse by taking a holy dip in such bodies of water. The names of such bodies of water are usually named after the celestial bodies or the characteristics of the sin propitiated.

Etymology

The word Theertham as in "Theertha Tatra" has its roots in Tamil. Tamil prospective provides a much better and acceptable analogy. Theertham came from a Tamil word Theervu which stands for solution (for any kind of problem faced by humans). It is from this word we have words like Theermanam, thiruppam came in. The word Thirthankara used in Jain faith also has its roots in the same Tamil word. Thirthankara actually means Theervu + Thanda + Karangal where Theervu is solution, Thanda is providing and Karangal is hands. Therefore, to refer to people who used to provide solution for day to day problems, usually saints sitting in temples and provide such solutions, were called "Theervu Thanda Karangal" which over a period of time became Thirthangarar or Thirthankar.^[1]

As per Hindu mythology, Hindu temples are usually associated with the trio of Moorthy (image), Stalam (sacred place) and Theertham (a body of water). While most temples are located near rivers or lakes, the temples are usually associated with them. Temple tanks and wells are dug inside or outside the temple for all religious purposes. Also, most temples were centers of social and economic activities, making a waterbody very essential inside the premises. There are various Hindu legends which mention that the temples tanks are usually created by celestial bodies or have been propitiated off their curse by taking a holy dip in such bodies of water.^[2] In Vishnu temples, devotees are offered a few drops of sacred water called Theertham.^[3] The names of such bodies of water are usually named after the celestial bodies or the characteristics of the sin propitiated. The Theerthams in the famous Tirupathi Venkateshwara Temple are Markandeya Theertham (relating to longevity), Agneya Theertham (redeems sins) and Yama Theertham (avoid hell).^[4]

Theertha Yatra

Theertha Yatra is the pilgrimage associated with Hinduism. Rig Veda and Atharvaveda have detailed mention about the famous pilgrimage sites in India. Mahabharata identifies around 300 religious sites related to Theertha yatra.^[5] In Hinduism, the yatra (pilgrimage) to the tirthas (sacred places) has special significance for earning the punya (spiritual merit) needed to attain the moksha (salvation). Due to political issues, the Tirthas in India were disrupted during the medieval period. These days, Theertha Yatra are organized in group by travel agencies and sometimes by the government bodies. Char Dham (meaning: four abodes) is a set of four pilgrimage sites in India.^[6] It is believed that visiting these sites helps achieve moksha (salvation). The four Dhams are, Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram as defined by Adi Shankaracharya consists of four Hindu pilgrimage sites along famour river banks.^[7] There are major tourist Theertha Yatra ciruits in India covering various historic and religious themes.^[8]

Theerthavari

Theerthavari is a common practice followed in some of the South Indian temples, where the festival idol is brought to the waterbody associated with the temple on an auspicious day annually. The devotees also take a holy dip along with other the festival deity.^[9] During the evenings of such festivals, float festival is celebrated in the temples during which the festive deity is taken in the decorated float in the temple tank.^[10] The purificatory bath is believed to remove sins and after the dip, pilgrims offer charitable gifts in the hope of being rewarded in the current life and subsequent lives. The Hindus consider taking a pilgrimage and holy dip during the Theerthavari as sacred.^[11] The Theerthavari festivals in a given region also follow the upstream and downstream flow of river, like in the case of river Kaveri. The upstream temples in regions like Trichy and Kumbakonam perform Theerthavari during the Tamil month of Maasi (February - March) while the downstream temples in regions like Mayiladuthurai have the festival during Aipasi (April -May).^[12]

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References

↑ Payne, Robert (15 December 2009). Ancient Rome. J. Boylston, Publishers. p. 54. ISBN 9781596871045.
↑ G.S., Rajarathnam (2019). Moorthi – Thalam – Theertham. Pustaka Digital Media.
↑ Connect With The Divine Vol - 5 A compilation of discourses of Sri Sakthi Amma. Sri Narayani Peedam. p. 93.
↑ Ramesh, M.S. (1993). 108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams volume one Divyadesams in Tondai Nadu. Tirpuati: Tirupati Tirumala Devastanams. p. 47.
↑ Shah, Vaishali (2019). Hindu Culture and Lifestyle Living Indian Traditions in the age of Artificial Intelligence. Notion Press. p. 137. ISBN 9781645876083.
↑ "Chaar Dham Yatra: A True Test of Every Hindu's Quest Towards Spiritual Enlightenment". NewsGram. 20 March 2015.
↑ Gwynne, Paul (2009), World Religions in Practice: A Comparative Introduction, Oxford: Blackwell Publication, ISBN 978-1-4051-6702-4
↑ Singh, Shalini (2005). "Secular pilgrimages and sacred tourism in the Indian Himalayas". GeoJournal. 64 (3): 205–213. doi:10.1007/s10708-005-5649-8. JSTOR 41148001. S2CID 143325849 . Retrieved 23 January 2022. – via JSTOR (subscription required)
↑ Subrahmanian, Krithika (2020). The Next Big Thing - Thanjavur: Treasures. Notion Press. p. 83. ISBN 9781637145395.
↑ Balasubramanian, Shanmugapriya (2016). "Myth, religion and ritual and their role in defining the existence of tanks in Kumbakonam, a South Indian temple town". Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review. International Association for the Study of Traditional Environments (IASTE). 28 (1): 21–22. JSTOR 44211361 . Retrieved 9 January 2022– via JSTOR.
↑ Bansal, Sunita Pant (2008), Hindu Pilgrimage: A Journey Through the Holy Places of Hindus All Over India, Delhi: Hindology Books, ISBN 978-81-223-0997-3
↑ Venkataraman, Sekar (2019). Temples of Forgotten Glory A Wide Angle Exposition. Notion Press. p. 358. ISBN 9781645876250.

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[1] Payne, Robert (15 December 2009). Ancient Rome. J. Boylston, Publishers. p. 54. ISBN 9781596871045.

[2] G.S., Rajarathnam (2019). Moorthi – Thalam – Theertham. Pustaka Digital Media.

[3] Connect With The Divine Vol - 5 A compilation of discourses of Sri Sakthi Amma. Sri Narayani Peedam. p. 93.

[Ramesh-4] Ramesh, M.S. (1993). 108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams volume one Divyadesams in Tondai Nadu. Tirpuati: Tirupati Tirumala Devastanams. p. 47.

[5] Shah, Vaishali (2019). Hindu Culture and Lifestyle Living Indian Traditions in the age of Artificial Intelligence. Notion Press. p. 137. ISBN 9781645876083.

[6] "Chaar Dham Yatra: A True Test of Every Hindu's Quest Towards Spiritual Enlightenment". NewsGram. 20 March 2015.

[7] Gwynne, Paul (2009), World Religions in Practice: A Comparative Introduction, Oxford: Blackwell Publication, ISBN 978-1-4051-6702-4

[8] Singh, Shalini (2005). "Secular pilgrimages and sacred tourism in the Indian Himalayas". GeoJournal. 64 (3): 205–213. doi:10.1007/s10708-005-5649-8. JSTOR 41148001. S2CID 143325849 . Retrieved 23 January 2022. – via JSTOR (subscription required)

[9] Subrahmanian, Krithika (2020). The Next Big Thing - Thanjavur: Treasures. Notion Press. p. 83. ISBN 9781637145395.

[10] Balasubramanian, Shanmugapriya (2016). "Myth, religion and ritual and their role in defining the existence of tanks in Kumbakonam, a South Indian temple town". Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review. International Association for the Study of Traditional Environments (IASTE). 28 (1): 21–22. JSTOR 44211361 . Retrieved 9 January 2022– via JSTOR.

[11] Bansal, Sunita Pant (2008), Hindu Pilgrimage: A Journey Through the Holy Places of Hindus All Over India, Delhi: Hindology Books, ISBN 978-81-223-0997-3

[12] Venkataraman, Sekar (2019). Temples of Forgotten Glory A Wide Angle Exposition. Notion Press. p. 358. ISBN 9781645876250.

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