More on Rahu and Ketu
April 22, 2008
This is the Rahu/Ketu area in the temple in Kanchipuram. When you see it close up (as below) you’ll notice that there are all sorts of strings draped around the tree as well as little beds made of wood. There is a cultural recognition that having children is a very karmic thing and that in Jyotish (Hindu astrology) the planets Rahu and Ketu are the planets of karma. So when a couple wants a child and there is some obstacle, they pay a lot of attention to Rahu and Ketu and often hang these small beds on the trees.
Interestingly, this is not uncommon and I would say that something like this would be found in virtually all Shiva temples. Not so much in a Vishnu temple because they do not usually have an area for the Navagraha (9 planets).
In the photo below, the young priest is pouring turmeric over one of the murtis. It is a part of the cleansing ritual called Abishekam.
