Abhisheka

(“anointing”) Ritual bathing (snana) or
anointing with water, particularly of
the image of a deity during worship. In
earlier times this term referred to the
ritual anointing of a king at his coronation (rajabhiseka). In modern times
the term can also apply to anointing or
sprinkling individuals with water during religious or life cycle rituals, particularly rites of initiation (diksha)
involving a change of status for the initiate—such as the shift from householder to initiated ascetic or in the
ritual tradition known as tantra, an
initiation bestowing certain ritual and
religious qualifications (adhikara). In
both cases the anointing is intended to
honor the initiate, to evoke images of
royal coronation, and to suggest the
importance of the occasion.