Devapratishtha

(“establishing the deity”) Rite by which
the image of a deity is established in a
temple and consecrated for worship.
The image itself must be constructed
according to carefully defined sculptural
and artistic canons that date back to the
early centuries of the common era, as
the sculptures at the Deogarh temple
clearly show. The image, temple site,
and the performers must be purified
before the rite begins, and this purity
must be maintained throughout the
entire rite—which can last for days—to
ensure that the image remains pure. All
parts in the transmission and physical
installation of the image are carefully
done, but the climactic rite is the
pranapratishtha, in which the image is
infused with the breath of life and
becomes the seat for the deity. After this
point, the image is considered to be ritually “alive,” and must receive regular
worship and ministrations.