• Theertham(holy water), that is given to devotees after prayers to drink is specially formulated water that is prepared with various spices and herbs according to the requirements for the presiding God.

Tulasi(basil), mangga(mango leaves), vepalai(neem leaves), arugham grass and vilvam leaves are used as herbs in the preparation of the holy water. Modern science has verified these herbs to be of potent medicinal value. 

The holy water helps in reducing body heat as it is a natural body coolant. it cleans your digestive system, reduces body heat and helps to build your immunity.

• The thiruneer(holy ash) is another great body stimulant. It is produced by burning and drying cow dung. The proper way to apply thiruneer is to mix it with water and apply the paste at specific points on the body.

   

Do you know what these three lines depict? 

The first line from the bottom is Brahma(Creator),

The second line is Vishnu(Preserver),

The third line is Shiva(Destroyer of ignorance) 

The dot is the centre is the third eye, shakti(power). It is placed in the centre to show us that the three energies together a dominant power that sustains life.

After you apply the white paste mixed with water on your forehead, the paste dries and leaves behind a dry powder which slowly drops. The drying occurs when the body heat is absorbed by the thiruneer(holy ash).

Thiruneer(holy ash) is applied before one performs a prayer. During prayer our body heat is increased due to the absorption of the cosmic energy and thiruneer helps to release the extra heat produced by the foreign energy.

Refer to the diagram below showing the points where thiruneer( holy ash) should be applied for maximum benefit.

So what about female devotees, Do they also apply thiruneer in the same way?

Not necessarily; women have unique glands that extract heat naturally from the body at a specific time each month. Applying the thiruneer on the forehead is sufficient for female devotees.

The other two important ingredients are the kum-kum, popularly known as kungumam and chandhanam(sandalpaste)

Kum-kum is a red coloured powder produced from manjal(tumeric). It is applied on the forehead above the chandhanam. Kum-kum has a very unique property,that is, it does not allow light to penetrate through it.

Since all the energy is centred at the forehead knowm as the third eye, kum-kum is applied at that very spot to block the energy from being released. 

Chandhanam(sandal paste) is applied to cool the body but the paste is applied on the forehead above the thiruneer(holy ash). It acts as a 'sticking agent'.

Kum-kum, being a powder will not stick on the forehead of not for the semi-liquid chandhanam acting as the base for it to stay on.