Prana pratishta? How long does this ritual take? Does it have to be performed on every murti?

Question

Namaskar, How long does prana pratishta take? I have one dozen small Lord Shiva lingams each corresponding to the 12 Jyotirlingams of India made of various sacred materials. Only one Sri Vishvanatha is the main murti. I also have a ornate and expensive stone sculpture murti set of Sri Ganapati and Maheshvara. Do the statues need prana pratishta or only the main lingam? I am hiring my favourite Panditji. How much time do I need from him?

Answer 1

The Prana Pratistha is of 2 types. One is done in Temples while installing the idols. It is an elaborate ritual. Normally done for 3 or 5 days. After that daily poojas are conducted and there is no need to do Prana Pratistha again. However every year 3 days special pooja to be performed to recharge the energies into the idols. This is called KUMBHABHISHEKAM. Here what I mean is the general public is also allowed a free entry to the temple to worship.
The second one is for the idols we worship in the house. Normally these idols should not be more than 2 or 3 inches in height. For them we do every day. Among these idols normally the Pranapratishta is done for the main idol. This will not take any time at all. Hardly 2 or 3 minutes. In your case since all Shiv Lingas no need to do individually. The time required depends up on the pooja you would like to perform. There are different type of ABHISHEKAMS which take from half an hour to 4 hours. on all normal days one can do for half an hour to one hour. However on special days and festival days it can be done for 3 to 4 hours.If the poojas are to be performed for the fulfilment of specific desire then it depends upon the desire and the pooja suggested.
I am only indicating the broad outline so that you can consult your Panditji for finer details.

Answer 2

Prana pratistha is the Hindu theological term for a rite or ceremony (Samskara in Sanskrit) by which the spirit or being of a deity is infused or brought to inhabit a murti or cult image of that deity.

According to orthodox Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma, this rite can only be performed by a practising Hindu Brahmin and it is only after this rite is properly performed, that divine worship can be offered to the murti or idol.

Further, according to Hindu theology, persons belonging to certain classes or castes, who have not performed or who are ineligible to have the Upanayana samskara performed on them, so that they can become true Hindus (i.e., Dvijas), are forbidden to come in the presence of such a murti after the Prana pratistha ceremony, even if, as in certain areas, the murti was prepared by them.

These prohibited classes or castes are the Shudras besides every non-Hindu, including Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Muslims, etc., besides all foreigners; these are considered to belong to the class of men considered even lower than the Shudras, and specifically called the Mlecchas.

Additionally, menstruating women are also prohibited to present themselves until cleansed.

The practical applications of these rules, however, vary according to the strength of popular Hinduism and anti-Brahmin traditions in particular regions.