At landmark US Hindu temple, a timely rite of rejuvenation

Shravan Chinnala cleans the Peetam, a silver pedestal for the image of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, in preparation for Maha Kumbhabhishekam, a five-day rededication ceremony at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Penn Hills, Pa., Tuesday, June 22, 2021. Built in the 1970s, the Sri Venkateswara Temple is the oldest major Hindu temple in the country. Maha Kumbhabhishekams occur about every 12 years and involve ceremonies to reenergize the temple and its deities. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Devotees watch the Maha Kumbhabhishekam rituals on the fifth and final day of the Hindu rededication ceremony at the Sri Venkateswara Temple, Sunday, June 27, 2021, in Penn Hills, Pa. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Sudha Krishnasamy paints on the pavement outside of a ritual tent, Tuesday, June 22, 2021, in preparation for Maha Kumbhabhishekam, a five-day rededication ceremony at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Penn Hills, Pa., that concluded Sunday, June 27, 2021. Built in the 1970s, the Sri Venkateswara Temple is the oldest major Hindu temple in the country. Maha Kumbhabhishekams occur about every 12 years and involve ceremonies to reenergize the temple and its deities. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Sri Venkateswara Temple devotees and volunteers carry a deity back into the temple during Maha Kumbhabhishekam, a five-day Hindu rededication ceremony in Penn Hills, Pa., Sunday, June 27, 2021. Built in the 1970s, the Sri Venkateswara Temple is the oldest major Hindu temple in the country. Maha Kumbhabhishekams occur about every 12 years and involve ceremonies to reenergize the temple and its deities. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Devotees line up to enter the Sri Venkateswara Temple following the final rituals of Maha Kumbhabhishekam, the Hindu rededication ceremony in Penn Hills, Pa., Sunday, June 27, 2021. Built in the 1970s, Built in the 1970s, the Sri Venkateswara Temple is the oldest major Hindu temple in the country. Maha Kumbhabhishekams occur about every 12 years and involve ceremonies to reenergize the temple and its deities. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Thiru Panchalingam, center, assembles decorations made of carnations, Tuesday, June 22, 2021, in preparation for Maha Kumbhabhishekam, a five-day rededication ceremony at the Sri Venkateswara Temple near Pittsburgh that concluded Sunday, June 27, 2021. Built in the 1970s, the Sri Venkateswara Temple is the oldest major Hindu temple in the country. Maha Kumbhabhishekams occur about every 12 years and involve ceremonies to reenergize the temple and its deities. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Hindu priest Gopala Dhattar, left, gives blessings to Pandu Tadikamalla, center, and his wife, Rama Tadikamalla, right, as they rest their hands on a bed of flower petals during the Maha Kumbhabhishekam, a five-day rededication ceremony at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Penn Hills, Pa, Friday, June 25, 2021. Built in the 1970s, the Sri Venkateswara Temple is the oldest major Hindu temple in the country. Maha Kumbhabhishekams occur about every 12 years and involve ceremonies to reenergize the temple and its deities. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Devotees watch the Maha Kumbhabhishekam rituals on the third day of the Hindu rededication ceremony, Friday, June 25, 2021, at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Penn Hills, Pa. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Priest Sri Bharadan Venkata Desikan makes an offering to the deities through a fire altar during the Maha Kumbhabhishekam, a five-day Hindu rededication ceremony, on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Pittsburgh. Built in the 1970s, the Sri Venkateswara Temple is the oldest major Hindu temple in the country. Maha Kumbhabhishekams occur about every 12 years and involve ceremonies to reenergize the temple and its deities. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Priests Sri Varadarajan Souriraja, left, Sri Madhusudan Bhattar, right, and more than 20 other Hindu priests participate in the Maha Kumbhabhishekam, a five-day Hindu rededication ceremony at the Sri Venkateswara Temple on Friday, June 25, 2021, in Penn Hills, Pa. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Latha Varadajan, left, has her feet washed by Sudha Krishnasamy, center, during Maha Kumbhabhishekam, a five-day rededication ceremony at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Penn Hills, Pa., Sunday, June 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Priests, from left, Sri Ranganathan, Temple head priest Sri Samudrala Venkatacharyulu, Sri Kannan Srinivasan and Sri Rangarajan pour holy waters onto a spire known as a kalasham atop the gopuram, an ornamented temple tower, during the Hindu rededication ceremony, Maha Kumbhabhishekam, at Sri Venkateswara Temple on Sunday, June 27, 2021, in Penn Hills, Pa. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Sriramachandra and Tejaswini Kona stir frozen butter, which is poured into the fires during Maha Kumbhabhishekam, a Hindu rededication ceremony at the Sri Venkateswara Temple, Friday, June 25, 2021, in Penn Hills, Pa. Built in the 1970s, the Sri Venkateswara Temple is the oldest major Hindu temple in the country. Maha Kumbhabhishekams occur about every 12 years and involve ceremonies to reenergize the temple and its deities. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Attendees are blessed by priest Sri Krishna Bhattar during the Maha Kumbhabhishekam, a five-day Hindu rededication ceremony at the Sri Venkateswara Temple on Friday, June 25, 2021, in Penn Hills, Pa. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Priests make offerings to the deities through individual fires during the Maha Kumbhabhishekam, a five-day Hindu rededication ceremony, at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Penn Hills, Pa., Friday, June 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Sri Venkateswara Temple head priest Samudrala Venkatacharyulu, center, leads the Maha Kumbhabhishekam rituals on the fifth and final day of the Hindu rededication ceremony in Penn Hills, Pa., Sunday, June 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)