A temple is built on a cosmic diagram, in which, many forces are invoked both inside the temple enclosure and also outside the temple premises. When great festivals, or Kumbhābhiṣekas are performed, a special worship and offerings are made to the deified frees, like the directional deities, in the respective directions. As the temple complex is a prepared site, its personified image is called kṣetrapāla who is worshipped before the beginning of Kumbhābhiṣeka. These worships are done immediately outside the enclosure wall. The worship witnessed in the Tanjore great Temple is performed before the Kumbhābhiṣeka.