Yagya fire
November 20, 2007
One of the great aspects of our visit to Varanasi was that they had us perform the yagyas with the close assistance of the priests. It certainly made the process more interesting and engaging. My favorite part was the fire ceremony called havan or homam which took place at the end of the day.
During this part of the yagya, ghee is offered into the fire along with a mixture of different grains, rice, etc. while the mantras were being chanted.
Nothing wrong with a little mud!
November 19, 2007
At the end of the day, the last thing we did was to walk around the stala in the traditional gesture of respect (called pradakshina). And after a day of rain we sank into the mud to our ankles! But out in the fields as we were, there was something very natural about it and it brought back good childhood memories!
Having fun!
November 18, 2007
At the end of the pujas there was always singing of different mantras; gayatri, etc. The pundits had a lot of fun singing them very loud in a “call and response” style. On one side of the yagya stala the pundits would sing the first two lines, and then the pundits on the other side would sing the second two lines. Both sides sang as loudly as they could and it was clearly just for fun…and it was fun to end the day laughing and happy by being a little silly.
There is such a fascinating blend of seriousness and intensity in yagyas, but it is always mixed with a lightness and spirit of fun, so that there is never an overly solemn mood. This is in contrast to a lot of what we grow up with in the west.
Long Days!
November 17, 2007
The days ended as it was getting dark with the final offering of light from burning camphor. We would arrive just at sunrise around 6:45 AM and finish the yagyas around 7:00 PM. It was a long day, but the pace was relaxed and it never seemed tedious. There is something about yagyas that makes time pass differently!
Chanting Chandi Path
November 16, 2007
Red is the color associated with Chandi (Durga) and so when they recited the 700 verse Chandi Path they wore red dhotis. Chandi Path tells the story of Durga and takes about an hour to recite in its entirety. I noted that the pundits generally knew the entire text by heart, although they used the book just to make sure they didn’t loose their place.
The chief priest never even glanced at his text and knew exactly where he was at all times! That is an amazing feat and must have taken many years of practice to perfect.
Nandi
November 15, 2007
Nandi is the bull on which Shiva rides. There was a very nice Nandi, carved from white marble and beautifully painted. Every day the Nandi would be decorated with a fresh garland of flowers.
Apples!
November 14, 2007
I was delighted to see apples everywhere during the visit to Varanasi. Apples require cold to grow and it never gets cold enough in the south (Tamil Nadu). In the Delhi streets there were apple carts everywhere with stack of apples. There didn’t seem to be very many different varieties but they were sweet and very tasty.
Nyasam - Invoking the deity
November 13, 2007
There is a ritual as part of the puja process called nyasam in which different aspect of the deity and the mantras are invoked in different parts of the body; the head, fingers, etc. Here you see the “kavacha”, the armor of the diety being invoked for protection.
It probably seems a little strange but after a while it is an enjoyable part of the process and you actually feel that something is happening.
Durga/Chandi
November 12, 2007
This is the Durga/Chandi murti that was used for the yagya series . It sat nestled in fresh flowers the entire time. The murti itself is about 1 inch tall and is made of solid gold making quite heavy for its size. There was something very charming about it particularly because the priests treated it with such care.
Om namah shivaya…
November 2, 2007
OM Namah Shivaya, OM Namah Shivaya, OM Namah Shivaya.
(repeat for 3 hours)