Vasodhara
December 4, 2007
In a typical yagya each repetition of the mantra is accompanied by an offering of ghee and till seeds. During a Rudra/shiva yagya the tradition is to recite the final part of the Chamakam. This is one big long mantra which typically takes 15 minutes to recite. But that is too long for just one offering, so the tradition is to take a stalk from a banana palm and split it down the middle and then use it to pour a continuous stream of ghee into the fire. This is called a vasodhara. The challenge is that with all the ghee flowing into the fire it is hard to stand so close due to the heat, so bamboo supports are used to hold the vasodhara steady.
