Fire

I am fascinated by the fire in the pit. Not any pit. But the yaga pit - or the yagna kundam. I had the great fortune of participating in a 9 day long Vasudeva Yagam conducted within the precincts of the 350+ year old Batchupeta Sivalayam. Since Usha and I are the 'young couple' amongst the participants - we were 'offered' to lead the yagas almost every day - except for a couple of days when other yaga kartas (one who offers the aajyam - ghee - into the yaga kundam with the Sruvam - the wooden ladle) performed at both the yagna kundas.

I've never heard of Vasudeva Yaga before. It was on November 15th - in a Kartika Masa function in the Sivalayam - that the Brahma (one who has powerful jaws so one can chant mantras clearly and loudly so everybody can hear - we were told in the thanksgiving function by a sanskrit scholar) proposed this Yaga for January right after Pongal. At that time, I thought he was just proposing and it may or may not happen - depending on how serious the organisers will be; and how much money they can get pledged from donors.

By the first week of January, the main organiser came to me and asked if I wanted to be one of the Yaga kartas. I was non committal at first. Am I ready to do such yagas? Can I commit myself for 9 days? Is my body ready to sit for long periods of time every day for 9 days? so on and on... Usha was cautious as well. But we decided to take the plunge - as this is not an opportunity that comes often. Yagas like these are not performed regularly. After many such Q and A sessions in the mind, we informed the organisers we will participate. Of course, it involved monetary support as well and we pledged accordingly.

It all started on the 19th - when we took the pledge to perform the yaga for 7 days starting from the 20th. That evening the brahmanas generated fire from the 'arani' wood. It was a spectacle in itself. Two brahmanas sit opposite to each other holding one long rectangular piece of wood which has concave shapes in it. Another brahmana holds a second piece of wood with one end resting in one of the concave shapes. They churn the second piece of wood with the help of a rope - and they do that while chanting 'agni prajwalana mantras'. A good amount of smoke starts emanating from the concave shape - and after much effort one of them said the fire is here. I was expecting to see a good amount of fire coming out of that. But that was not to be. They showed us all a spark of fire (almost like the red hot fire we see at the end of a lighted incense stick). They then put that spark into some dried sacred grass - and blew air into it. Fire came out with many tongues - and they then put it into the yaga kundas. There was no stopping the fire for the next 9 days... It was all an interesting episode for me.

From then on, I am fascinated at the fire in the yaga kundas - and the purity of that fire. After all, it's one of the five basic elements - and by far the most unadulterated element so far.

I will write more on the yagas shortly.
Swasti!!

Happy 2011

Happy New Year!

Happy 2011!!

Happy Today! Happy Tomorrow! Happy Every day!!

We wish everyone we meet well. We wish all our friends and family and acquaintances well too - all the time, whether we meet them or not. So what's so new about Jan 1st? Or Ugadi day - for that matter ?

As some of the folks that know me are aware - I would much prefer Ugadi day to Jan 1st - any day! Not that I don't wish Happy New Year on Jan 1st. I did. I do. I will. But when I wish some folks (mostly family and other like minded friends) the thought of Ugadi being a more authentic New Year Day inevitably occurs at the back of my mind - almost always.

Nevertheless - I think Jan 1st is no less significant. For one thing - the Jan - Dec calendar is so ingrained in our daily lives that we literally live by it day in and day out. My mom completely lives by the Telugu/Lunar calendar (well - almost 90%) - being from old school. She still talks in Chaitram, Vaisakham..., pADyami, vidiya, pourNami etc... and takes a few seconds to relate it to Solar calendar for any chronological details. There are others in the family who live that life. They ruled the roost until a few decades ago - but we rarely see such people now. Almost 90% can't even tell all the lunar months - let alone in order. Nor do they know the tithis for that matter.

Given this great influence of the Gregorian Calendar on mankind (or shall we call man(un)kind?!) - it's no wonder Jan 1st usurped the New Year's Day mantle from Yugadi Day. But what fascinates me is that the Lunar Calendar didn't need correction in over several millennia - where as the Western Calendar underwent several corrections over the past 2000 years. The latest being on Sept 2nd 1752, when people in England slept for 12 days. Not too long ago, in the history of time, one might say.

Anyway - given the current influence of Jan 1st - Happy New Year! Happy today, tomorrow and every day!!

I am at peace!

Swasti!!