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!!