Atirātra Agnicayana In the parched rice paddy of Panjal, Kerala, Nambudiri Brahmins stage a 12 day ritual for Agni, the Vedic god of fire. Mantras are chanted day and night around a massive brick altar in the shape of a bird. The plant Soma is pressed and offered into the fire along with with offerings of milk and ghee. On the twelfth day, the entire structure is given over to Agni--that is, the whole thing is set aflame. People believe that the performance of the ritual will cause rain to fall from a clear sky. This short sketch explores the sensory overload of attending such an event, particularly the sonic dimension: mantras are miced and amplified across the paddy at top volume.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Jan 2015 07:13:08 +0000
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