The Hindu Business Line : Ancient rites in a Vedic village

Pandit Nachiketa Sharma Agnihotri makes fire using the traditional arani method at the Vishwa Veda Satram (World Vedic Conference), which was held in the first week of this month at Panjal in Palakkad district.

KOCHI, April 18

THE yajna bhoomi is back in the news. Panjal village in Palakkad district was transformed into a spot for the performing of yajnas according to Vedic rites between April 3 and 7.

It was here that the famous Athirathram was held in 1975, which attracted scholars from several developed countries, including China.

The latest event, Vishwa Veda Satram (World Vedic Conference), attracted eminent Vedic scholars belonging to different religions and from various parts of the country, who spoke about the importance of Vedic scriptures in these modern times.

A unique feature was the chanting of hymns from the Atharva Veda for the first time in Kerala.

As chanting of the verses of this fourth Veda is not known to the Brahmins of the State, Pandit Nachiketa Sharma Agnihotri from Sholapur, Maharashtra came with 10 disciples for this purpose.

Pt. Sharma performed, again for the first time in the State, ishti yaga in a pandal specially built for conducting the yajnas. Unlike others, he lit the fire by using arani, the traditional and ancient method.

``I will not use fire from any other source and will continue rotating the arani till the fire (yagagni) sparks out,'' he told Business Line.

"On the conclusion of this yaga, there will be heavy rains,'' he said. Coincidentally, there was a heavy downpour on April 6 evening in the region.

Those who presented papers on the importance of Vedas in today's world included Dr Michel Danieo, Ms Martha Venucci, Dr Panchamukhi, Dr Sambasivan, Mr P. Parameswaran, Swami Tathvamayananda, Prof Tathe from Pune University, and Mr K.P.A. Menon, Vice-Chancellor of Sanskrit University, Delhi, according to Acharya Narendra Bhooshan, Chairman of Viswa Veda Satram.

On an average, around 400 people, many of them youths, participated in the conference. "This demonstrates the interest youngsters have in the ancient scriptures.''

Recognising the importance of the event, the Indian Postal Department issued a postal special cover depicting the Vishwa Veda Satram.

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Ancient rites in a Vedic village