Reading Notes: Sacred Tales of India, Part A
I chose this reading to learn a little more about Pujahs, rituals of India, and their origins.
The Manasa or Naga-Panchami Ceremony (performed July)
Firstly, learning where Nagini's name came from was really cool, as this ceremony features the worship of snakes (Naga... Nagini!). The dry season historically can bring illness and intestinal epidemics to regions lacking sanitary restroom facilities, and this ritual was viewed as a way to honor the deities responsible for such illnesses, and I'm guessing to alleviate in advance their most painful and potentially life-threatening repercussions. Briefly featured in The Divine Brothers, Manasa briefly leaves her divine home to enjoy the Pujah of the ceremony devoted to her. A human girl staying in Manasa's house at the behest of Manasa's two divine sons wreaks havoc galore when asked to keep the baby snakes fed, other children of Manasa. This story was definitely cheerful, and the two brothers were quite benevolent to a somewhat scatter-brained but plucky human girl.
The Savitri Ceremony (A 14-year ceremonial commitment; once yearly offering)
Only performed by married women, this ceremony honors a human, not a goddess, by the name of Savitri and confers the blessing of protecting their husbands from death. Savitri was so virtuous that she was basically elevated to deity status. I actually read a separate account of Savitri previously, and was taken by the idea of a woman who refused to let death depart with her husband. That blog post is here.
The Itu Ceremony (performed in November and December on four consecutive Sundays)
This story, By Itu's Favor, is a fantastic early rendition of the everlasting struggle of "Who Ate My Food?" in a shared household. Reminded me quite a bit of college roommates marking soda (or alcohol) levels with a sharpie to ensure accountability from roommate thirst. The hungry Brahman uses a string with knots tied in it to ensure he knows how many cakes he has. On the ceremony side, there is a strong prayer = results vibe from this Ita Thakur character, and the daughters of this slightly pathetic man have nothing but good wishes for their father. One daughter loses her humility, and becomes a bane on those around her, while the other remains faithful and successful through her dedication to Ita Thakur. Ultimately this story pushes staying true to one's convictions, and the promise of reward from the effort of prayer and holiness.
Satya Naranaya Puja, religious worship of Vishnu
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
The Manasa or Naga-Panchami Ceremony (performed July)
Firstly, learning where Nagini's name came from was really cool, as this ceremony features the worship of snakes (Naga... Nagini!). The dry season historically can bring illness and intestinal epidemics to regions lacking sanitary restroom facilities, and this ritual was viewed as a way to honor the deities responsible for such illnesses, and I'm guessing to alleviate in advance their most painful and potentially life-threatening repercussions. Briefly featured in The Divine Brothers, Manasa briefly leaves her divine home to enjoy the Pujah of the ceremony devoted to her. A human girl staying in Manasa's house at the behest of Manasa's two divine sons wreaks havoc galore when asked to keep the baby snakes fed, other children of Manasa. This story was definitely cheerful, and the two brothers were quite benevolent to a somewhat scatter-brained but plucky human girl.
The Savitri Ceremony (A 14-year ceremonial commitment; once yearly offering)
Only performed by married women, this ceremony honors a human, not a goddess, by the name of Savitri and confers the blessing of protecting their husbands from death. Savitri was so virtuous that she was basically elevated to deity status. I actually read a separate account of Savitri previously, and was taken by the idea of a woman who refused to let death depart with her husband. That blog post is here.
The Itu Ceremony (performed in November and December on four consecutive Sundays)
This story, By Itu's Favor, is a fantastic early rendition of the everlasting struggle of "Who Ate My Food?" in a shared household. Reminded me quite a bit of college roommates marking soda (or alcohol) levels with a sharpie to ensure accountability from roommate thirst. The hungry Brahman uses a string with knots tied in it to ensure he knows how many cakes he has. On the ceremony side, there is a strong prayer = results vibe from this Ita Thakur character, and the daughters of this slightly pathetic man have nothing but good wishes for their father. One daughter loses her humility, and becomes a bane on those around her, while the other remains faithful and successful through her dedication to Ita Thakur. Ultimately this story pushes staying true to one's convictions, and the promise of reward from the effort of prayer and holiness.
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