Rice in Religion and Tradition

Rice in Religion and Tradition

S.C. Ahuja and Uma Ahuja CCS Haryana Agricultural

University,

Streamlet of history of integration of rice with religion and tradition has meandered its way on the vast expanse of life. The passage leaves visible spring signs whenever on surface and disappears to reappear at further distance again to make its mark. It is ever flowing below or above surface may be visible or invisible. Religion and tradition are as live as the community in which it thrives. The religion is that body, though invisible, immeasurable, unperceivable, has influence on life beyond any corporal bonds. Philosophy and concept are souls of religion while fables are the bloodline but it is the ritual that gives bone structure to this intangible body called religion. Relationship of .rice to religion is what is calcium to bones. It is no wonder that rice is an integral part of rituals, ceremonies, rites de passage, and festivals of India. No other grain is woven so closely into social, religious and cultural fabric. Every day we see rice being involuntarily used in some ceremony without knowing its relevance and significance. The advent of science, technology in recent past has diluted the relationship. The venerable grain is perhaps the oldest domesticated and cultivated crop. Through the ages it has evolved to become an indispensable moiety of religious rites, rituals and festivals. Thus rice has developed a deep-rooted relation with Indian and rice growing Asian culture. It is little wonder that rice is revered next to God. The reverence for rice is due to the fact that the grain has embedded itself in the very circle of life. Rice has attained a unique status in culture of most rice-growing countries through its importance in the sustenance of human life.

Kaul 135 021,

Haryana, India

No other grain can hope to achieve the intimate relationship achieved by rice with mankind. In India, even in areas where rice is not main stay of people, it is rice, which is used, in ritualistic observances. Essentiality cannot be stressed more than great sage Parasara who in ancient Sanskrit text Krsi- Parasara sang in its praise " Rice is vitality, rice is vigour too and rice is indeed the means of fulfillment of all ends of life. Gods, demons and humans beings all subsist on rice"1. Rice is not just a plain food, but food for thought as rice poems; anecdotes, and vignettes and taboo associated with rice. Rice is so pervasive that it is part of the religion and so euphonic that it has replaced words used for greetings and exchange of pleasantries. Indeed in Thailand and in China polite way of asking hello in olden times was "Have you taken your rice today." At the beginning of New Year, instead of saying," Happy New Year", they say, "May your rice never burn". There are innumerable ceremonies, rituals, fairs and festivals, taboQs, folklore that penning is beyond the restriction of pages of this article. The authors humbly present some of these without any claim being exhaustive. Sacred being of Divine Origin Hindus, Buddhist, Muslims, Christians and various tribal people consider rice equally sacred because of its divine origin. For Hindus it is venerated plant as their ancient text relates it to Lord Indra. Satapada Brahaman refers about the auspicious From quality of rice and goes on to say his (Indra's) bones his sweet drink flowed and became the nyagrodha tree: from his JJ

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International Rice Congress - 2006

marrow his drink, the soma juice followed, and became rice: in this way his energies, or vital powers, went out from him". Likewise Muslims consider its origin related to Mahomet2 Buddhist venerate it as Siddhartha was saved after feeding on Kheer immediately after his enlightenment3 . In Japan rice is associated with the sun goddess, a mythical ancestor of the Japanese Imperial family. In Java, too rice is associated with a sun goddess. Hindus of West Bengal worship the rice plant with inflorescence as incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. The presiding deity of wealth and all crop plants on is ceremonially worshipped, the following day of full moon day after Durga Puja. While in Orissa, a container filled to the brim with white rice is worshipped as token symbol of Goddess Lakshmi4• The ritual is known as Manbasa55.

The ancient Puranas of Tamil literature carry account of rice clearly highlighting the specific varieties used in important religious ceremonies. In eastern India names of rice varieties as Krishnbhog, Gopalbhog, Govindbhog, Sitabhog, Nripatibhog, Rambhog, Narsingbhog, Lakshmibhog, Laksminarayanbhog and Deobhog indicate specific requirements in terms of offerings to specific Gods. In ancient times, in temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri, daily freshly harvested rice was used for offering to God enforcing cultivation of a number of varieties. Thus requirement and importance of large number of varieties was an inducement for growing many varieties, prevented monoculture and promoted conservation. In Central Bhandara, Maharashtra two interesting festivals, Rishi . Panchami and Shirawundevdasee are celebrated in August. A unique feature of these festivals is that the people are required to abstain from eating items produced with help of animal labor. The people of

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46 SQuvenir

Maharashtra depend upon wild rice grown in swamps locally known as deodan (grown by God). In the days of Maratha rule, deodan was specially distributed from government storehouses6 ,7 . Forms of rice used Ceremonial use of rice in various rituals in India is not of recent origin but dates back to Vedic period in ancient texts as Vedas, Purana, Upnishads and epic stories of Ramanaya and Mahabharta, plenty of references are found of its uses in course of offerings. Rice is offered as oblation to God, deities, village deity, religious ceremonies, as alms to Brahmans and needy persons, and festivals in different. forms. Offering is made of unhusked rice (paddy), white unbroken grains, colored yellow (vermilion/ turmeric), sun dried, cooked, fried, parched, popped, rice flour, and rice beverages. These forms offered in various ceremonies depend upon the religious belief of the people and convey different shades of meaning. Colored rice is festive shorthand for auspiciousness while rice itself is shorthand for either food or body. Fried rice is a symbol of fertility and a pot of cooked rice is compared with a family88. Raw and cooked rice is respectively considered as hot and cool. Raw rice finds place in mouth of corpse before cremation while plain cooked rice is used in funeral rite and pitripaksha ceremonies to appease restless spirits and ancestors. Cooked rice is believed to scare demons particularly those that check fertility of union3. Rice colored with turmeric or vermilion is symbolically used as invitation. Popped rice is considered favorite of lord Krishna and is served to him on His birthday and parched rice is offered to Goddess Lakshmi . Another form of rice used in religious ceremonies and tradition is rice flour and its paste. The paste forms part of the make up of Kathakkali perfomer in Kerala and also

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in making of dhu/i chitra (ritual diagrams on floor) and bhitti chitra (drawing on walls). These are an essential part of various kinds of rituals and Vratas, the observance of Vratas and the performance of rites were and are obligatory for Hindu women. The decorating of floor, a tradition, alive throughout the country is called alpana in Bengal, sathia in Gujarat, rangoli in Maharashtra and in parts of Uttar Pradesn, mandana in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, jinuti in Orissa, kolam in parts of South India, mugli in Andhra Pradesh, /ikhnu in Himachal Pradesh, ariapan in Bihar, aipan in U.P and chowk purana in Haryana, Punjab and U.P. Women create patterns using rice flour paste, wheat or barley flour, rice powder mixed with turmeric, cow dung and soil. Often colored rice, pulses and saw sand is used. Rice flour used in these designs becomes food of ants, insects and birds. These are symbols that welcome the new bride, announce a marriage or a birth. These are also drawn on all ceremonies related to rites de passage from birth to death or after death shraad ceremony. Wadis of Bombay draw circular patterns with rice paste at the occasion of funeral and marriage. The pattern stems from their mythic knowledge that death is not end of human existence but another beginning9. Likewise Sanja wall motifs (drawn with rice paste and grain) of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are drawn at the time Sharad ceremony of the departed soul and to appease the ancestors. In addition, rice beverages are used in offering to God. The tribal people from various states offer rice beverages in order to propitiate the deities, in various ceremonial purposes, in rites of passage and rituals at various stages of rice crop7, in contrast to peasant Hindus who don't employ rice beer (or fermented grain in general) in rituals. This perhaps reflects an aesthetic aversion to the rotting connotation of fermentations.

Names after Rice Pervasiveness

of rice is also exhibited

in

the nomenclature of countries, places, people, clan and some of the ceremonies. The names of important people as Sushodhana (pure rice), father of Lord Buddha is derived from Sanskrit word dhan that means rice. Names of some important states and countries are based on rice i.e. Java (island of rice), Denjong / Sikkim (valley of rice), and Mizomonokumme/Japan means 'land of luxurious rice'. Surnames of some powerful Japanese owe derivation to rice. Such as Toyoto means bountiful rice field, Honda (main rice field), Nakasoni (middle rice field), Sawada (rice field), Tanaka (middle rice field) and Narita ,(developing rice field.). In India, tribe name of Base/i of Keuta sub caste of Orissa is named on their profession 'makers of parched rice'. While Nellore means town of rice. Even names of many rite/ ceremonies owe name to this tiny grain. Sending paddy and betel/ turmeric to brides' house by groom's family is Dhanpan, the feast at the time of marriage offered by bride's father to bridegroom and party is Bhat (literal meaning boiled rice), and ceremony of gifts performed by maternal uncles becomes Bhat Bharna. And a dance performed by groom's mother after departure of marriage party, performed with other ladies is termed Tilchauli (til= sesame; chauli = rice).

Fairs, Festivals and Rituals Associated Rice Cultivation

with

In rice growing Asian countries, day begins with 'morning rice' and ends with 'evening rice'. People eat rice, drink rice beer, sleep on rice straw and offer rice as oblation to God. Cultivation of rice is a hard work to be carried out at right time for sowing, transplanting, weeding and harvesting. To follow strict timetable, people became Souve!}ir

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accustomed to work in groups, leading to celebrations in form of festivals and ceremonies at all crop growth stages, turning hard job of rice production into joyous affairs. In many cultures months are named according to activity of the rice field. There are festivals having at their core rituals for rice crop. Festivals are celebrated at time of sowing, transplanting crop growth, harvesting festivals and also for thank giving to God. Thirteen festivals associated with rice cultivation are celebrated in Orissa in the span of a year. Festivals and rituals associated with rice are as innumerable as uses of this tiny grain below:

10.

Some are listed

Sowing festivals: Akshaya tritya of Orissa, Ambuvaci of Bengal, Eruvaku Purnima of Andhra Pradesh, Bohag Bihu of Assam, and Mopin in Arunachal Pradesh, Damurai of Chhota Nagpur. Transplanting festivals: Rajaparb of Orissa, Ambuvaci fairs of Bengal and Assam. Even festivals are celebrated at times of crop growth Kati Bihu of Assam, Koda yatra, Asadi Paara, Chitangi amavasya, Karam Puja, Garbha sankranti, satpuri Purnima of Orissa; Kojari and Kartik puja of Bengal. Weeding: Rituals of Chitau amavasya in Orissa, Sanskranti of sawan and Bhadon in Himachal, Chitla ritual in Mizoram Harvest and Thanks giving Festivals: Magh Bihu of Assam, Paus of Bengal, Huttari of Karnataka, Nabana of Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Bengal and Tripura, Pongal of Tamilnadu, Onam of Kerala, Sanskranti of Andhra Pradesh 10. Difference in harvesting time of rice caused by corresponding difference in monsoon cause difference in timings of New Year celebration in Tamilnadu and Kerala. Thrashing festival: Kharihari Puja of Madhya Pradesh, Phoukouba rite of Manipur,

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Storage festival:' Ritual of sikisa sacrifice of Mizoram, Khurumba rite of Manipur, Rice in Indian Folklore Rice has attained a unique status in the culture of most rice-growing countries through its importance in sustenance of human life. The ubiquity of rice is evident in all forms of folklore, myths, legends, stories, and folktales. However its position in Indian folklore is unmatched elsewhere. Its perpetuity is evident in a melange of ancient texts, proverbs, poetry and sayings2 Not only the tips on cultivation but also the life activities are encapsulated in form of small quotes, 'Saying'. In Japan it is said" he who wastes rice, will go to hell and be ground to powder" and in Cnina, steady job is referred as to have an iron bowl" and to be unemployed is JJto have broken rice bowl". JJ

Through years certain beliefs and taboo have got attached to rice. In Tibet, upsetting of basin of rice on table or elsewhere is considered as unlucky. In China, parents force their children to eat all servings and for every grain of rice not eaten, they believe and point out that there will be marks on the face of their future husband or wife. In Tamilnadu, while measuring paddy number one is avoided, instead, 'first' is used. Tribals in Assam do not bring out paddy from stores on certain days. Among Nagas the first sower of rice should be a woman, who must partake eating fish while the first woman harvester must eat boiled rice, ginger and fish. There are special transplanting songs in most of Indian languages singing these songs the hard work of transplanting becomes easy and joyful. Romani songs of Himachal Pradesh and Ropani songs of Bengal are quite interesting. Songs and dances are dominant aspect of rice cultivation of Tharus of India and Nepal. Rice finds respectable place in riddles and

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proverbs of many Indian languages. See how a Bangia proverb educates or tells us the reality of life through use of rice " Flattened rice, fried rice: but nothing like Boiled rice: mother paternal, mother maternal, but none like one's own mother"11. A brain teasing Manipuri riddles tells us about threshing of paddy "spread are the gems on golden mat; boiled out water, but not in a lake; Flown have these yet no birds" (Answer = Threshing of paddy). In the epic poem Heer Ranjha the acclaimed Punjabi poet Varis Shah sung in praise of Basmati: Mushki chavalan de bhare aan kothe, Granaries filled with fragrant rice Sohinpatiye, jhonare chhari Paddy of Sohinpati is sifted

de nee:

Basmati, Musafiri, Musafiri, Begumi

Basmati,

Begumi san,

Hari chand te jaridye dharide nee Hari chand and mounds of pounded paddy Saathi Karchakka Seula Gharat kantak Even more varieties as Saathi, Karchakka, Anokikla tihara sari de nee Gharat kantak, Anokikla, Tihara - torrents of them all! Barik safed Kashmir Kabul, kurush jehere Fine white rice from Kashmir and Kabul Heer, de pari de nee The favored staple of Heer and fairy. (bold letters represent the names of varieties at the time of Varish Shah in circa 1766) 2. Rice in Festivals, Religious Festivals/ Rituals In most of Asian countries, number of festivals is observed where rice is indispensable part. Farmers in Indonesia offer rice to rain God to ensure favouable weather and good crop while Chinese offer rice cakes to monster god at lunar New Year. Rice cakes are considered as

symbol of prosperity occasion.

and served on the

India is country of traditions and amalgamation of Vedic and tribal cultures and home to innumerable Gods and Goddesses. People celebrate vast number of religious, social and. seasonal festivals, worship number of deities, observe vrats (vows/fast) to propitiate deities and Gods. Festivals are associated mostly with God or goddesses, or deity. Worships and Vrats are observed for family welfare, fulfillment of some wishes or desire. Worship of deities of disease is conducted to ward off evil spirits and protection against diseases. Rice forms part and parcel of all these worships,. Vratas and festivals. Every religious ceremony starts with tilak with akshat. In addition to various festivals celebrated with rice cultivation, rice is an important component in celebrations related to religious festivals such as Makkar sanskranti, Deepawali, Dashera, Durga Puja. No religious ceremony is considered complete in absence of Akshat (undamaged, washed rice) or rice in some or other form.

Rice as offering to Deities/ God The religion is based on a feeling of fear of natural calamities, beyond control of human being that afflicted losses and caused panic. They worship nature gods such as Sun, Moon, Mother Earth, Nava Garaha (nine constellations), Rivers, Sea, the well, Rain God (Indra), godlings village and diseases, snakes, and their own ancestors. They wish to propitiate all these godlings and ancestors to save themselves from their wrath and to get blessing of ancestors. Tribal offered animals sacrifice to please godlings. Even today some of the tribes perform sacrifices for this purpose. The ancient scripture forbade this act of cruelty towards animals and replaced animal sacrifice with offering of rice. Souve9ir

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The

sacrificial

value

of


rice

has

been

highly lauded in ancient scripture, Aitareya Brahmana and was considered as representing the head of sacrifices. Caru, purdosa and payasa were ritual oblations. " Purdosa is the animal which is killed. The chaff and straw of rice of which it consists of the hairs of the animal, its . husk and skin, its smallest particles the blood, all the fine particles to which the rice is ground represents flesh, and whatever other substantial part left in the rice, are the bones"12 This explains as to why rice is so elaborately and extensively used in worships.

is intimately associated with the various rites of life in India, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea and Japan. In Hindu ceremonies, rice is emblem of purity, fertility and prosperity and is thrown into sacred fire during wedding ceremony. Over the centuries, these symbolic uses took the shape of some interesting ceremonies. Rice is an indispensable item and figures in all rites of life (Sanskara), be it birth, marriage, death, or post death ceremonies. The presence of rice is visible in all rites performed at various stages during life time such as goad bhrai during pregnancy, on event of birth, at the time of start of feeding

Rice offered to God and Deities in Religious Festivals God/Purnima Deities

Mastiammma Mariamma Lohri Holi Diwali Janamashtami Dushera Ahoi Karva Raksha ratri Chauth bad an Deities Ankamma Poleramma Shrawan Ram 32 12Sanktant ekadeshi of Festivals Navami Disease Shukla Shoba Candi Annt Shiv Ganesh Jaanm 12 candi Ratri chaturthi ashtami Chaturthi Guru Purnima Basant Panchami Seasonal Makkr sanskranti Durgamma Ral Durga Durga Puja amavasya durga Piriyapttandamma Teej Navroj Bhaiya Duj Kumari Family puja Festivals

Rice Godesses Panoply of rice deities/ goddesses is found in Hindu India. Annapurana is pan-Indian deity for rice whose shrines are located in Varanasi in North and Nellore in South. Lakshmi, the Goddess of all crops, is associated with rice as in pre-industrial period grain was the symbol of wealth and prosperity. Rice in rites de passages (Sanskara) In all traditional societies, the transition of life is observed and celebrated with ancient rites that predate the written history. Rice ,.50 SQuvenir ,t

milk, to ward off evil spirits way from mother and new born, in naming ceremony of child, at the time of Anaprashan( the ceremony of giving first food), his/ her initiation to writing; on Mundan (shaving off hairs on head), on attaining puberty of girls in Kerala, Bengal and Tamilnadu and on boys of Jains of Gujarat. A Jain father performs Akshat Tilak and puts some rice grains on his hand says " Stay pure like white rice, adjust with hot and cool person as rice adjusts itself according to climate." Marriage anybody's

is most important event in life. In China, there is a tradition

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to prepare Fragrant Rice Crackers' to announce engagement of daughter. In India, turmeric rice forms integral part of invitation for attending marriage. Engagement ceremony is initiated with ti/ak of turmeric rice. Marriage ceremony starts with tying amulet-containing turmeric rice and ends with blessing of showering rice. In Punjab bride and groom are made to sit in a corner of their respective homes with three pitchers of water, jaggery and rice. She and her friends are asked to pick up rice grains, chew and throw with a belief that by doing so bride acquires power to keep husband according to her wishes. J

A Kodva marriage in Coorg offers a panoramic view of the extent of use of rice in rites relating to this Sanskara. There is no step in the process of marriage that does not require or involve use of rice. At least 13 times rice grains are used to complete the rites of various steps of marriage. A dish- rice-lamp stands witness to the whole process of marriage like all ceremonious rites1,213. In Karnataka, a basket of unhusked paddy forms the resting place for bride-to-be, while basket of cleaned white grains forms platform in the wedding play of some tribes accompanied by four kinds of pulses8• After rites are over, showers of rice grains or colored rice consecrate the marriage in most parts of India not only among Hindus but Parsis also follow this ritual. In one of wedding rites, Lajahoma (laja is parched rice) where in the groom makes bride to offer fried grains of rice (symbol of fertility.) to the fire. The custom of welcoming a person by showering rice grains can be traced back to this ritual3. In fact the Western custom of showering rice during wedding ceremony comes from the Hindu tradition415. In Bengal, when the newly wedded couple arrives at the bridegroom's house, an interesting ceremony is performed. The

Rice Congress - 2006

bridegroom places a small bowl containing the rice grain on brides' head and with a small pointed spoon allows the grains to drop from both sides along the way from courtyard to the main house. This again is symbolic of ploughing field, scattering seeds, inducing fertility in bride. On return of the marriage party, Maharshtrians keep a large pot filled with rice grains on the threshold of bridegroom's house which bride touches with her right toe so that when it falls rice spreads on the floor. The extent of the grains spill across the floor is believed to denot~ the prosperity bride brings to the family14. Rice is also used to ward off evil spirits from the newly wedded couple. After a Dhodia wedding in Bombay a man blows evil spirit from bodies of the pa1rfrom head to foot with the grains of rice165, In most Asian countries concept of soul or spirit and rebirth after death has a deep root, which has transformed and evolved into elaborate ceremonies at death and after death to pay respect to deceased person. The deceased person should be ritually separated from living and corpse must be separated from spirit. The common folk representation of this separation is white, color of plain cooked rice symbolizing unadulterated soul. Rites in death also involve much use of rice in different forms. A unique after death rite in South India highlights the importance of this tiny grain. In the event of death of any person away from home, a mock cremation is conducted with bones and ashes. A replica of figure is made with 360 pa/as leaves [Butea monosperma (Lamk.) Taubert; Fire of Jungle] over black antelope skull, 32 pomegranate seeds for teeth and so on and finally life in figure is brought by sprinkling rice grains over it. Then cremation is done15. While tribals of Assam, Orissa, Manipur and Nagaland use rice beer and cooked rice in funeral rites6• In addition to personal rites, rice find place in all types of pujas performed at the ..

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occasion of selection of site for village, construction of house and bhumi pujan etc. Of 16 sanskara, sons and grandsons perform the last one for dead. Ancestor worship in Asia is essential for the welfare and prosperity of family. The offerings include balls of rice called pinds, foodstuff etc. It is performed once a year in specified time for all people called pitripaksha, a fortnight for ancestors. It may be said that life in Asia starts with rice and ends also with rice. Conclusion Ceremonial rice use is not physical only but has symbolic values, too. Fried rice is symbol of fertility. A pot of cooked rice as also a vessel of water is compared with a family. Hancett8 identified the importance of rice in religious and social ceremonies in Karnataka and pointed out that other food items were used in rituals and rites and as offering to God, but it was rice, which is a major symbolic element in ritual practices as food, decorative item or object of play and medium of communication, rice has been decorative item or object of play and medium of communication rice has been powerful medium throughout Asia from ancient times. Urbanites, peasants and tribal people alike endow rice within magical equivalence of food itself8. Rice functions as key symbol for Hindu culture 17. Its uses codify, clarify and focus attention on basic life processes. Its various cooked forms provide aesthetic guides and models for interpretations of life-birth, growth, maturation and interrelationship and even death and after death. Rice offering stands symbol for perception of existence, consciousness and experience in all things. Gupta2 explains "Rice being one of the earliest cereals known to man, it started being associated with food and often consider to be the creator. Rice being held sacred it is used in all re.ligious ceremonies". In ancestral worship of Hindu India or SQuvenir

Buddhist Japan or traditional China, one puts rice to once ancestors with same reverence in these countries. Rice season in all parts is full of rituals while dry season is devoid of agricultural rituals though other crops are grown shows importance of rice. Importance of rice in human life, culture and religion cannot be so emphatically described To borrow his than done by Huggan7• words "Rice is the mainstay of major population involved in its production. The loss of a rice crop can result in major human catastrophe". Experience must be the teacher to our forefather who counseled sLlch eminence and divine reverence to thistiny grain and called it " grain of Life". To remind the generation of its i(l1portance, our ancestors religiously enforced use of rice and its wild varieties in various ceremonies. Thus the relation of rice, religion and tradition is complementary, rice has permeated into tradition and religion through sustenance, and filling the mental appetite of humans. Religion assures the conservation of rice varieties through its repetitive use in ceremonies, rites and rituals. Majumdar & Banerji, 1960, Krsi- Parasara, society, Calcutta, India, 88 + 22 + iv pp; 2

Ahuja et al 1997, Asian Agri-Hist.

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4

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