Vedic Yajna Athirathram in Kerala had Positive Impact on Environment

One of the world’s oldest surviving rituals, Vedic Yajna Athirathram was held from April 4 to April 5, 2011 at Panjal in Thrissur District in Kerala. Scientists who studied the effects of yajna on atmosphere, soil and other aspects of environment are of the opinion that, the Vedic Yajna had a positive impact on environment.

Vedic Yajna (Yajgya or sacrifice or ritual) is performed for the prosperity of human race through peaceful co-existence with nature by energizing the various forces in nature – especially sun. Agni (fire) represents Sun, the Prathyaksha Brahman or Visible God, in Sanatana Dharma, and it is worshipped during the Yajna. This vedic ritual is known as Athirathram and is one of the world’s oldest surviving ritual.

The Hindu Writes
The “Athirathram” ritual held on April 4— 15 at Panjal village in Thrissur district was the focus of a detailed study by a team of scientists led by Prof V P N Nampoori, former director of the International School of Photonics, Cochin University of Science and Technology. 

The scientists had focused on the fire ritual’s scientific dimensions and impact on the atmosphere, soil and its micro—organisms and other potential environmental effects. 

The yagna seems to have accelerated the process of seed germination and also the microbial presence in air, water and soil in and around the region of the fire ritual is vastly diminished, according to a statement released by the Varthathe Trust, who organised the ritual. 

The team had planted three types of seeds — cowpea, green gram and Bengal gram — on all four sides of the ritual venue at varying distances. They found that the growth was better in case of pots kept closer to the fire altar. 

This effect, the study says, was more pronounced in the case of Bengal gram with growth about 2,000 times faster than in other places. 

According to Nampoori, sound is a vibration and continuous positive vibrations through chanting, accelerates the process of germination.