Athirathram at Sukapuram in Kerala from March 20 to March 31, 2015 – The World’s Oldest Surviving Ritual – Athirathram Vedic Ritual
Athirathram, an ancient Vedi ritual, will be held from March 20 to March 31, 2015 at Dakshinamurthi Temple at Sukapuram near Edappal in Malappuram District in Kerala. It is also the world’s oldest surviving ritual. What is Athirathram? 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, that represents Sun, the Prathyaksha Brahman or Visible God, in Sanatana Dharma, is worshipped during the Yajna. This vedic ritual is known as Athirathram and is one of the world’s oldest surviving ritual. During the Athirathram, the Vedic rituals and yajnas performed during the period of the Vedic age will be recreated. For 12 days, one will be transported to the era of the Vedas and Upanishads. Today, the knowledge of Athirathram is only preserved by select Namboothiri (Brahmin) families in Kerala. Athirathram invokes the abundan