With our Rath Yatra only a few weks away i've started thinking about the Coconut arati performed before the procession begins. Here the procedure is that anyone who brings a coconut can offer arati. I'm wongering how to prepare the coconut based on the pictures on here the coconut is first dyed with tumeric and camphor is lit on the top. From what i've seen at past Rath Yatras the coconuts aren't dyed. My concern is that it might be a bit dangerous to use camphor as it could easily fall off, i have seen other pics where a cotton ghee wick was used instead. I tried making some wicks today and mixed some ground camphor into the ghee and it seemed to work okay i made it quite small so it only burned for about 5min i don't want it to last too long as to not hold up other devotees waiting to offer thier arati. Does anyone know how long this type of arati is supposed to last. The only problem i found was that the coconut husk caught fire quite easily when the wind blew the flames around, i'm guessing the tumeric will help reduce this. Also does anyone know the significance of this offering.
deityworship.tribe.net/photos...a34a640
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deityworship.tribe.net/photos...a34a640
deityworship.tribe.net/photos...be0eea7
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Re: Coconut arati for Ratha Yatra
Sun, June 17, 2007 - 6:38 PMI think the whole thing is supposed to be quick. The camphor melts when it burns, so it shouldn't slip off the coconut (seems like a rough surface). Pray to Lord Jagannath, circle the coconut....and the *smash*...Ratha Yatra ki JAI!
If I'm not mistaken, the coconut is a non-violent vedic way of offering nara bali (or human sacrifice) to ward off obstacles for a particular event... in south India, for other deities esp Durga, limes are used (stuck on the ends of tridents, so that they do not harm a real human, being satisfied with the lime instead). Coconuts on kalashs, can be used to invoke any personality and worshipped as a deity for the duration of a puja/vrata. So the whole coconut scene is quite interesting...
Now a coconut with it's head on fire...now that is a "must see!" So go to Ratha yatra everyone. Srila Prabhupada said that those who see Lord Jagannath on His chariot are assured of going back to Godhead. The shastras confirm this...
Hare Krsna!
SriRKd -
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Re: Coconut arati for Ratha Yatra
Sun, June 17, 2007 - 7:16 PMLast semister i took an Eastern Religions course and got to know the professor quite well, one of his main areas of research was Hindu rituals especially Rath utsav with a focus on South Indian Bhramanical Traditions. In one of our discussions he mentioned to me that limes are placed under the wheels of the rath to prevent obstacles. He's teaching the same class this semister and he's letting me come into the class to promote the festival and explain a bit about the tradition associated with the Jaganatha Rath Yatra.
The camphor i use is the refined stuff that comes in little white cubes and doesn't really melt, i sould get some of the regular stuff and give it a try, it produces more smoke but its going to be outside so it should be okay. -
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Re: Coconut arati for Ratha Yatra
Tue, June 19, 2007 - 4:57 PMThey have done this at Dallas Ratha Yatra and I had the pleasure to offering arti. There is nothing to worry about other and coconuts in the road:) -
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Re: Coconut arati for Ratha Yatra
Wed, June 20, 2007 - 4:33 PMHaribolo! you were at Dallas Ratha Yatra? did we meet? Hare Krishna -
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Re: Coconut arati for Ratha Yatra
Thu, June 28, 2007 - 2:24 PMHari Bol,
Oh this was a few years back. In 2001 actually that I went to Ratha Yatra. I would like to visit Dallas again though. My Gurudeva Tamal Krishna Goswami resided there for many years so it is very special in my heart.
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Re: Coconut arati for Ratha Yatra
Fri, June 29, 2007 - 4:32 PMOn that whole coconut lemon thing...
Yes, the coconut is a fruit shrouded in deep symbolism, one of them is that it is used in sacrifice like Krishna prabhu said, always used in religious rituals. I too have heard of it representing nara bali amongst other things...the dark outside representing the anartas (excuse spelling) and the pure inside representing the atma/paramatma...
Very true about the kalash being used to represent the chosen deity, I have seen this many times before to invoke devas and devis, very regular in village pujas etc..
Also I have seen the lemons being used in durga puja, usually they are stuck on the ends of trishuls like you said, and durga is ofte seen to accept offerings of lemons (garlands and the like, I am sure I remember someone saying they calm her), also, Mayapur Nrsingha dons lemon garlands often too no? I remember seeing a pic from Nrsingha Caturdashi of him wearing one...
On a different note, such a shame they are banned/ing devotees bringing offerings of coconuts and even garlands to many temples in India for the risk of terrorist explosives; really this is Kali Yuga, where even innocent offerings of devotees are being persecuted due to evil intentions of others..anyway......
Haribol!
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Re: Coconut arati for Ratha Yatra
Fri, June 29, 2007 - 4:33 PMOn that whole coconut lemon thing...
Yes, the coconut is a fruit shrouded in deep symbolism, one of them is that it is used in sacrifice like Krishna prabhu said, always used in religious rituals. I too have heard of it representing nara bali amongst other things...the dark outside representing the anartas (excuse spelling) and the pure inside representing the atma/paramatma...
Very true about the kalash being used to represent the chosen deity, I have seen this many times before to invoke devas and devis, very regular in village pujas etc..
Also I have seen the lemons being used in durga puja, usually they are stuck on the ends of trishuls like you said, and durga is ofte seen to accept offerings of lemons (garlands and the like, I am sure I remember someone saying they calm her), also, Mayapur Nrsingha dons lemon garlands often too no? I remember seeing a pic from Nrsingha Caturdashi of him wearing one...
On a different note, such a shame they are banned/ing devotees bringing offerings of coconuts and even garlands to many temples in India for the risk of terrorist explosives; really this is Kali Yuga, where even innocent offerings of devotees are being persecuted due to evil intentions of others..anyway......
Haribol! -
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Re: Coconut arati for Ratha Yatra
Thu, July 5, 2007 - 2:52 AMok, one question that you may consider a little foolish, but... why would Jagannath Swami want human sacrifice? especially if he is Syamasundara Krishna who is most pleased by the gifts of Vrindavan forest?
YS,
Krish. -
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Re: Coconut arati for Ratha Yatra
Thu, July 5, 2007 - 8:50 AMHaribol,
Ok, I'm no way an expert on this area but its obvious this is probably isn't the prevailing reason for offering coconuts here. I can well see your point, Shyamasundara in Vrindavana isn't about the ritualistic worship (never mind human sacrifice), its all about the bhakti and love in the offerings you make to Krsna, but I have heard of these coconuts representing human sacrifice.
Of course, this was hundreds of years ago, when human sacrifice was more common with big yagyas and the chanting of vedas, (academic point of view) which were gradually phased out with the revival of bhakti , with the sacrifice of human/cow/horse being replaced with fruits and other such offerings of spices etc. There are many many layers of understanding here which I am in no place to say, but one reason is these sacrifices were supposed to represent the inherent bad qualities and sins of the yajman being burnt up through the yayga (more research would have to be done).
Anyway, my point is these hindu traditions we practice today are reflections of this and the reasons today are very diluted; most people wouldn't even know the origin of offering coconuts. (I'm speaking from a Hindu pov here, being brought up a Hindu).
As you can tell I'm no expert here, but tried to state a few reasons that I'm familiar with. All said and done, offering coconuts/ breaking them in front of Lord Jaganaths Rath invokes all auspiciousness, and symbolises the smashing of all obstacles on the Raths path. Maybe someone else would be better answering this!
Haribol! -
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Re: Coconut arati for Ratha Yatra
Thu, July 5, 2007 - 10:00 AMHaribol!
I think the whole thing about human sacrifice seems out of place, and rather unpleasant when stated this way. Many cultures have practiced this, and from what little I know, it comes from the concept that life comes from life. One offers what is most valuable in order to receive what one considers valuable. So the sacrifice of a human life to the Sun god by the Aztecs seemed justified by their standards, since it was the offering of a life that kept the universe running (they believed that if this wasn't done, the sun wouldn't rise the next day)...no fast forward this to vedic culture... Sacrifices were done (yagnas) to please the demigods, and ultimately Lord Krsna. They may not have all included the taking of life (to restore it later, renewed), but the word sacrifice itself implies an austerity, giving up something, with the hope for attaining something from the divine...
No Jagannath wouldn't want a human sacrifice, as He quite amply states in the BG, nor does He need our offerings as any form of help or sustenance....but the coconut has such symbolism, and the concept is something that has been present in many cultures worldwide...
Hope this clarifies it a wee bit more! Hare Krsna!
SriRKd -
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Re: Coconut arati for Ratha Yatra
Thu, July 5, 2007 - 12:11 PMKrishna prabhu,
I was secretly routing for you to answer! :D
Haribol!!! -
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Re: Coconut arati for Ratha Yatra
Sat, July 14, 2007 - 6:43 PMOur rathyatra was today, and one thing i noticed was that some people threw thier coconuts with large piles of camphor still burning so on the pavemant there were a few pieces of camphor still burning while the rath began to move forward, verry dangerous in my opinion. Also this year Jagganath's rath was the last so the coconut arti was offerted to baladeva's. 2 yrs ago Jagganath was in the front but before that it was always jaganath last. Does anyone know the order of the raths in puri.
I've posted some pics of in my gallery this years rath decoration was quite different, pieces of fabric wih flowers sewn on on the sides of the raths. -
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Re: Coconut arati for Ratha Yatra
Sat, July 14, 2007 - 6:52 PMI ended up using a small gee wick, i ground the camphor and mixed it into the ghee and then soaked the cotton wick into it, this burned quickly so i feel its safer than the camphpor. What saftey precautuons are in place in other temples?
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Re: Coconut arati for Ratha Yatra
Sat, July 14, 2007 - 7:00 PMHaribol prabhu,
I thought the order was always Sri Baladeva, then Srimati Subhadra Maharani, and then Lord Jagannath last. When we do the offerings and arati on the altar, it is in this same order (at least in Boston). Even Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj's Embankment of Separation describes the ratha yatra with this order.
Hope this helps.
SriRKd
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