Rituals
Devout persons of all castes perform a daily prayer at
home, in their private chapel or prayer room. The ceremonies
and rituals of puja's are observed to the minutest detail.
Breaking of Coconut
Worship of Ganesa or Vinayaka is common in Tamil Nadu when
the people like to take a vow to prevent a catastrophe or to offer
thanks for fulfilling a request. Prayers to this deity take the
form of smashing the coconut to smithereens . This is symbolic annihilation
of the three undesirable forces working in man, preventing his spiritual
emancipation. For any occasion which marks a beginning, this ritual is
performed. Sweetened rice-balls known as Modhakam or
Kozhukkattai are prepared and distributed to children in
front of this deity.
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