Saturday, December 21, 2024
Tamilnadu

People


Rituals


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.