DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0433
The Ceremony of Dining. 423
The householder then waits at the door for a short interval,
watching for some guest (atithi) who may be passing, or for
some beggar to whom he may give a portion of food as alms *;
He then washes his hands and feet, sips water, and re-enters
the house, saying:—
' Let earth, atmosphere, and sky be favourable to us and make us free
from fear of danger. Let all the quarters of the sky, the waters, and
the lightnings protect us from all harm ! Peace, peace, peace! homage
to Vishnu, homage to Vishnu, homage to Vishnu.'
The Ceremony of Dining.
After the due performance of the Vaisvadeva and Bali-
harana ceremonies the cooked food is considered fit to be
consumed, and it might be thought that after so long a
religious service the members of the householder's family
would have nothing further to do but to eat their dinner
without further ceremony. But not so. The process of
dining is itself regarded as a religious rite, and must be con-
ducted according to prescribed forms.
Most of the manuals in my possession give directions for
what is called Bhojana-vidhi, 'the ceremony of dining.' In
practice, what generally happens in the families of orthodox
Brahmans and other high-caste natives 2 is nearly as follows :—
The males of the family sit down in a row on the ground
with their legs folded under them in the usual manner.
They are waited on by the wives, daughters3, and widows of
the family; for no woman in any Indian household will
venture to eat till the men have finished. Boiled rice and
other kinds of grain or pulse cooked with condiments and
1 The object of waiting at the door is that the worshipper may feel he
has done his best to discharge the duty of performing the Manushya-
yajfia or Atithi-pujana, 'homage to men or guests,' enjoined by Manu
(in Book III. 70).
2 Of course great variations occur even among Brahman families, espe-
cially in large cities where anti-brahmanic influences are at work.
3 Daughters, however, are often privileged to eat with their fathers.
The householder then waits at the door for a short interval,
watching for some guest (atithi) who may be passing, or for
some beggar to whom he may give a portion of food as alms *;
He then washes his hands and feet, sips water, and re-enters
the house, saying:—
' Let earth, atmosphere, and sky be favourable to us and make us free
from fear of danger. Let all the quarters of the sky, the waters, and
the lightnings protect us from all harm ! Peace, peace, peace! homage
to Vishnu, homage to Vishnu, homage to Vishnu.'
The Ceremony of Dining.
After the due performance of the Vaisvadeva and Bali-
harana ceremonies the cooked food is considered fit to be
consumed, and it might be thought that after so long a
religious service the members of the householder's family
would have nothing further to do but to eat their dinner
without further ceremony. But not so. The process of
dining is itself regarded as a religious rite, and must be con-
ducted according to prescribed forms.
Most of the manuals in my possession give directions for
what is called Bhojana-vidhi, 'the ceremony of dining.' In
practice, what generally happens in the families of orthodox
Brahmans and other high-caste natives 2 is nearly as follows :—
The males of the family sit down in a row on the ground
with their legs folded under them in the usual manner.
They are waited on by the wives, daughters3, and widows of
the family; for no woman in any Indian household will
venture to eat till the men have finished. Boiled rice and
other kinds of grain or pulse cooked with condiments and
1 The object of waiting at the door is that the worshipper may feel he
has done his best to discharge the duty of performing the Manushya-
yajfia or Atithi-pujana, 'homage to men or guests,' enjoined by Manu
(in Book III. 70).
2 Of course great variations occur even among Brahman families, espe-
cially in large cities where anti-brahmanic influences are at work.
3 Daughters, however, are often privileged to eat with their fathers.