guardians - the vedas section has begun

I arrived in South India a week ago and found my favourite room number 25 at Narayani Peedam, home of Sri Shakti Amma, two hours west of Chennai.  

I have come to start on the VEDAS part of the GUARDIANS project (a part of the SAFEGUARDING series -check post from 22 sept) and complete the book on Amma's humanitarian work.

I had no idea I would be starting the VEDAS work so soon ! 

That is what I love about projects that have a life of their own... As things would have it... 

I arrived two days before NAVARATHRI - the great 10 day festival of the goddess who fights the demon for 9 days and on the tenth day claims victory.

During the day throughout the festival, the VEDAS are recited for about six hours per day (this is what I am so gratefully filming) and in the evening, the goddess relaxes (after a day of fighting) to cultural events such as music and dance (so we have the best performers from South India performing here each night !).  

Each day I am filming my favourite head priest from Bangalore (in next image in white serving ghee to the fire) and 8 other lovely vedic scholars (ages 18 - 31) chanting the ancient vedas from 9 am, finishing at 7pm (with a 4 hour break in the afternoon).

 

Offerings (of ghee, flowers, rice, wood etc) are made to the AGNI (fire god) as they chant...

We have just completed the vedic chanting of first three days of Goddess DURGA (strength) , the next three days of Goddess LAKSHMI (abundance and wealth).  Tomorrow we begin the three days of my favourite Goddess SARASWATHI (wisdom, knowledge, the arts, music)...