Priests Called to Pray for Rain in India

July 21, 2004

Priests Called to Pray for Rain

MUMBAI, INDIA, June 16, 2004: Even as India's eastern part continues to

reel under floods, lack of rains in the western parts has forced some

Hindu priests -- standing neck-deep in water and chanting hymns -- to

invoke the rain god."Praying to Varuna -- the God of rains -- while

standing in water is a very effective ritual," believes K.A.

Vishwanathan of the South Indian Education Society in Sion in central

Mumbai. "It is performed in south India and has produced good results

there," he said. Ten priests began reciting the Varuna Mantra (hymns

invoking the rain god) standing in a tank as volunteers poured buckets

of cold water. "The ritual was performed earlier in Mumbai in 1987 and

1992," informed Vishwanathan. Said K.M. Shivaramakrishnan, vice

president and trustee of the Shankara Math: "The ritual has been

undertaken after the city of Mumbai and most of India had scarcity of

rains. "In villages and small towns, the ritual is performed in temple

tanks, rivers and ponds. But since we are in a city, the priests had to

immerse themselves in large aluminium tanks. "The priests are very

well-versed in the Vedas. They do the japam (sing hymns) without

referring to any book." Vishwanathan added, "After the water ritual, a

havan (fire sacrifice) would also be offered."

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