Altar of Fire - PREVIEW

Purchase: http://www.der.org/films/altar-of-fire.html This film records a 12 day ritual performed by Mambudiri Brahmins in Kerala, southwest India, in April 1975. This event was possibly the last performance of the Agnicayana, a Vedic ritual of sacrifice dating back 3,000 years and probably the oldest surviving human ritual. Long considered extinct and never witnessed by outsiders, the ceremonies require the participation of seventeen priests, involve libations of Soma juice and oblations of other substances, all preceded by several months of preparation and rehearsals. They include the construction, from a thousand bricks, of a fire altar in the shape of a bird.

a film by Robert Gardner and J.F. Staal for The Film Study Center at Harvard University
distributed by Documentary Educational Resources

Category:

Education

Tags:

• India
• Vedic
• Brahmin
• Kerala
• sacrifice
• Hindu
• worship
• ritual
• ceremony
• religion
• documentary
• anthropology
• film

[rish517]

this is the true heritage and culture of India which has been maintained by south Indian brahmins but have been fogotten by north Indian brahmins.they too need to revive it.

[dvirabian]

Thank You! Amazing records! I did not know that F. Staal has recorded the video. The only misprint Mambudiri, must be Nambudiri tradition.

[ensn210]

thaks

[skydrake3]

Dear Frits Staal, good on you, you opener of hearts and classifier of the temporary manifestations of the Infinity! Om!

[Shakambaridasi]

Thank you so much for this posting.

[TheKjason]

i think ppl are underestimating what they a watching here

[creepysinger]

this documentary is incredible, i've watched it over 10-15 times.

[gnulebin]

thank you so much for posting this.

[fijitec]

wow

[ivananowhere]

thanks