The Sacred Grain: Wayanad's Centuries-Old Rice Worship

Wayanad: Rice forms an integral part of the culture of Wayanad in Kerala, woven into its very essence. The rice grown here was once considered divine, a gift from the Gods.

Even today, there are people in Wayanad who celebrate the birthday of rice on a specific day in the Malayalam month of Kanni. The Kurichya tribe performs a ritual bath for rice on this day.

"This rice is organic. We don't use pesticides or any chemical fertiliser. This embodies the very idea behind this ritual, the purity of the rice we offer to the Gods. Once it is harvested and threshed, we will use the rice to make an offering to the Goddess," says Farmer Perunjola Achappan.
After the rituals in the fields, a grand feast is served to everyone. In the evening, the rice is tied up in the courtyard of the house, symbolising the coming harvest.

While the belief in worshipping rice and celebrating its birthday is centuries old, for this Kurichya family it is about embracing a new era while honouring old traditions.