Atithi or Guest Reception (study)
by Sarika. P. | 2022 | 41,363 words
This page relates 鈥楻eferences to Hospitality in Kadambari鈥� of the study on Atithi-Saparya鈥擳he ancient Indian practice of hospitality or 鈥済uest reception鈥� which, in the Indian context, is an exalted practice tracable to the Vedic period. The spirit of Vedic guest-reception (atithi-saparya) is reflected in modern tourism in India, although it has deviated from the original concept. Technically, the Sanskrit term Atithi can be defined as one who arrives from a far place with hunger and thirst during the time of the Vaishvadeva rite鈥攁 ceremony that includes offering cooked food to all Gods.
Part 11 - References to Hospitality in 碍腻诲补峁僢补谤颈
Other works like stories, 蝉耻产丑腻峁迟补蝉, 蝉奴办迟颈蝉, 蝉迟辞迟谤补办腻惫测补蝉 and texts related to customs etc. often refers to atithi-蝉补辫补谤测腻. Some of them are mentioned here.
In a society where 迟谤补颈惫补谤峁噄办补 domination prevails atithi-蝉补辫补谤测腻 is performed irrespective of caste preferences. Such a reference can be found in the novel 碍腻诲补峁僢补谤颈 of B膩峁嘺bha峁弓a. The story starts with the arrival of a Ca峁囜笉膩lakanya in the palace of King 艢奴诲谤补办补 with a 艣耻办补 named, 痴补颈艣补峁僷腻测补苍补. Then King 艢奴诲谤补办补 receives them and offers food and bath to 痴补颈艣补峁僷腻测补苍补. Here we can see that King 艢奴诲谤补办补 receive the Ca峁囜笉膩lakanya with all hospitality. This shows that there is no discrimination among atithi even if they were in a lower caste, that is caste has not become a barrier for treating atithi.
In 惭补丑腻艣惫别迟补鈥檚 hermitage description, when 颁补苍诲谤腻辫墨岣峚 entered the hermitage of 惭补丑腻艣惫别迟补, she received her atithi 颁补苍诲谤腻辫墨岣峚 in a respectful manner. 惭补丑腻艣惫别迟补 welcomed him and asked him about the purpose of his visit. 惭补丑腻艣惫别迟补 gave arghya and 辫腻诲测补 to him and 颁补苍诲谤腻辫墨岣峚 happily received the hospitality.