Athirathram
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As in any yaagam in Kerala, the goal of this Athiraathram is the prosperity of the people at large by energizing and protecting the environment. The Sun is considered as the main source of energy supply, and fire is considered as a representation of the Sun's energy.
According to the ancient texts on such rituals, any offer to Fire as a god, is actually an offer to Sun. Any such offer is either to enrich energy in the environment or to destroy the undesirable elements in the environment, and thus, in both ways, environment is protected. Attaching divine nature to such rituals (like this Athiraahram) induced people to practice them. Thus, the ancient texts proclaim that "Such Vaidika Karmams are result-oriented, and meant to lead to Sreyass or spiritual attainments". The technical procedures for such Karmams (rituals) are detailed in ancient texts like the Braahmanams and Sroutha Soothrams.
More important than the learning and understanding of the concepts, is the actual performance of such Karmams. In other words, the Namboothiri performer spreads more Sreyass to the world than the texts (Granthhams) themselves and patrons of such vedic performance attain the highest level in the society and power.Such an Athiraathram, a 12 day ceremony, requires large group of Rigveda, Yajurveda and Saamaveda Namboothiri experts and a collection of rare utensils and items which are to be made to order. All these would cost a minimum of rupees one crore.
It is well-known that the vedic rituals have come down to us in two broad types, the Grhya and the Srauta. The Grhya system is concerned with rites of passage of an individual such as the initiatory rite of the upanayana or marriage later. The Srauta ritual, on the other hand, is solemn and exalted, show casing in oral tradition the great learning of the Sruti literature, comprising, in other words, the three Vedas, (Rig-Yajur-Sama-vedas) and their ancillary texts. Whereas the Grhya system is still extant almost all over India
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