In Hindu rituals, the durva grass plays an important role. Rings made of the grass are often worn before starting either the ritual of homa — offerings to fire — and puja. The grass is believed to have a purifying effect on participants. Grass is also used as an offering in Ganesha temples.
Use of durva grass in Hindu rituals began in Vedic times, more than an estimated 3,500 years ago. The grass is variously known as kusha and durva. Scholars and priests are not clear if they refer to two separate species of grass or the same grass. Some of the species of grass identified as sacred grass include Cynodon dactylon, Desmostachya bipinnata, Imperata cylindrica and Panicun dactylon.
The unique feature of kusha grass is that it has sharp edges and that of durva grass is that it is a hardy plant and, therefore, is a great survivor; its roots go deep in search of water.
Pluck a blade of grass and it sprouts back, and this attribute makes it a powerful symbol of regeneration, renewal, rebirth, fertility, and hence prosperity. That is why the durva grass is offered to householder gods like Ganesha, and not to hermit gods like Shiva.
Some say the durva grass represents the hair of Brahma; others say it is the hair of Vishnu. In one folk variant of the Ramayana, it is the hair of Sita — as Sita entered the earth, a distraught Rama tried to hold on to her but could only catch a few strands of her hair and these turned into kusha grass whose sharp edges cut his fingers.
Sita is said to have placed the sacred grass between herself and Ravana during the period of her confinement in Lanka, and she warned him never to cross the grass. If he did, his head would burst into a thousand pieces, she told him. This makes the grass the Sita-rekha that prevents Ravana from crossing the line of propriety with the faithful wife of another man.
Another folk narrative says that Sita gave birth to only one son called Luv. One day, she left the child in the care of sage Valmiki and went to the forest to collect firewood. While she was away, the child wandered off. Valmiki, not finding the child, became tense. He fashioned a doll out of some kusha grass and using his magical powers, created another like Luv, and that’s how Luv came to have a twin brother, Khush.
Blades of the razor-sharp grass have been converted by rishis into potent missiles to kill demons and errant kings. Rishis created a missile using kusha grass to kill the wicked king Vena.
Some say that the durva grass became sacred when drops of amrita or nectar fell on it during the churning of the cosmic ocean. Another story tells us that the pot containing amrita was placed on kusha grass and that’s how it came to be considered immortal.