Significance and history of fire
Introduction
We cannot think of life without fire. We need fire for various purposes viz.cooking,lighting,warming. When fire was unknown, people would work in day and sleep at night. They would have to eat the vegetation or grass in raw form as available in nature. The travelers would halt when it got dark. The early man lived in caves for warmth and also safety from wild animals. Discovery of fire is greatest boon to mankind.
Discovery of fire
Earliest evidence of use of fire is more than one lakh years old. Evidence of use of fire by early man have been found in continents of Africa,Europe and other regions. There is evidence that fire was used in ancient times in the continents of Africa, Europe and other regions. Fire was first used in stone age. It appears that forest fire would have been seen first by the primitive men. He could make fire by rubbing two pieces of wood or stone together. Doubtlessly, discovery of fire in those days would have been more significant than that of electricity in modern days. That is why fire was considered as god. Before discovery of fire, man could eat only raw fruits, grass and other natural products.
Significance of fire in Indian culture
Undoubtedly, fire and its use was known in ancient India. Fire was indispensable for worship in form of Yagna. Fire is considered as carrier. So offerings (ahuti) were made in fire. It is believed that the prayers (ahuti) are carried to gods by fire. Fire or agni is also considered a witness. So,fire is significant in marriage ceremony. The groom and bride move around the fire with promises made to each other. The instance of Fire tes (agni Preeksha) figures in Ramayana. Seeta had to go through fire to prove her chastity. Fire is very significant on an Indian Hindu's death. The dead body is burnt to ashes in last rites. The ashes are submerged in holy rivers. At death bead, a earthen lamp is placed nearby to enable the departed sould to go easily through dark path to the other world.
Fire stolen from heaven- Greek mythology
Greek God Prometheus is credited with gift of fire to mankind. He stole fire from heaven and gifted to mankind. He is eternally punished for this offence. God did not find favor with this gesture. So, as the Greek mythology goes, his flesh is daily eaten by an eagele while he is chained to a stone. He regains his flesh daily and is again eaten by the eagle.
Use and control of fire in modern time
Use of sophisticated methods of making and controlling fire is recent history. Presently, we use matchsticks and lighters. There is vast organization of Fire Brigade to control fire disasters. Small sticks of pinewood impregnated with sulphur were used in China in 577 A.D. Before invention of matchsticks, lens of burning glass were used to focus the sun or tinder. But this could work only on sunny days. Henning Brandt discovered the inflammable nature of phosphorus in 1669. Matches were used in Europe in the sixteenth century. The credit of inventing first modern self igniting match goes to Jean Chandel, Asssistant to Professor Louis Jacques Thenard of Paris. The match was ignited by dipping its tip in a small asbestos bottle filled with sulfuric acid.This was expensive and risky. An English chemist John Walker invented the first friction match. Since then, there were many improvements to ensure safety and ease. Specialized matchboxes that had matches as well as striking surface came in existence in 1890 when an American Joshua Pusey sold his patent to the Diamond Match Company. Presently, there are different types of lighters for various uses- in kitchen, for lighting cigarettes etc.
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