Editing Rice (section)

== In human culture ==

[[File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Beeld van Dewi Sri de rijstgodin TMnr 60016918.jpg|thumb|upright|Ancient statue of the rice goddess [[Dewi Sri]]<ref name="Kompas.id-Sri">{{Cite web |author=Agus Dermawan T |date=2021-09-25 |title=Menjumpai Dewi Sri pada Hari Tani |url=https://www.kompas.id/baca/opini/2021/09/26/menjumpai-dewi-sri-pada-hari-tani |access-date=2023-02-14 |website=kompas.id |language=id |archive-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214161521/https://www.kompas.id/baca/opini/2021/09/26/menjumpai-dewi-sri-pada-hari-tani |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Wessing 1990"/> from Java ({{Circa|9th century}}) ]]

Rice plays an important role in certain religions and popular beliefs. In Hindu wedding ceremonies, rice, denoting fertility, prosperity, and purity, is thrown into the sacred fire, a custom modified in Western weddings, where people throw rice over the wedded couple.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ahuja |first1=Subhash C. |last2=Ahuja |first2=Uma |title=Rice in religion and tradition |journal=2nd International Rice Congress, October 9–13, 2006 |year=2006 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321334487 |location=New Delhi |pages=45–52 }}</ref> In Malay weddings, rice features in multiple special wedding foods such as sweet glutinous rice.<ref name="Muhammad Zahari Ramly Ahmad 2013">{{cite journal |last1=Muhammad |first1=Rosmaliza |last2=Zahari |first2=Mohd Salehuddin Mohd |last3=Ramly |first3=Alina Shuhaida Muhammad |last4=Ahmad |first4=Roslina |title=The Roles and Symbolism of Foods in Malay Wedding Ceremony |journal=Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences |volume=101 |year=2013 |doi=10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.07.200 |pages=268–276 |doi-access=free }}</ref> In Japan and the Philippines, rice wine is used for weddings and other celebrations.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ahuja |first1=Uma |last2=Thakrar |first2=Rashmi |last3=Ahuja |first3=S. C. |year=2001 |title=Alcoholic rice beverages |journal=Asian Agri-History |volume=5 |issue=4 |pages=309–319 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301948904}}</ref> [[Dewi Sri]] is a goddess of the Indo-Malaysian archipelago, who in myth is transformed into rice or other crops.<ref name="Wessing 1990">{{cite journal |last=Wessing |first=Robert |title=Sri and Sedana and Sita and Rama: Myths of Fertility and Generation |journal=[[Asian Folklore Studies]] |volume=49 |issue=2 |date=1990 |pages=235–257 |doi=10.2307/1178035 |jstor=1178035 }}</ref> The start of the rice planting season is marked in Asian countries including Nepal and Cambodia with a [[Royal Ploughing Ceremony]].<ref name="Xinhua-Camb-plough-2017">{{cite news |title=Cambodia marks beginning of farming season with royal ploughing ceremony |work=Xinhua |date=March 21, 2017 |url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-05/03/c_137153698.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503130501/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-05/03/c_137153698.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 3, 2018 |language=en |access-date=December 6, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Khmer-Times">{{cite web |title=Ceremony Predicts Good Year |website=[[Khmer Times]] |date=May 23, 2016 |url=http://www.khmertimeskh.com/24156/ceremony-predicts-good-year/ |access-date=December 6, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Sen-2019">{{cite web |last=Sen |first=S. |title=Ancient royal paddy planting ceremony marked |website=The Himalayan Times |date=July 2, 2019 |url=http://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/ancient-royal-paddy-planting-ceremony-marked |access-date=December 6, 2021 |archive-date=December 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206222219/https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/ancient-royal-paddy-planting-ceremony-marked |url-status=live }}</ref>