hotar

The term "hotri" refers to a specific type of priest in ancient Vedic tradition. The hotri was the "reciter" priest, responsible for drawing material from the Rigveda for recitation during rituals. This role was part of a larger system of Vedic priesthood, where different priests performed distinct functions during sacrifices. For instance, the adhvaryu priest handled the sacrificial fire and recited mantras from the Yajurveda, while the udgatri priest performed melodic chants from the Samaveda. These three Vedas—Rig, Yajur, and Sama—formed the trayi-vidya, or "threefold knowledge". The hotri's recitations were crucial for the liturgical performance of Vedic ceremonies, which often involved praising various deities and invoking cosmic phenomena.1