In China, our ancestors believed that rice was full and filling because of a rice god. If there was no rice god, then the rice would lose its edible value, or even become scarce for no apparent reason. Rice is the basis of food in Southeast Asia, and in many languages a common greeting is "Have you eaten?" – the verb for "to eat" is often the same as the verb for "to eat rice". Often, a small portion of food is offered to the gods, ancestral spirits and other beings during major ceremonial rituals, or even before the ordinary daily diet.
In Java, central Indonesia, villagers perform a wedding ceremony for the rice god Dewi Sri, and her male partner, to symbolise the reaffirmation of marriage. Each member of a couple identifies or associates with the corresponding rice god. In addition, before people sit down to eat and drink, a few drops of drink are usually sprinkled on the ground to appease any thirsty spirits that may be wandering around.
Women in eastern Indonesia, on the other hand, had to abide by specific rules regarding rice in their villages. For example, they were not allowed to enter the rice barn unless they were fully clothed and had to enter with their right foot forward. They are not allowed to enter the granary or step over a pot of cooked rice when the rice spirit may be sleeping.
Although the myth of Dewi Sri is native to Java, as early as the first century after the adoption of Hinduism in the islands, she was equated with the Hindu goddess Shri Lakshmi and was often seen as an avatar or one of her manifestations, as both were associated with wealth and domestic prosperity. Consequently, subsequent portraits and depictions of her have adopted the attributes, style, and aesthetics typical of the Hindu goddess.
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