Colorful dances, multicultural extravaganza, classical music, spiritual teachings, mouthwatering street food of aamchi Mumbai and dilwalon ki Dilli, puppet shows depicting stories from the Ramayana, Bollywood music, and loads of enthusiastic people enjoying the revelry – that’s what Diwali in London at Trafalgar Square (also known as DOTS for...
The door's adorned with mango leaves, doorstep with rangoli...
The main doorstep of the house is being adorned with fresh mango leaves. A garland of yellow and orange flowers are also being made for the doorway. Rangoli, or muggu as it is locally known is being drawn at the gate....
A tradition that dates back to the advent of the 7th century, Sufism is essentially the inward search for the almighty. Through the centuries that Sufism has flourished, it has consistently spread the message of oneness with the creator. The fundamental tenet of the tradition is the beautiful and...
Trupti - a word I truly understood the meaning of when I attended the Palki Utsav held at Shri Chitrapur Matha in Shirali (Uttar Kannada) yesterday on the occasion of Kartik Poornima - which is celebrated with a lot of gaiety and pomp in most parts of southern India....
Khajuraho temples: art, worship, or erotica?
Khajuraho – a word that conjures up images of scenes from the lives of men and women and gods and goddesses, immortalized in stone and sculpture for posterity. There is a mystery shrouding these ancient temples in the state of Madhya Pradesh which many...
Indigenous people are undoubtedly among the most disadvantaged group in the world. Many international communities have come forward with the thought of special measures that are required to protect their basic rights and maintain their culture and the way they live. To raise awareness among different sectors about these...
वीणावादन तत्त्वज्ञः श्रुतीजातिविशारदः Vīṇāvādana tattvajñaḥ śrutijātiviśāradaḥ
ताळज्ञश्चाप्रयासेन मोक्षमार्गं नियच्छति tālajñaścāprayāsena mokṣamārgaṃ niyacchati
The one who is well versed in veena, one who has the knowledge of srutis
and one who is adept in tala, attains liberation without doubt. - Yajnavalkya Smriti
Since time immemorial, classical...
We studied Sanskrit in school, albeit with the aim of scoring high in the final examination, hardly realising that this exotic language of ancient India is the door to the secrets of our sacred ancient texts, which can unravel many a mystery of spiritual life and heritage, which is...
India – a land as vibrant as the strands that make up a tapestry and a land that cradles an ancient civilization where umpteen festivals are celebrated with dance and music. The leitmotifs of many of these dances are unpretentious – taken from everyday rituals: sowing, reaping the harvest,...
The lockdown needn’t curb your appetite. Whet your appetite with delicious, but easy to prepare salads. This article gives you twenty such easy and quick vegetarian salad recipes to relax and tickle your taste buds all the while.
Including fresh salads in your daily diet increases the level of antioxidants...
Shri Hanuman or Anjaneya Swami, the ardent devotee of Lord Rama, is a symbol of protection, strength, and courage, who is as important a God in Hindu Mythology as Lord Rama, his master, himself. Thousands of years ago, as written in Shri Ramayana, the holy Hindu scripture, Hanuman was...
Life and poetry of Sant Kabir Das
Sant Kabir Das (1440-1518 circa) is one of the most famous and intelligent poets and saints of India. He was a social reformer as well with most of his writings an irony and satire on social issues. His name did justice to who...
A common thread that binds together a spiritually awakened former prince, a religion, an empire, inscriptions on pillars, and millions of devotees is but an ancient language, Pali. Buddha’s sermons carried its sounds, Buddhism carries its spirit, the great King Ashoka’s Mauryan Empire gave momentum to its usage, and...
An American dancer and choregrapher had once said: "Dance is the hidden language of the soul". How true this is for all of us who look for an outlet through this language. India is blessed with many art forms and dance art forms, of which the dance-drama art form...
Among the umpteen festivals of India, Diwali is the most glorious and grandest of them all. An integral part of India’s cultural fabric, Diwali is derived from the Sanskrit word Deepavali, which means a cluster of lamps.
The most common legend attached to Diwali is that Lord Shri Ram returned to...
