India Beckons wishes its readers a very Happy Gudi Padwa!
Gudi Padwa (the first day after the new moon day or amavasya in the month of Chaitra) is celebrated as the New Year day in Maharashtra, while it also is commemorated in different parts of the country as Ugadi (Telugu...
मेरे प्रभु!
मुझे इतनी ऊँचाई कभी मत देना
गैरों को गले न लगा सकूँ
इतनी रुखाई कभी मत देना।
My Lord,
Never let me climb so high
That I am unable to embrace another stranger,
Deliver me ever from such arrogance!
Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was an orator par excellence, a politician who defied all odds, and...
In India, Navami is celebrated as the last day of the nine nights of Navratri – the festival in which Goddess Durga is worshipped and revered. In north India, especially amongst the Punjabi community, it is celebrated by holding kanjak or kanya pujan, where young girls, who are thought...
Mewar: the food and culture of central Rajasthan
Mewar - the name itself carries with it the sounds of royalty and centuries worth of cultural richness. Mewar (or Mewad) is the south-central part of the largest state of India, Rajasthan. Although not a single city or district, Mewar is the...
This year, the Easter celebrations across the world have been muted and quiet, with people praying in the privacy of their homes and the Vatican priests praying for the lives of people who are affected in their own country and across the world. Further, the Vatican issued a decree...
Kumbh mela, by far India’s most revered and sacred festival, is now also inscribed by the UNESCO as the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Tens of millions of devotees attend the purna kumbh mela that takes place every 12 years in Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik-Triyambakeshwar and Ujjain. Apart from this,...
Today, Gurpurab or Guru Nanak Jayanti (the birth anniversary of the first Sikh guru), also known as the Prakash Utsav, is being celebrated with much aplomb in India and amongst the Sikh community and followers of Guru Nanak Dev all over the world.
Prabhat Pheris (early morning singing of hymns starting from...
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...
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...
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...
Sometimes we need to make that external physical journey in order to make that inward spiritual journey and connect to our souls. That is the essence of the Pandharpur Yatra (pilgrimage) or ‘Wari’ as it is more commonly referred to.
The Wari
Sant Tukaram was the first one to set out...
The regal state of Rajasthan is on almost every international tourist’s itinerary for its varied landscape, ethnic folklore, delicious food and warm people. Royal palaces and formidable forts apart, Rajasthani thali food seasoned with spices and herbs is visually appealing and tastes great.
The winter harvest festival of Makar Sankranti...
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...
A land of many cultures, several factors over the centuries have influenced the architecture of India. From the artisans who came to the country and built monuments of grandeur to the distinct seasons of its regions, inspiration from diverse sources resulted in unique and spectacular buildings that have stood...
There’s something about a new year that’s so exciting. Maybe it’s the casting away of the old and the excitement of a fresh, new beginning that gets us excited. For the orthodox Parsi community, however, there’s a lot more to it.
Pateti, as the Parsi New Year’s Eve is called,...
