Dear readers,
It's Republic Day and that time of the year which makes me very nostalgic of my time at Curzon Road barracks for Air Force Officers in Delhi, from where we children would climb on top of the very precarious walls and watch the Republic Day parade, the Beating...
Lord Ganesha commands a unique position in the Hindu pantheon and is depicted in the most ingenious and imaginative forms. The colourful, elephant-headed deity of four-armed Ganpati riding a mouse is invoked by every devout Hindu before beginning a new venture or carrying out an auspicious mission.
Antiquity of Ganesha
Historians...
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...
The Conflictorium: a space to deal with history of conflict in our lives
In a quaint little old Parsi building in Mirzapur, Ahmedabad is the Conflictorium - a space that has been set up to help people interact with the concept, history and presence of conflict in our everyday lives.
The...
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,...
Raksha Bandhan means a thread tied as protection. Securing a thread with sanctity means much more than this. It could be a sister tying a rakhi on her brother’s wrist to seek his protection or it could be a mangalsutra tied by a man when he takes a woman...
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...
India is a land of colorful and multitudinous festivals. Naga Panchami is one such in an endless list. Naga Panchami is an auspicious day when snakes, otherwise called Nagas in the local parlance, are customarily worshipped. This day is observed with many rituals in India, Nepal, and countries with...
Navratri is coming to a close and Dussehra will soon herald the end of celebrations. Through it all, Ramlila has been held, regaling audiences with enactments of the Ramayana through the epic poem, Ramacharitmanas. For those unfamiliar with this, Ramacharitmanas narrates the glory of Shri Ram and Ramlila showcases...
Every city is a dynamic space, living and growing with all its inhabitants. Almost every city in India is a melting pot of different cultures but what makes each city stand out is the identity that every city builds over time. Some of the Indian cities are...
Yoga means many different things to different people. For most people, it is just a form of exercise to keep healthy - in mind and body. But it has deep spiritual roots worth understanding for those keen on advancement on the spiritual path.
Yoga's philosophy, in a spiritual endeavour, is...
“Let each man take the path according to his capacity, understanding and temperament. His true guru will meet him along that path.”
― Swami Sivananda
The Sanskrit word ‘guru’ dates all the way back to Advayataraka Upanishad, the first known scripture to elaborate on the role of a guru. This scripture...
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...
Holi – that wonderful festival that conjures up images of rang, bhaang, gulal, abeer, and water pichkaris. It also reminds one of the childhood days, the complete abandonment with which kids play Holi and their oblivion to any notions of health or environment, as may be the case.
In India,...
Life Of the Bhavai dancers in Rajasthan and Gujarat
India is a land of diverse cultures and traditions. Many of these cultures have their own dance forms that are representative of their unique way of life. Bhavai is one such representation of the culture of the western Indian states of...
