Silence is not the same as quietness. Where quietness is chosen to be still, silence demands utter discipline. And yet, silence can be as threatening as words. In silence, you can hear the soul of the universe, your own heartbeat, and maybe even God’s breath. It is in silence that we can hear everything that… Continue reading Apropos Silence
The bringer of auspicious beginnings and remover of obstacles – Lord Ganesha is the deity that millions of Hindus call upon when starting something new. Ganesha Chaturthi marks the start of the festival that honours His arrival on earth for 11 days of festivities. In Southern India, this festival is known as Gowri-Ganesha Habba and… Continue reading Gowri-Ganesha
Nandakumar, Gopala, Keshava are all the beloved names given to Lord Krishna. Krishna Janmashtami or Gokulashtami, is celebrated on the eighth day of the Krishna Paksha or the month of Bhadrapada in the Hindu calendar, honours the birth of Lord Krishna. The orator of the Bhagavad Gita, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, Arjuna’s charioteer, Sudama’s… Continue reading Krishna Janmashtami
A monsoon festival, primarily celebrated in the Indian state of Kerala, Onam or Thiruvonam, is one of pomp and joy. Celebrated across ten days, it starts on Atham, followed by Chithira, Chodi, Vishakam, Anizham, Thriketa, Moolam, Pooradam, Uthradom, and finally ends on Thiruvonam. Legends According to legend, the mythical king named Mahabali, even though a… Continue reading Thiruvonam
Celebrated on Panchami (the fifth day) of Shukla Paksha of Shravan month (July-August), Nag Panchami is one of the many festivals of the monsoon season. This day is dedicated to the worship of the Nag Devtas – snake gods. Hindu scriptures herald this day as Nagamanandakari, which means the happiest day for Nag Devtas. There… Continue reading Nag Panchami
During the lush months of monsoon, a three-part festival of Teej is celebrated and observed by women in India. The first is the Hariyali Teej, honouring the greenery, observed on the Shukla Paksha of Shravan, the second is the Kajari Teej, honouring the black monsoon clouds, observed on the Krishna Paksh Tritiya, and the third… Continue reading Teej
The idea of a guru has been a constant in my life to as far back as I can remember. But as it is with most material desires, I hope I have come to a final understanding of what a guru really is. I have touched upon this a bit in one of my previous… Continue reading Apropos Guru
The Greeks had eight different definitions for love, and yet this remains the most complicated human emotion. Today, science can point to the exact location of the brain that triggers the neurons when these feelings arise. Love has the potential to survive, however, how we experience and define love, can change and mature over time.… Continue reading Apropos Love
Spanning across nine days, the festival of Jagannath Rath Yatra has been celebrated for approximately 500 years. As much as the festival displays splendour and grandeur, it is first and foremost a lesson on humility and devotion. Jagannath comprises of the words Jaga meaning universe and Nath which means Lord. As one of the incarnations… Continue reading Jagannath Rath Yatra
Trigger Warning: Suicide, death, mental health; please close the page and do not read further if you are dealing with any of these issues. Death, a term that evokes fear, has held a curiosity for me from a very young age. It was never the morbid but a romanticised version of death. During my adolescent… Continue reading Apropos Death