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
Akshaya Tritiya or Akha Teej is celebrated on the third lunar day of Shukla Paksha in the Vaishakh month of the Hindu calendar. The Sanskrit word ‘Akshaya’ comprises of ‘A’ (not) and ‘Kshaya’ (erode). It means that which does not decay, diminish or erode. According to Vedas, the Treta Yug commenced on Akshaya Tritiya. This… Continue reading Akshaya Tritiya
Call Him by any name – Bajrangabali, Pawanputra, Mahavir, SankatMochan, Anjaneya or Maruti – Lord Hanuman signifies divine strength and devotion that we all carry within. This day – Hanuman Jayanti – is celebrated as his birthday which falls on the 15th day of the Shukla Paksha in the Hindu month of Chaitra. Legend and… Continue reading Hanuman Jayanti
In the Vedic calendar, Baisakh Sankranti heralds the onset of Chaitra Navratri, which ends with Ramanavami celebrated on the 9th day and Chaitra Navratri Parana on the 10th day. This Navratri, even though less known, has the same significance and follows the same rituals of fasting and observations as the Shardiya Navratri. Along with worshipping… Continue reading Ramnavmi
Today is the start of the Vedic/Hindu new year. This festival goes by many names in different regions pan-India, however, all of them eventually celebrate the turning of the zodiac sign from Pisces to Aries and is symbolic of new beginnings. Throughout the country, this festival represents different flavours of life such as merriment, energy,… Continue reading Baisakh Sankranti
The texts from the Bhagwad Gita are curated to help deal with feelings of temptation. The Sanskrit texts and their corresponding translations are given below. Take time to read and understand their core meaning and message, and I hope this helps in elevating the issues with temptation. Chapter 2 - Text 60 यततो ह्यपि कौन्तेय… Continue reading Dealing with Temptation – Texts from Bhagwad Gita
The texts from the Bhagwad Gita are curated to help deal with feelings of fear. The Sanskrit texts and their corresponding translations are given below. Take time to read and understand their core meaning and message, and I hope this helps in elevating the issues with fear. Chapter 4 - Text 10 वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः… Continue reading Dealing with Fear – Texts from Bhagwad Gita