--> Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from September 24, 2009


Durga Puja Global Warming Message – Sand Sculpture of Goddess Durga on Puri Beach in Orissa

During important Hindu festivals, world famous sand sculptor and artists Sudarshan Pattnaik from Orissa uses the festival to spread the message of global warming, eco-friendly festivals and environmental awareness. For Durga Puja 2009, Sudarshan Pattnaik has created a Sand idol of Goddess Durga on Puri Beach in Orissa with the message to grow plants to protect environment. In the sand sculpture, Goddess Durga wears green leaves as ornament and there is a burning globe behind her. Sudarshan Pattnaik requested all the Puja committees in India to spend some money on planting trees to save the Earth. Related World’s Longest Sand Ganesha Idol

Thoughts on Hindu Festivals – Time to Brush up Spiritual Roots and Help the Needy

This thought provoking article is an excerpt from the editorial of Vedanta Kesari published in October 2007 – which asks people to look beyond mere celebrations during Hindu festivals. Festivals need not be celebrated with a great lot of pomp and show. One can also observe them with due solemnity and religious fervor. One can celebrate a festival in a sattvika manner rather than getting lost in a rajasic or tamasic display of one’s wealth or emotions. Sattva is the element of purity and calmness. If a person wishes to celebrate a festival in a spirit of sattva, it means he does not want to indulge in meaningless show-off and waste of one’s energies and resources. Instead of just hosting a social gathering, he could then think of making better use of his resources. He could extend help to the needy (feeding the poor or gifting financial help) and make use of time in meditating on God and thinking of spiritual matters. Or make use of this opportunity to relax and