--> Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from April 2, 2015


Paksha in Hinduism – a fortnight of a lunar month in Hindu Calendar

A lunar month in Hindu calendar has two fortnights – Shukla Paksha and Krishna Paksha. Shukla is waxing or light phase of moon and Krishna is waning or dark phase of moon. Shukla Paksha starts after Amavasi or no moon day. Krishna Paksha starts after Full moon or Purnima. Shukla Paksha starts after new moon or Amavasya. Each paksha has 15 tithis. Each tithi has a name starting from Amavasya Pratipada Dwitiya Tritiya Chaturthi Panchami Sashti Saptami Ashtami Navami Dasami Ekadasi Dwadasi Trayodasi Chaturdasi Purnima Earlier each tithi of the Krishna Paksha and Shukla Paksha had separate names but now it has been discontinued. Krishna or Shukla is prefixed to demarcate the tithis during each fortnight. Krishna Paksha is mainly used for conducting ceremonies dedicated to dead ancestors. Shukla Paksha is mainly preferred for conducting auspicious ceremonies.

Brahma Paribartan Ritual of Lord Jagannath during Nabakalebara 2015 to take place on June 15, 2015

Brahma Paribartan is one of the most important rituals during Nabakalebara 2015 in Puri Jagannath Temple . It is the transfer of Brahmam from old murtis to new murtis which will be carved out in 2015. The Brahma paribartan is a highly secretive ritual and it will take place on June 15, 2015.  Business Standard reports   During the Brahma Paribartan, the old Pati Mohapatra priest of the temple shifts the Brahma from old idol to the new ones. After Brahma Paribartan, the new idols get lives and are adorned with "Pata Bastra" and gold ornaments known as "Saptabharan or Banaklagi, said Rabindra Narayan Mishra, a scholar in Jagannath Cult.   'Brahma Paribartan' is the most important ritual of Nabakalebara Festival which is being held after a gap of 19 years. "Brahma Paribartan of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Sudarshan will be held in the mid night of June 15," an official of SJTA said after the meeting.  The old idols of th