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Showing posts from November 17, 2017


Ayyappa as Kaliyuga Varada – Why Ayyappa is known as Kaliyuga Varadan?

One among the numerous names of Hindu God Ayyappa is Kaliyuga Varada. The popular belief is that Ayyappa protects the devotees in Kali Yuga until the arrival of the Kalki Avatar of Sri Vishnu. This is the reason why Ayyappa is also known as Kaliyuga Varadan . Like Kalki, the vehicle, or Vahana, of Ayyappa is a horse. Kalki, the tenth incarnation of Sri Vishnu, will put an end to the present cycle of creation and usher in the changes on earth required for the next cycle of creation. In Kali Yuga, Ayyappa protects those devotees who follow the path of Dharma. He is Kaliyuga Varadan. He annihilates Adharma and makes sure that those devotees who observe Dharma attain Moksha. As per Hinduism, Kali Yuga, a dark age of discord, is the last age in a cycle of creation. Adharma will flourish. There will be evil all around. Relationships will be fragile.   But in this dark age, people wishing to Moksha (liberation) can achieve it just by chanting the name of his personal deity.  Ka

Kaikottikali Dance – History and Importance in Kerala – Especially During Onam

Kaikottikali literally means clap dance. It is a folk dance form performed in Kerala especially during the Onam festival (August – September). The origin of the dance form is unknown but when we delve in history, we realize that it is one of the most ancient forms of dance in the region. It is of more importance in the northern parts of Kerala. When is the Kaikottikali Dance Performed? During Onam festival mostly in North Kerala. Kettukalyanam – a girl’s symbolic marriage ritual (now not so common) Tirantu Kalyanam – on a girl’s first menustration. On birthdays of elderly people (now very rare) During college and school cultural festivals How is Kaikottikali Performed? A group of women or teenage girls dances around a traditional Kerala lamp to the rhythm of the songs they sing. Traditional Kerala Kasavu sari is worn on the occasion. Hair is adorned with jasmine flowers. Today, there are several changes to the dance form. A major change is that women dance to

Sanatana Dharma Does Not Have Any Dichotomy Of Divinity

In Sanatana Dharma, everything is deified. Sanatana Dharma does not have any dichotomy of divinity. What is the dichotomy of divinity or duality of divinity? It is the belief that there is something divine and that there is something that is not divine. That there is a God and that there is a Devil. Sanatana Dharma does not believe in that. All the traditions of Sanatana Dharma profess that everything that we see is the manifestation of the One Divine principle. This is the reason why true followers of Sanatana Dharma are at ease in worshipping Goddess Kali and Goddess Lakshmi. Goddess Kali is unimaginably ferocious with garlands of head and fingers around her neck; Goddess Lakshmi is unimaginably beautiful and she wears wonderful ornaments. Shiva roams around with snakes in his body and lives in the graveyard. Vishnu is handsome and dressed like an emperor. Source - Prabuddha Bharata January 2016 Issue