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Showing posts from July 4, 2011


Golconda Bonalu at Sri Jagdamba Mahankali Temple at Golconda Fort in Hyderabad

Bonalu is dedicated to Amman – Mother Goddess – and is observed on all Sundays in Ashada month in the Telangana Region in India . The first Sunday Bonalu is observed at the Sri Jagdamba Mahankali Temple at Golconda Fort. Golconda Bonalu 2024 dates are July 7, July 11, July 14, July 18, July 21, July 25, July 28, August 1 and August 4. Sundays and Thursdays are chosen to observe the ritual. Goddess Mahankali is offered special prayers during Bonalu. The main ritual involves bonam – cooked rice and jaggery. The scene at the Golconda temple was one of fervour, with people climbing about 360 steps to reach the temple and some stopping at each step to apply turmeric and saffron to the step before reaching the sanctum sanctorum. On the second Sunday, devotees will turn up with ‘thottelu’ which are colourful artefacts people make and carry in a Bonalu procession. In Bonalu, devotees take out jhoola and ratham procession to the temple and offer bonam, containing cooked rice mixe

Ekakshara Ganapati – Meditative form of Ganesha

Ekakshara Ganapati is one among the 32 forms of Ganesha. In this form, Ganesha symoblises the primordial sound ‘OM.’ Ekakshara is a meditative form of Ganesha and the belief is that this form helps in controlling the sense and mind. Ekakshara Ganapati Mantra is Raktorakangangkasha kusumayutah tundialah chandramoulih Nethraih yuktistribhih vamanakaracharano beejapundadhanah Hastagra kalusa pashankasharada varado Nagavaktrohi bhoosho Devaha padamasano no havatu natsuro bhootayae vighnarajaha!! Ekakshara Ganapati meditates on a lotus flower. A unique aspect of this form is that it has three eyes like Shiva. This form has four hands and holds noose, goad, modak (sweet ball) and a broken tusk. A crescent moon is shown on his hair. The ornaments around the stomach are in the form of snakes. In some Puranas, it is stated that this form should be depicted as riding on mouse, the Vahana of Ganesha. Ekakshara Ganapati helps in meditation. Constant prayers help to keep the wandering m

Osmosis Conservation Technique used to Preserved Mahabalipuram Monuments

A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Mamallapuram Temples, earlier known as Mahabalipuram, is located along the  Coromandel Coast  in Tamil Nadu. The monuments are under constant from the sea and salt. Salt particles settling down in crystalline and hydrated forms are a constant threat to the monuments. To overcome this unique problem, the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) is using a unique method of conservation - Osmosis. A pulp mix made using bloating paper is used to remove the saline particles. The pulp absorbs the water and the salt gets collected on blotting papers. Deccan Herald reports As one heading ASI experts team in cleaning and preserving techniques, Rana told ‘Deccan Herald’, when reached over phone on the work going on at Mamallap­uram, that the main problem faced there in protecting the ‘Shore Temple’ and other structures was due to “salt spray from the sea”. Salt particles settling down in crystalline and hydrated forms is “very dange­rous to the structure”, he exp