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Showing posts from July 31, 2015


Kalkandam in Hindi – What is the Hindi Name of Kalkandam?

Kalkandam is widely used in Hindu pujas and rituals. Kalkandam is the Malayalam name of Candy Sugar. So what is the Hindi name of Kalkandam? Many readers wanted to know this. Kalkandam is known as Khadi Sakhar in Hindi. In North India, Khadi Sakhar is used in preparing food. It is rarely used in pujas.

Story of Ekadashi Vrat

Story of Ekadashi Vrat happened during the Satya Yuga and is mentioned in the Puranas. Legend has it that Bhagavan Srihari Vishnu was engaged in battle with Demon Mura during the Satya Yuga. The battle went for several days and feeling tired Bhagavan Vishnu decided to rest. However, Demon Mura decided to attack Srihari Vishnu while he was sleeping. Suddenly a young girl appeared from the body of Bhagavan Vishnu and she annihilated demon Mura. She was the primordial mother and pleased with Her, Srihari Vishnu called her Ekadashi as she appeared on the eleventh day of the fortnight. He also granted her the boon that anyone who observes fasting on Ekadashi Tithi will become free of all sins and will attain moksha.

Potharaju During Bonalu Procession - Telangana Bonalu Festival Men Dressed As Potharaju

Potharaju is the brother of Goddess Mahankali. He is a fierce looking man and is part of procession to Mother Goddess temples. Today many people dress like Potharaju and leads the Bonalu procession. He walks ahead of the procession whipping himself. He is part of Bonalu procession, Pochamma Thalli and Ellamma Thalli. Potharaju symbolically represents masculine power, which can weed out all physical evils affecting the devotees of Goddess Mahankali. Thus, he is a protector or guardian deity. Usually Potharaju is a well-built man, whose body is covered with turmeric powder and red vermilion on forehead. He wears a red dhoti. Bells are tied to the ankle and dances to the sound of drums. Potharaju carries a whip and lashes it against his body to the sound of drum beats. He is followed by women carrying bonam or by females who tie neem leaves around their waist and are in a trance. Sometimes Potharaju goes into a trance and predicts the future of the community.

Bol Bom Dedicated To Shiva In Shravan Month

The Hindu Shravan month witnesses thousands of devotees visiting various shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva. The pilgrims shout ‘Bol Bom’ or ‘Bhol Bom’ meaning ‘Say Shiva’ during the pilgrimage. In some places the pilgrimage itself is referred as Bol Bom. The term is used mainly during the pilgrimage to Deoghar Baba Baidyanath Temple from Sultanganj (Shravani Mela). In Nepal , Hindu devotees take part in a ‘Bol Bom’ pilgrimage in Kathmandu on Monday in Shravan Month. The devotees run or walk barefooted for kilometers to reach the Pashupatinath Temple seeking good health, wealth and happiness. The Bol Bom yatris are also known as Kanwarias in India and they participate in the Kanwar Yatra. They carry the sacred Gangajal to home and Shiva Temples to bath the Shivling.

Kanwariya – Yatra by Hindu Pilgrims carrying Ganga Water to bath Shivling in Shravan Month

In the month of Shravan (July – August) the roads of Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Bihar and Jharkhand will be taken over by saffron-clad Hindu devotees carrying Ganga water. They are the Kanwariya who are undertaking the Kanwar Yatra. They collect water from the Ganga in Haridwar, Gangotri, Gaumukh, Allahabad , Sultanganj and other holy places and return home to bathe the Shiva Lingam in their homes or villages on the Amavasi day in the Shravan month. Why They Are Known as Kanwariyas and What They do? The name Kanwariya because they carry a pole called ‘Kanwar’ on their shoulders and pots with Ganga Water hang from the two sides of the pole. It is estimated that more than six million Kanwarias visit various holy places through which Ganga flows in Uttarakhand. Another one million devotees carry Ganga water from Sultanganj – the only place where Ganga flows towards north – to the famous Deogarh Shiva temple during Shravan Mela. Some devo

Meaning of Ganapati – Why is Ganesha referred as Ganpati?

The meaning of Ganapati – Gan means ‘samooh’ or society and pati means ‘Swami’ or leader. Ganesha is referred as Ganpati because he is the leader or commander of the society. In human body, there are five Jnanendriyas (five sense of organs), 5 Karmendriyas (five organs of action) and 4 antahkaran – mind, ego, intellect and memory. These powers are controlled, maintained and executed by 14 deities. These 14 deities arise and fall in Ganesha. The most popular story on birth of Ganesha in Puranas suggest that Shiva made Ganesha the commander in chief of Ganas and therefore he is known as Ganapati.

Shivling Worshipped in Lingaraj Temple in Orissa to have Silver Cover

The Shivling worshipped in Lingaraj Temple in Orissa will be covered with silver cladding. The stone Shiv Lingam was earlier covered with silver cover but was discontinued. The New Indian Express reports The ‘Shiv Linga’ at Lingaraj temple will once again have a silver cladding from Monday. The decision was taken at a meeting of Lingaraj Temple Trust Board presided by its chairman, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Abanikanta Patnaik. Patnaik said the board decided to clad the ‘Linga’ with silver cover again from Monday. The silver cover had adorned the ‘Linga’ for a few days after it was donated by a devotee last year. But, it was removed following a dispute, he said. The ADM said the meeting of the board was convened following the decision of the sub-committee to clad the ‘Linga’ with silver from any Monday.

Lakshmi Narasimha Ashtottara Shatanama Stotram in Telugu in pdf

Lakshmi Narasimha Ashtottara Shatanama Stotram is the names of Lord Narasimha. The prayer is chanted for peace and prosperity and for overcoming fear and enemies. The stotram in Telugu in pdf format is given below. The text or lyrics of Lakshmi Narasimha Ashtottara Shatanama Stotram in Telugu language is provided by Sundar Kidambi of prapatti. Link – Telugu Lakshmi Narasimha Ashtottara Shatanama Stotram