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Showing posts from October 1, 2015


Origin of the Birth of Monkey King Bali in the Ramayana – Vanara King Vali

Monkey King Bali, or Vali, in the Ramayana is the son of Indra and Aruna. Indra is the king of Devas or Demigods and Aruna is the charioteer of Surya, the sun god. The popular belief is that Surya arrives daily on a chariot drawn by seven horses with Aruna as the charioteer. In the Ramayana, Sri Ram had killed King Vali to help Sugriva get his kingdom back. Once Surya was cursed by Shilavati that he will never be able to make appearance on earth. As Surya stopped riding the chariot, His charioteer had no work. Aruna always wanted to visit heaven and witness the celestial dance of the nymphs. So he used this opportunity to visit heaven. Aruna dressed up like a maiden and went to watch the celestial dance of the nymphs. Indra who happened to see the maiden fell in love with her. Their they made love. Aruna then gave birth to Bali the Vanara. Bali was brought up by Ahaliya Devi, wife of Gautama Rishi.

Pancha Maha Yagna in Hinduism

Pancha Maha Yagna consists of the five yagnas to be performed by Grahastas or householders. People in other three stages of life – Brahmacharya, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa – depend on the fruitful completion of Pancha Maha Yagna by Grihastha. The five yagnas are Brahmayagna, Pitruyagna, Devayagna, Bhutayagnam and Manushayagna. The Pancha Maha Yagna is also known by the names of Ahutam, Hutam, Prahutam, Brahmahutam and Prashitam. Chanting and teaching the Vedas is Brahma Yagna. Providing food and water to dead ancestors or Pitrus is Pitru Yagna. Propitiating Devas through homa and yajna is Deva Yagnam Providing bali food to crows and food to other animals is Bhuta Yagna. Providing food to human beings is Manusha Yagna. Those householders not performing these five yagna is equal to dead and will not attain moksha. Several Hindu scriptures indicate that a householder who performs the Pancha Maha Yagna is more pious than a Sanyasi. It is also believed tha

Navratri Chaniya Choli Dress

Chaniya Choli is worn by women during the Garba or Dandiya Raas Dance in Gujarat . Chaniya Cholis are a traditional costume worn by the women of Kutch in Gujarat and in other rural areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat . Popular belief is that Radha and other gopis used to dance with Lord Krishna wearing the Chaniya Choli. Chaniya Choli is a three-piece dress for women and girls and it consists of: choli – the short top; chaniya - the long, flowing skirt odhani – the colorful scarf In India , the price of quality Chaniya Cholis for Navratri starts at Rupees 500 and goes up to Rs. 20000. Apart from traditional Chaniya Cholis, which are the all time favorites, there are designer Navratri Chaniya Cholis which mix modern fashion elements to the traditional wear. For Navratri women opt for Chaniya Cholis that do not obstruct the flow of the dandiya dance. For this the chaniya of the Chaniya Choli is made wide. Also women opt for more mirror work during Navr

Poosam Nakshatra in Malayalam

Poosam is the eighth birth star among 27 Nakshatram in Hindu Jyothisha or astrology. In Malayalam Jyothisham, Poosam occurs is Karka Rashi. Poosam Nakshatra is known as Pooyam in Malayalam. The term Poosam is used in Tamil Nadu. In most regions, the Nakshatra is known as Pushya. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the Nakshatra is also known as Pushyami.

Athalanallur Temple Pooja Timings - Athalanallur Gajendra Varadan Temple opening and closing darshan time

 Athalanallur Temple is located at Athalanallur village near Veeravanallur near Ambasamudram in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu. Below is the pooja timings at the Gajendra Varadan Temple located here. Please note that the opening and closing and darshan time will be extended during important festivals and rituals. The temple will have a curtail puja timings during graham or eclipse. Athalanallur Temple Pooja Timings Morning – 7:00 AM to 10:30 AM Evening – 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM On the last Saturday of every month, temple will be open between 5:30 AM to 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM

About Lalla – Woman Mystic during 14th century in Kashmir

Lalla who lived during the early 14th century in Kashmir was a yogin, advaitin and an ardent devotee of Shiva. Lalla went through all the struggles as she was a woman mystic. Biased family, society and world made her spiritual journey harsher.  Swami Chaitanya Keerti writes in Deccan Chronicle  Lalla renounced her husband and his family to meditate and wander everywhere for her sadhana. Though her journey was very arduous, she did all kinds of sadhanas with total sincerity, authenticity and love.  Lalla was as beautiful as the land she belonged to. With the inner radiance and fragrance of her meditation, she looked otherworldly and celestial. She was always in ecstasy, moving and dancing in samadhi. This exalted state of consciousness is attained when one transcends the mind. She lived so naturally that she did not bother to wear clothes to cover herself. It is really surprising that she had the courage to live naked in those days. It is not possible even today, as the civilis

Vidyarambham at Kollur Mookambika Temple in Karnataka

Kollur Mookambika Temple is one of the most favored temples by parents for Vidyarambham – the initiation of children into the world of letters. Vidyarambham 2024 at Kollur Mookambika Temple will commence from 04:00 AM on October 13 on Vijayadasami day. Mookambika Temple in Karnataka attracts thousands of parents from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka who bring their children to perform the Vidyarambham ritual on Vijayadasami day. The ceremony is so popular that all most all television channels in Kerala telecast the Vidyarambham ceremony live. Vidyarambham ceremony basically involves initiating the child into the world of letters. The child starts to learn alphabets on the day. The first letters are written by the child on the day with the help of father or mother in front of Mookambika Devi. The first letters are written on a bed of rice – OM Harisree Gana Pa Tha Ya Na Ma Ha There is a popular belief that children who are initiated into the world of letters at M