Elephant is worshipped along with Goddess Lakshmi in many regions and the goddess is also known as Gaja Lakshmi. Two white elephants are also depicted along with the image of Goddess Lakshmi and the animal is also believed to be the Vahana (vehicle) of the Goddess. The popular belief is that worshipping Gaja or elephant will help in attainment of wealth and prosperity. There is an interesting story which connects the worship of Goddess Lakshmi and elephant. Long ago a king had two wives. The first wife had many children and the second wife had only a single son. The first wife and her children once made a huge white elephant of clay and worshiped it along with Goddess Lakshmi. The second wife was unable to perform the worship as she did not want her son to make a huge clay idol of the elephant all alone. But the son noticed that his mother was sad and when he found out the reason for her sadness, he decided to alleviate it. The son prayed to Lord Indra and asked for

The Hindu calendar is not a single, unified system but a collection of regional calendars that vary across India. Two prominent examples are the Hindu North Indian Calendar and the Hindu Tamil Calendar. Here are the key differences between these two calendars: 1. Starting Points (Epochs) Hindu North Indian Calendar : Typically, it follows the Vikram Samvat or the Shaka Samvat. The Vikram Samvat begins in 57 BCE, while the Shaka Samvat starts in 78 CE. Hindu Tamil Calendar : Follows the Tamil calendar system which begins in 78 CE (similar to the Shaka Samvat but used in a different regional context). 2. Months Hindu North Indian Calendar : The months are generally based on the lunar cycle and named as follows: Chaitra, Vaishakha, Jyeshtha, Ashadha, Shravana, Bhadrapada, Ashwin, Kartik, Margashirsha, Pausha, Magha, and Phalguna. Hindu Tamil Calendar : The months are named differently and are based on solar months: Chithirai, Vaikasi, Aani, Aadi, Avani, Purattasi, Aippasi, Karthigai, Mar

The Hindu Gujarati Calendar and the Hindu Tamil Calendar are both traditional calendars used in different regions of India. While they share some similarities due to their basis in Hindu astronomy and rituals, there are significant differences between them. Here are the key differences: 1. Geographical and Cultural Context: Gujarati Calendar: Predominantly used in the state of Gujarat and among the Gujarati-speaking community. Tamil Calendar: Primarily used in the state of Tamil Nadu and among Tamil-speaking people. 2. New Year’s Day: Gujarati Calendar: The Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas) is celebrated on the day after Diwali, which falls on the first day of the Shukla Paksha (waxing moon period) in the month of Kartik. Tamil Calendar: The Tamil New Year (Puthandu) is celebrated on April 14th (or occasionally April 13th) each year, coinciding with the first day of the Tamil month Chithirai. 3. Months and Their Names: Gujarati Calendar: Follows the Vikram Samvat era. Months includ