Nettipattam is an important ornament worn by elephants during Hindu festivals in Kerala. Legend has it that the Nettipattam was designed by Lord Brahma. And  Airavata , the white elephant of Lord Indra, was the first lucky elephant to wear it. The caparison, which is part of Hindu astrological art, represents the entire pantheon of gods in Hinduism. Nettipattam is mentioned in the Sangam Works dating back to 200 BC to 100 BC. Earlier, this headgear was only used during festivals. Today, it is available as wall hangings in different sizes. People believe that the caparison brings prosperity and peace as it represents the Hindu gods in entirety. Nettipattam is today proudly displayed in the living rooms of houses, in shops, business establishments and hotels. Miniature version of it is displayed in cars. Today it is available in shops around the world and even in online stores. Popular Kerala temples which have a store attached to it sells Nettipattam. Nettipatt

Karana in Hindu philosophy is the sense organs (Indriya). There are in all thirteen Indriyas or Karanas in Hinduism. This is mentioned in Samkhya Karika (verses 32 – 33). Ten of the sense organs are the external organs (bahya karana). They are: Five sense organs – organs of sight (eye or Chakshu), organ of touch (skin or twacha), organ of sound (ear or shrotra), organ of smell (nose or ghrana), and organ of taste (tongue or rasana). The five motor organs (karmendriya) – hands (hasta), feet (pada), anus (payu), sex organ (upastha) and organ of speech (jivha). There are three internal organs (antraindriya or antah – karana). These are Manas or mind Asmita or ahamkara (ego) Budhi or mahat-tattva or lingamatra (intellect). The manas (mind) is connected with the ten external organs as well as with the buddhi (intellect). It grasps the stimuli gathered by the sense organs and submits them to intellect, which recognizes them, understands them, names them, decides

Just as a caterpillar reaches the tip of one blade of grass then starts to crawl up another blade so does atman leave on body behind and start its next life in another one until it reaches Brahman. As a lump of salt thrown in water dissolves and cannot be taken out again, though wherever we taste the water it is salty, even so, beloved, the separate self dissolves in the sea of pure consciousness, infinite and immortal. Separateness arises from identifying the Self with the body, which is made up of the elements; when this physical identification dissolves, there can be no more separate self. There is no multiplicity here. The Self is to be heard of, reasoned about, and meditated upon. He is the organs; he is ten and thousands – many and infinite. That Brahman is without prior or posterior, without interior or exterior. This Self, the perceiver of everything, is Brahman. This is the teaching. As an eagle, weary after soaring in the sky, folds its wings and f