Koovagam Festival is dedicated to the worship of Aravan at the famous Koothandavar Temple near Villupuram in Tamil  Nadu. Koovagam Festival 2023 date is from May 1 to May 3. The marriage takes place May 2. Next day the thali is removed, mourning the death of Aravaan (Koothandavar). It is said that Sri Krishna took the form of Mohini – a female form to marry Aravan who was to be sacrificed before the Mahabharata war. The festivities begins a fortnight before the two important days mentioned above. Some rituals are held during these days too. The two-week long festival begins on April 18, 2023 and ends on May 3, 2023. Miss Koovagam competition will be held on May 1. Note on 2023 Koovagam - the festival is regularly observed on Tuesday before Chithirai Pournami (May 5). But the temple sometimes can conduct the ritual on another date. There is no consistency. So it is better to wait for the official temple dates to arrive before booking flight, train and hotels. Confirmed date of th

The most important prayer dedicated to Baba Balak Nath Ji form of Lord Shiva is the aarti. It is chanted daily morning and evening by Sidh Baba Balak Nath devotees. The popular belief is that chanting the aarti daily and especially on Sunday will help in solving all the problems in life. It helps in desire fulfillment and attaining spiritual enlightenment. Sidh Baba Balak Nath Aarti श्री सिद्ध बाबा बालक नाथ आरती निर्गुण वाम भागे च सव्य  भागे अदरभूतानिजा। मध्य भागे स्वयं पूर्ण: तस्मै नाथाय ते नमः। । ॐ जय कलाधारी हरे ... स्वामी जय पौणाहरी। । भक्त जानो की नैया भव से पार करे। ॐ जय कलाधारी हरे ... बालक उम्र सुहानी नाम बालक नाथ। अमर हुए शंकर से सुनकर अमर कथा। ... ॐ जय कलाधारी हरे ... शीशा पे बाल सुनहरी गल रुद्राक्ष माला। हाथ में चोली चिमटा आसन मृगछाला। ... ॐ जय कलाधारी हरे ... सुन्दर सेली सिंगी वैरागन सोहा। गऊपालक रखवाला भगतन मन मोहे। ... ॐ जय कलाधारी हरे ... अंग भभूत रमाए मूर्ति प्रभु अंगी। भयभंजन दुख नाशक भर्तरी के संगी। ॐ जय कलाधारी हरे ... रोट चढ़त रविवार

Chaitra Mela (March – April), annual fair and festival, at Sidh Baba Balak Nath Cave Temple Deotsidh at Chakmoh in Himachal Pradesh, India, is observed for a month annually during the same period starting from March 14 to April 14, 2023. The famous cave temple is located 45 km South of Hamirpur. The temple is around 20 km from Salouni and 21 km from Barsar. Deotsidh is the common name given to Baba Balak Nath Temple in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. The annual festival begins with flag hoisting by the mahant, saints and pujaris of nearby temples. An important event during the period is langar (food) throughout the month 24X7. Devotees visiting the temple first offer prayers at the Shahtalai Temple also known as Mata Ratno Mandir. It is believed that Baba Balak Nath performed a miracle here by extracting lassi and roti (drink and food) using Chimta (pliers or extractor). Devotees then visit Garuna Jhadi Mandir, it is believed that Babaji taught Guru Gorakhnath he

Holi Festival in Nandgaon is famous for the Lathmar Holi. It begins on the tenth day (dasami) of the shukla paksha (waxing phase of moon) of Phalgun month. In 2023, Lathmar Holi in Nandgaon is on March 2. Holi in Nandgaon is the return visit of the Gopas of Barsana to play Holi with the Gopis of Nandgaon. On the previous day, the men of Nandgaon village had gone to Barsana to play the famous Lathmar Holi with the females there. Now the men folk come to play holi in Nandgaon. The men folk of Barsana carry a flag from their village to the Shriji Temple in Nandgaon. The men and women of Nandgaon try to stop them. Colors are thrown on all the people around. The occasion is marked by singing of devotional and folk songs. Women also fend off the men folk of Barsana with bamboo sticks. Nandgaon is around 30 km from Mathura and is on the way to Barsana. Related Lathmar Holi Information

Mangela Kolis are a fishing community residing in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The annual Holi festival of the community is known as Shimga and is celebrated in a unique way. Suhasinis (married women) perform puja in front of a selected betel nut tree trunk (arecanut tree). It is then ceremoniously brought to the village. The Kolis look upon the tree-trunk as a goddess and venerate it. It is treated like a bride. Women anoint it with turmeric paste and bath it by pouring water over it. It is the dressed with flowers. This is followed by the ceremony of ‘Oti Bharan’ – lap filling. This is similar to the ritual dedicated to a bride. Betel nuts, paan, coconuts, veni comb and mirror, rice and dry fruits are placed in a yellow cloth and the bundle is tied to the tree trunk. The arecanut tree is then taken out in a procession around the wadi or village. It is then erected in a pit at a chosen spot. A puja is the performed and various offerings including sweets are placed in front

Ganapati Agama is the combined name given to the sacred texts dedicated to the worship of Ganesha. Ganesha Purana, Mudgala Purana (also known as Antya Purana) and Ganesha Gita form Ganapati Agama. Ganesha Purana and Mudgala Purana contain various tantric puja elements. Chapters 138 to 148 of the second part of Ganesha Purana, called Krida Khanda (Uttara Khanda), form Ganesha Gita. This text, in eleven chapters comprising 414 verses, is in the form of a dialogue between Ganesha and his favorite devotee, king Varenya. Chapter four contains yogic exercises and chapter seven contains Ganapati worship in the manner of Tantric Yoga. Ganesha Gita states that one who worships without devotion is equal to an outcaste; if a person worships with piety and devotion he will become even superior Brahman (Ganesha Gita 9.8). Different manifestations of Ganesha namely Vakratunda, Ekadanta, Mahodara, Gajanana, Lambodara, Vikata, Vighnaraja, Dhumravarna and Yoga are discussed in M

Teaching on anger from the Bhagavad Gita. Quotes on anger with chapter and verse. There is also a short note on the solution to uncontrollable anger.  Triple are the gates that lead to hell, destructive of the Self. They are lust, anger and greed. Knowing these three as such, one should therefore reject them. The man who is liberated from these three gates to damnation, O Kaunteya, practices what is good for him and thus achieves the Supreme Good. To those who are ever devout and worship Me with love, I give them the Yoga of Discrimination by which they come to Me. Out of pure compassion for them, dwelling in their hearts, I destroy the ignorance-born darkness by the luminous Lamp of Wisdom. When he realizes that the whole variety of beings exists in the One, and is an evolution from that One alone, then he becomes Brahman. Of a person meditating on sense objects, Attachment in them arises; from attachment, Desire is born; from desire, It is turned int