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Showing posts from April 5, 2019


Chaitra Navratri Festival At Vaishno Devi Temple Jammu

Chaitra Navratri Mela is an important annual festival and fair held during Chaitra Navratri at the world famous famous Vaishno Devi Temple at Katra, Jammu, India. Chaitra Navratri Festival At Vaishno Devi Temple is from April 9 to April 17, 2024. The most important dates of the Mela are from April 17, 2024 – Durga Ashtami day. Goddess Vaishno Devi is an important incarnation of Goddess Shakti and in this form she is very popular in India. Millions of devotees arrive at the Vaishno Devi cave shrine to worship Maa Vaishno Devi during Chaitra Navratri. Special decorations and pujas take place during the nine days. Chaitra Navratri is of great importance in the Himalayan regions. It is believed that the original Navratri was held during the March – April period. It was Bhagavan Sri Ram who invoked Goddess Durga in September – October period to get her blessing in the battle against Ravana in the Ramayana. Vaishno Devi temple is one of the most popular pilgrimages

What to do on Gudi Padwa? - Marathi New Year - How Is Gudi Padwa Observed?

Gudi Padwa is the Marathi New Year as per the traditional Hindu Marathi Lunar Calendar. Chaitra is the first month in the Marathi calendar and Gudi Padwa is observed on Chaitra 1 or the first day of Chaitra. Two important things people do on the day are the erecting of Gudhi and sharing of a mixture of neem and jaggery. The astrological predictions for the year known as Samvatsar phal is also read on the day. Here is a brief idea on how to observe Gudi Padva. People get up early in the morning of the Gudi Padwa day, and after bathing and morning prayers; erect Gudhi – the hoisting of flag on a bamboo staff. The flag hoisted on Maharashtrian New Year is made of green or yellow colored silk cloth. A bright garlanded goblet or pot is hung on top of the flagpole. Symbolically, the raising of the Gudi  means empty your ego, take an inverted look within, hold yourself up to the vast sky of divinity and may your soul remain outdoors, away from the trappings of this world.

How To Observe Ugadi Festival?

Ugadi is the Kannada and Telugu New Year in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This is a short description of how Ugadi is celebrated in Karnataka and includes the important pujas performed, naivedya prepared, food and other rituals. The main to do list include – buying new clothes, Neem flower and leaf pachadi preparation, oil bath and Ugadi Panchanga Sravanam. There are slight variations in the mode of Telugu Ugadi celebration. Things Needed New Clothes for family members Neem leaves and flowers for Pachadi New Year Panchanga Fresh fruits General Puja Flowers Ugadi Puja The eldest female member in the house usually prepares for the Ugadi puja. House is thoroughly cleaned. Mango leave festoons or other decorations are installed on doors and windows. Ugadi pachadi or neem flower with jaggery is prepared. New clothes for family members are arranged before the deity or in the puja room. A small mark using a pinch of turmeric a

Shoorpanakha meeting Sri Ram and Lakshman in Ramayana

The story of Ramayana takes a decisive turn with the entry of Rakshasi Shoorpanakha. She meets Bhagavan Sri Ram, Lakshman and Mata Sita at Panchavati. Bhagvan Sri Ram had set up an ashram there and was residing there in the company of holy saints. Dandaka forest was the dwelling ground of Shoorpanakha. She used to roam around harassing saints and other living beings in the forest. It was by chance that Shoorpanakha reached the Panchavati area of the Dandaka forest. She spotted Sri Ram sitting with Mata Sita and immediately fell in love with Sri Ram and wanted to become his wife. Shoorpanakha was a huge figure. Her eyes were deep red and cruel. She had red hair. Her voice was like thunder. But she could change her form at will. Shoorpanakha then approached Sri Ram and both introduced each other. The rakshasi then made her intentions clear that she wanted to marry Sri Ram. The divine then brothers were amused at the request and decided to take her lightly. Sri R

Shodashi Beej Mantra Text – Benefits of Chanting Shodashi Beej Mantra

Shodashi is the third among the Dasa Mahavidyas – the 10 Mother Goddess concept in Hinduism and Tantrism. Shodashi is the beautiful mother in the cosmos. Shodashi Mantra is chanted for fulfillment of desires. Her beej mantra also has the power to remove all kinds of illusions from the mind of a devotee. Shodashi Beej Mantra Text Om Aim Hreem Shreem Sri Lalita Tripurasundari Padukam Poojayami Namah. ॐ ऐं ह्रीम श्रीम श्री ललिता त्रिपुरसुन्दरी पदुकम पूजयामि नमः Shodashi is also known as Tripura Sundari. Benefits of Chanting Shodashi Beej Mantra It is chanted for fulfillment of worldly desires. The mantra gives what the devotee desires. For a spiritual aspirant, the mantra is an ideal tool to overcome ignorance and illusion of worldly life. The mantra has the power to overturn all kinds of pain into ecstasy. It helps an aspirant embrace the divine and find life’s purpose.

Story of Shambhu Kumara – Son of Surpanakha

Shambhu Kumara was the son of Vidyut Jihva and Surpanakha. His story is found in the Aranya Kanda of Kamba Ramayana. Sri Ram, Mata Sita and Lakshman had arrived at Panchavati area of the Dandaka forest during their 14-year exile and decided to put up an ashram there. They decided to build an ashram at a spot surrounded by five pipal trees. Lakshman decided to cut some trees from the area for building ashram. He performed the required puja to the forest gods and asked for permission from the trees and the birds and other residents of the trees. While he was felling the trees, one of the trees that was cut down disappeared immediately and a dead body of a Rakshasa appeared on the spot. It was the corpse of Shambhu Kumara.  When Sri Ram was in Dandaka forest, Shambhu Kumara was performing austerities to become more powerful. But he happened to see Mata Sita and was attracted by her beauty. He was following Mata Sita and at Panchavati transformed himself into a tree to enjoy

Abhanga – Meter – Devotional Songs in Marathi

Abhanga is a term denoting a meter, a devotional song and a figure of speech in Marathi literary and devotional compositions. It is a meter specific to Marathi devotional songs. The compositions employing this meter are also called abhangas. It must be noted here that Abhanga also denotes a posture in dance. In early Marathi literature, two meters were popular with the saints points, they were ovi and Abhanga. The two meters have developed from the Prakrta meter saipadi or ardha-saipadi. Mukundaraja, the author of Viveka-Sindhu, and Jnaneshwara, the author of Jnaneshwari or Bhavartha Dipika, have mostly adopted the ovi meter. The difference between the two meters is marginal, as both of them have sprung from the same Prakrta meter.   Sanskrit works like Manasollasa and Sangita Ratnakara have defined ovi. Ovi, however, has its origin in folk songs, in which the lilt or cadence is important. Abhanga is mainly based on tala (timing). In the poems of Marathi

B K S Iyengar Quotes And Teachings On Yoga - Health - Life

A collection of quotes and teachings of B K S Iyengar on Yoga, health and life. Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar (14 December 1918 – 20 August 2014) was one of the foremost Yoga experts. He has been credited with popularizing the kind of yoga that we learn, hear and see today. Fanatics speak in the street. You are internal fanatics. You talk inside. A wise man neither speaks on the street or inside. Such a man is a saint. The gross body must be adjusted before going into the inner body. Poise in the body is peace in the mind. Concentration is like a tightly held fist. Open the fist and concentration is extended. There is freedom. This is meditation. If you have a pain thank God because you can learn so much from it. Pain teaches us about fear. When we face pain we face fear, and facing fear leads to freedom. Soul is pure and your soul is as pure as mine. One intelligence moves the arm, another keeps another part still. There is intelligence in the whole