Generally, Brahmins do not eat fish or other non-vegetarian food. However, Saraswat Brahmins settled in many regions of India consume fish. So why this exception? It is believed that Saraswat Brahmins are descendants of Sage Saraswat, son of Sage Dadhichi and Saraswati River. Legend has it that once there was a terrible drought for several years. Living beings found it difficult to survive. People abandoned the study of Vedas. But Saraswat was nourished by his mother Saraswati River. She fed him fish daily. He thus kept studying Vedas. When the drought ended, people returned and flocked to him to learn the Vedas. It is said that 60,000 people learned Vedas from him. They were the ancestors of present day Saraswat Brahmin community. As their ancestor, Sage Saraswat, had survived on fish during drought, the community eat fish. Please note that some sub communities of Saraswat Brahmins do not consume fish.

Aravana Payasam is an important sweet offering in many Hindu temples in South India . The most famous and popular Aravana Payasam is the one that is offered at the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple . To prepare this sweet offering the main ingredients are dry rice (unakkalari), ghee and jaggery. The main difference between other rice payasams and Aravana is that excess ghee and jaggery is used in Aravana. Ingredients Dry Rice (unakkalari) Jaggery Milk Ghee Kalkandam – Rock Sugar Dry grapes – unakka munthiri The quantity of rice decides the amount jaggery, ghee etc. Take dry rice in a vessel (hard bottom) and fill water. The amount of water should be just above the rice level. Cook the rice. When the rice is cooked start adding jaggery. Keep stirring. This is important otherwise it will get stuck to the bottom. The quality of Aravana payasam depends on how well the rice and jaggery are mixed together. When the water starts to dry add ghee, roc

Sweet is an indispensable part of Hinduism. It is offered during every puja, all auspicious events and when someone departs from home for an important event in life. So, why is sweet offered in Hinduism during auspicious event. The main belief is that sweet helps in achieving success. All puja and rituals will be successful when sweet is offered. Similarly, eat curd and sugar before leaving home will help in achieving success. There is also a belief that our mind achieves peace and composure when sweet is eaten and shared. Yet another belief is that our thoughts become sweet and there will be self-belief with the positive thoughts. Speech will also be sweet. As result of this we will not be hurting others. This helps us in achieving our goal. We only make friends and there will be enemies. It is also believed that we will be able to find solution to even the toughest task after eating sweet. Eating sweet before leaving home will help in keeping out all forms negati

Panch Bhikam is observed is observed during the last five days of the Kartik month as per the traditional Hindu calendar followed in North India . Kartik is the eighth month in the traditional lunar calendar. Panch Bhikam 2023 begins on November 23 and ends on November 827. Those who could not take part in the month-long Kartik Snan compensate by participating in the Panch Bhikam – which involves holy dip or bath in a river. It is said that those participate in the Panch Bhikam bathing ritual will earn the same merit as of performing the bathing ritual for the entire Kartik month. Hindu women sing songs in praise of Radha and Krishna during the Panch Bhikam. Women light earthen lamps to Goddess Pathwari – the Goddess who blesses travelers. People also recite the Panch Bhikam Kahani during the five-day period.

In Hinduism, Bhuta Chikitsa is the driving away of evil spirits from a person or a place. The term is used to refer to special rituals or incantations used for driving out evil spirits that are believed to possess a person or a place. Belief in the existence of beings of a different order that haunt human beings prevails in a large section of society, irrespective of religious faith. In Hindu religion, such beings are referred to as bhutas, pretas, pisachas, brahmarakshas, vetalas, yakshas and grahas. Such spirits are sought to be exorcised by rituals and incantations by way of propitiating higher divinities controlling them, such as Bhadrakali, Vetala, Ganesha, Hanuman, Shani, Narasimha, Manjunatheshwara, Virabhadra and Mother Goddesses of a particular locality like Yellamma, Annamma, Durga, etc. The means used for exorcising the evil spirits vary from place to place depending upon the background of the exorcists. The performing of rituals, the tying of a talisman, t

According to a spiritual tradition among the Sikhs, ego is like a bamboo plant which has five defects – It thinks itself higher than everyone else, from all trees and shrubs. It has knots all through—robbing it of all smoothness. It has thorns, even if someone caresses it with love, it pricks them. It looks very strong from outside but is empty inside When one bamboo rubs against another bamboo, it erupts into fire. Forests after forests are reduced to ashes. Likewise, an egotist person also has five defects that keep him away from the grace of the Lord; He thinks all others are lesser than him—no one is greater than him. He has knots in his hearts; he says something but has something else in his heart. He may use good, noble words, but is full of poison within. Even if someone comes to him with genuine love, he pricks them. He displays strength outside but is full of insecurities and weaknesses within. When he encounters another ego, he rubs against it