Mandar Sashti Vrat is observed in Magh month as per traditional Hindu calendar followed in North India . It is performed for removal of sin and wish fulfilment. Mandar Sashti 2024 date is February 15. It is believed that observing this Vrat dedicated to Surya will help in fulfilment of desires.  The person observing the vrat should eat moderately on the previous day of the fasting. On the fasting day, prayers are offered to Surya Bhagavan. It is a complete fast till next day morning. On the night of the fasting day, the person eats Mandar flower and sleeps. The person should offer prayers to the rising sun and setting sun on the day. He should look into all eight directions and offer prayers. The mantra chanted is “Om Suryaya Namah.” Flowers, fruits and other usual puja routine are followed on the day. Chanting of Gayatri Mantra is highly meritorious. The vrat is completed after offering prayers to rising sun on the Saptami day – the next day morning. Mandar Sas

Story of King Nriga who had turned into a chameleon and later rescued by Sri Krishna is found in the Srimad Bhagavat Purana. One day while the Yadava boys were playing in a large ground in Dwarka. The boys tried to lift it up with the help of ropes but were unsuccessful in their repeated attempts. The news of the strange creature in the well reached the ears of Krishna. He came to the well and extended his bare hand towards the trapped chameleon. In an attempt to catch hold of the saving hand of Sri Krishna, the chameleon lifted his forearms and it touched the hand of Krishna. Then a miracle happened. The chameleon dropped its body and assumed the form of a celestial being. The chameleon was actually king once upon a time. He was cursed to be born as a chameleon as a result of taking back the wealth he had donated. The king thanked Krishna for giving him moksha and disappeared from the well. 

Saraswati Jayanti is a day dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, who is worshiped and propitiated for learning and for keen aesthetic capabilities, skills in music, dance, arts and grace. Saraswati Jayanti 2024 date is February 14. The day is also observed as Saraswati Puja, Vasant Panchami and Sri Panchami. Saraswati Jayanti is observed by pooja, music and blessings of books and musical instruments. Artistes dedicate special performance to Goddess Saraswathi. The popular belief is that Goddess Saraswati first made her appearance on the day to help humans on the day. It is observed on the fifth day during the Shukla Paksha of Magh month. Small children are initiated into the world of letters and learning on the day. Special programs are held in schools and colleges. Yellow color is given importance of the day. Special murtis (idols) of Goddess Saraswati available during the period is used for worship.

Parijathapuram Sree Krishna temple is located at Karupadanna in Thrissur district, Kerala. The main murti of Sree Krishna in the temple is 5 feet tall. The shrine is carved in Anjana Shila and the deity faces east. Shiva and Ganapathy, who are worshiped in the same sreekovil, are the upa devatas. The temple used to have an elaborate utsavam. Now festivals are not held in the temple. Parijathapuram Sree Krishna Temple History Unnayi Variyar, the author of Nalacharitham Attakatha, worked as kazhakam in the temple. The temple was very famous in ancient times. Karupadanna Kadavu which was famous in ancient Kerala is located near the temple. There used to be country boats (vanchi) from Karupadanna Kadavu to any part of Kerala. The area in and around Parijathapuram Sree Krishna Temple had thousands of Namboothiri families. Earlier nearly 400 to 500 Namboothiris from Karuppadanna used to take part in the Murajapam festival at Sri Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram. They u

Indianoor Ganapathy temple is located at Indianoor near Kottakkal in Malappuram district, Kerala. The main deities worshipped in the temple are Vishnu and Shiva. But the temple is famous for the picture of Ganapathy on the south wall of the sanctum sanctorum of Shiva. This Ganapathy is more important than murtis of Vishnu and Shiva. Vinayaka Chaturthi is the most important festival in the temple. Shiva and Vishnu faces west in the sanctum sanctorum. The Shivling worshipped in the temple is of swayambhu sankalpam. Apart from Ganapathy, the other Upa Devata in the temple is Sastha. The belief is that the prathishta in the temple happened after Naranathu Bhranthan spat on the spot. Although the temple is in a single compound, the shrine of Shiva is in Achupradesham and that Vishnu is in Indianoordesham. Due to this reason, the temple is also known as Irudeshathambalam. There are two pujas daily in the temple. The main offering to Ganapathi is Ottayappam. As per history, the Vi

Elambulassery Nalusseri Valiya Bhagavathi temple is located 5 km west of Ponnagod on Mannarkkad road in Palakkad district, Kerala. Elambulassery Temple annual Pooram festival is held on the Pooram nakshatra in Meenam month. Nearly 30 caparisoned elephants take part in the annual pooram festival. During the Kalam Pattu ceremony, Vattakkalam is used instead of the usual Roopakkalam. During the Mandala Kaalam (a period of forty one days) Kalam Paattu is performed here. Tholpavakoothu is another ritual held in the temple. The shrine is dedicated to Goddess Bhadrakali. The temple faces north. Two types of chanthattom are held in the temple. The Upa Devta worshipped in the temple is Kshetrapalan and this is also made from clay. The temple was one of most famous temple in ancient Valluvanad and the deity in the temple is the goddess of 14 deshams. Elambulassery temple is the moola kshetram of nearly 12 temples in the region including Oottupura, Pulinkavu Kodarmanna Ayyappan and Karakuriss

Heinrich Zimmer had written exclusively on Hinduism and this is an extract on importance of symbols in Hindu Religion.  The ultimate and real task of philosophy, according to Indian thought transcends the power and the task of reason. Access to truth demands a passage beyond the compass of ordered thought. And by the same token: the teaching of transcendent truth cannot be by logic, but only by pregnant paradox and by symbol and image. Indian philosophy insists that the sphere of logical thought is far exceeded by that of the mind's possible experiences of reality. To express and communicate knowledge gained in moments of grammar-transcending insight metaphors must be used, similes and allegories. Indian philosophy, therefore, frankly avails itself of the symbols and images of myth, and is not finally at variance with the patterns and sense of mythological belief. In the Hindu world, the folklore and popular mythology carry the truths and teachings of the p

Tithi in Panchang – Hindu Calendar on Monday, 22 February 2021 – It is Shukla Paksha Dashami tithi or the tenth day during the waxing or light phase of moon in Hindu calendar and Panchang in most regions. It is Shukla Paksha Dashami tithi or the tenth day during the waxing or light phase of moon till 2:04 PM on February 22. It is Shukla Paksha Ekadashi tithi or the eleventh day during the waxing or light phase of moon till 3:02 PM on February 23. (Time applicable in all north, south and eastern parts of India. All time based on India Standard Time.  Good – Auspicious time on February 22, 2021 as per Hindu Calendar – Good and auspicious time on the entire day.  Nakshatra  – Mrigasira or Makayiram nakshatra till 8:13 AM on February 22. Then onward it is Ardra or Arudara or Thiruvathira nakshatra till 9:49 AM on February 23 . (Time applicable in north, south and eastern parts of India).  In western parts of India (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, north Karnataka and south Rajast