Phulech Festival, also known as Phulaich festival, is a riotous celebration of flowers in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. It is held between August – September and October – November when the hills and valleys of Kinnaur are in blossom. How Is Phulaich Festival Observed? Groups of men, women and children climb a nearby hill carrying the village deity with them and drinking phasar, locally distilled liquor. Though the climb is merry, all fall silent on the hill top, where Goddess Kali is said to reside. On the hill top, Goddess Kali is worshipped and offered the phasar. Then the flower-gathering begins, some are offered to Goddess Kali and some to the village deity. By the late afternoon, the flower pickers return to the village and everyone gathers in the temple compound called the Santhang, to sing, rock the deity in its palanquin and dance. A highlight of the event is when the priest utters an incantation causing the local Grokch or Gur to be possessed by the divine spirit, thereb

Gunhu Punhi is a unique festival observed Nepal and it begins on Janai Purnima day or the full moon day in Shravan Month. It is a nine-day festival and ends on the Krishnashtami day (the birth day of Sri Krishna). In 2024, the first day of Gunhu Punhi is August 19 (the Janai Purnima day). Gunhu Punhi is mainly observed the Newar community in Nepal . On the first day of the festival, the people get a thread (doro) tied on their wrists from the temple priest. This thread is believed to protect them from all evil. People also drink a special liquid made from sprouted cereals. Another ritual on the day is the offering of food to frogs. The second day of the Gunhu Punhi festival is observed as the Gai Jatra. People who had a death in the family take part in this procession. They dress up like cows. It is believed that this ritual will help the dead in reaching the heaven easily. The community level festivities continue for the whole week and ends on the Krishnashtami da

Chalakkal Kurichikkara Shiva temple is located at Erumapetty village near Wadakkanchery in Thrissur district, Kerala. The shrine is dedicated to Shiva. There are two temples here Chalakkal Shiva temple and Kurichikkara Shiva temple. Chalakkal Shiva temple is located in the middle of a paddy field. The temple has a two tier vatta sreekovil (circular sanctum sanctorum). The Shivling worshipped in the temple is considerably big. The darshan of Chalakkal Shiva is towards west. The Sankalpam of Shiva worshipped here is that of the unimaginably fierce form of Shiva who had just heard the news of the self immolation of Sati in the Daksha Yagna. There is kalvilakku (stone diya) of 3 feet in front of the sreekovil. The Upa Devatas worshipped in the Ganapathy, Ayyappan, Bhagavati and Subrahmanian. Asthishwaramoorti is unique Upa Devata here. The vigraham of Asthishwaramoorti is carved in stone but it looks as if it is made from human bones. It is believed that the murti is that of a di

The tendency to acquire wealth is natural to man and is evident from literary sources, can be traced to ancient times. Rig Veda refers to wealth as dhana and the word occurs more than one hundred times. The context is the acquisition of wealth through participation in races, fighting wars, manufacturing of articles of daily use, rearing of kine and cultivation of agricultural land. There is an interesting lament of a gambler which suggests that gambling was condemned as a means of acquiring wealth. The gambler says that his wife, parents, friends and relatives have turned against him. Another one says that the gambler deep in debt and scorned by near and dear ones, resorts to theft. The Veda exhorts the gambler to take to cultivation (X.34). However, acquisition of wealth is not totally denounced. It is considered as one of the most essential aspects of life. This is evident from the importance it is given in the scheme of the purusharthas (goals of life), i.e dharma (righteousness

Supodan Varna Shasti is performed on the sixth day of the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) in Shravan month. The sixth day in a traditional Hindu calendar is known as Sashti and therefore it is also known as Supaudana Shashti Vrata. In 2024, the date of Supodan Varna Shasti is on August 10. Supodan Varna Shasti is of importance in Marathi culture. The ritual is only performed by few Hindu communities. Special prayers are offered to Lord Shiva on the day. Food cooked using pulse and rice is eaten on the day. The same is also offered as Prasad.

Chala Bhagavathi temple is located at Chala on the Kannur – Kuthuparamba road in Kannur district of Kerala. The temple is 8 km south of Kannur. The temple is one among the 108 Durga temples in Kerala. The murti in the shrine was consecrated by Parashurama. The main deities worshipped in Chala Bhagavathi temple are Goddess Durga and Goddess Bhadrakali. Prominence is for Goddess Bhadrakali. The Upa Devta worshipped in the temple is Ammulamma. The annual festival in the temple concludes on Pooram nakshatra in Meenam month (March – April). Thidambu Nritham is held as part of the festival. As per history, the temple was earlier known as Puzhavayal Bhagavathi temple. Sathya Pareshanam (acts of find out truth) of Kolathiri kingdom was held in the temple. In ancient times, the temple was managed by Randu Thara Nambiars who were known as Achanmar. The temple belonged to Nambiar families of Ayiliyathu, Palliyathu, Arayathu and Kandothu.

If God is so real, then why do we not see Him? Sri Ramakrishna says: You see many stars at night in the sky, but find them not when the sun rises. Can you therefore say that there are no stars? God alone is the Master, and again, He is the Servant. This attitude indicates Perfect Knowledge. At first one discriminates, ‘Not this, not this’, and feels that God alone is real and all else is illusory. Afterwards the same person finds that it is God Himself who has become all this – the universe, maya, and the living beings. First negation and then affirmation. This is the view held by the Puranas. A Bilwa-fruit, for instance, includes flesh, seeds, and shell. You get the flesh by discarding the shell and seeds. But if you want to know the weight of the fruit, you cannot find it if you discard the shell and seeds. Just so, one should attain Satchidananda by negating the universe and its living beings. But after the attainment of Satchidananda one finds that Satchidananda Itself

Tithi in Panchang – Hindu Calendar on Friday, 20 August 2021 – It is Shukla Paksha Trayodashi tithi or the thirteenth day during the waxing or light phase of moon in Hindu calendar and Panchang in most regions. It is Shukla Paksha Trayodashi tithi or the thirteenth day during the waxing or light phase of moon till 7:42 PM on August 20. Then onward it is Shukla Paksha Chaturdashi tithi or the fourteenth day during the waxing or light phase of moon till 6:09 PM on August 21. (Time applicable in all north, south and eastern parts of India. All time based on India Standard Time.  Good – Auspicious time on August 20, 2021 as per Hindu Calendar – Good and auspicious time on the entire day.  Nakshatra  – Uttarashada or Uthradam nakshatra till 9:30 PM on August 20 . Then onward it is Shravan or Sravana or Thiruvonam nakshatra till 8:46 PM on August 21 . (Time applicable in north, south and eastern parts of India).  In western parts of India (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, north Karn