The Tamil New Year, Varusha Pirappu or Puthandu, is observed on the first day of Tamil month Chithirai, the first month as per traditional Tamil Calendar. In 2023, the date of Varusha Pirappu or Tamil New Year is April 14. Chithirai 1 is an auspicious day for Tamil speaking people in India (Tamil Nadu) and across the world, especially in Sri Lanka , Singapore , Malaysia and South Africa . The name of this year is Shubhakrit.  The main activity on the day is visiting temples and praying for peace and prosperity.  A major highlight of the Tamil New Year is the viewing of ‘Kanni’ – meaning auspicious things. Legend has it that viewing auspicious things on this day will bring good fortune throughout the year. After viewing the Kanni, it is time for a ritualistic bath. After the bath, it is time to draw the ‘Kolam’ or Rangoli (Tamil New Year Kolams). The ‘kolam’ is believed to bring good fortune to the family members. Then, the doorways are decorated with mango leaves.

Kashaya means red ochre and vastra means clothing. The use of red ochre is very old and has been associated with Hinduism and philosophy form very early times. Ochre is believed to the color of nivritti (non-attachment) in Hindu religion. The use of Kashaya Vastra indicates either that the user has attained non-attachment or that it helps those who wish to develop this quality. In the prehistoric period, people used to apply red ochre to the dead before burying them. The presence of objects in grave indicates that they believed in life after death. Red ochre being the color of blood was also perhaps thought to give life to the dead, rejuvenation for the journey to next life. The use of red ochre is thus connected with the eschatological beliefs of early communities. Red ochre is very similar to the color of vermilion, which too has had a long history of use in religious practices and beliefs of the people. Vermilion is applied to the images of deities. Even now, married women in In

Sri Rama Navami, which falls on Shukla Paksha Navami in Malayalam Meena Masam in Kerala, is an important festival at the Thiruvilwamala Sree Rama temple. Special pujas and rituals are observed in the temple on the occasion. Bhagavan Sri Rama is worshipped in the temple as Vilwadrinatha. Vaishnava pujas and rituals are part of the annual festival day. The temple consists of two double-storeyed square-shaped sreekovils (sanctum sanctorum) and two anakkottils (platform for elephants). The murti of Bhagavan Sri Rama is around 5 ft tall, and is made up of a rare kind of stone, called Pathalanjana Sila. The murti of Sri Rama here provides sin redemption. The origin of the murti is associated with Parashurama who wanted to do penance for killing Kshatriyas. It is said that Shiva gave Parashurama a murti of Sri Rama that he used to worship in the Mount Kailash. This murti was consecrated at Thiruvilwamala by Sage Parashurama. He performed penance and got redemption. This murti of Bhagava

Chit means Consciousness or Pure Knowledge. Ambaram means dress or garment. And it also means space or ether . Hence Chidambaram and Chidakasa are synonymous. The principle of Chidakasha is explained as follows by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi: Chidakasha (Chit-ether) is Pure knowledge only. It is the source of the mind. Just at the moment of rising up, the mind is only light; only afterwards the thought I am this rises up; this I-thought forms the jiva and the world. The first light is the pure mind, the mind-ether or Iswara. Its modes manifest as objects. Because it contains all these objects within itself it is called mind-ether. Why ether? Like ether containing objects it contains the thoughts, therefore it is the mindeether. Again, j u s t as the physical ether though accommodating all the gross objects (the whole universe) is itself the content of the mind-ether, so also the latter itself is the content of Chit-ether. The last one is Chit itself. There are no things conta

Tithi in Panchang – Hindu Calendar on Wednesday, 13 April 2022 – It is Shukla Paksha Dwadashi tithi or the twelfth day during the waxing or light phase of moon in Hindu calendar and Panchang in most regions. It is Shukla Paksha Ekadashi tithi or the eleventh day during the waxing or light phase of moon till 2:15 AM on April 13. Then onward it is Shukla Paksha Dwadashi tithi or the twelfth day during the waxing or light phase of moon till 2:39 AM on April 14. (Time applicable in all north, south and eastern parts of India. All time based on India Standard Time.  Good – Auspicious time on April 13, 2022 as per Hindu Calendar – There is no good and auspicious time on the entire day.  Nakshatra  – Magha or Makam nakshatra till 7:18 AM on April 13. Then onward it is Purva Phalguni or Pooram nakshatra till 8:10 AM on April 14 . (Time applicable in north, south and eastern parts of India).  In western parts of India (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, north Karnataka and south Rajasthan