Category: traditions

  • Navaratri – Celebrating the Goddesses

    The spirit of Navaratri – a festival of nine (-nava) nights (-ratri) is a vibrant reminder to us of the power of the feminine in our lives. One aspect of the feminine is shakti – often described as power, or energy. The significance of shakti is perhaps explained best by the two words Shiva-Shakti. Shiva…

  • Durga Ashtami – Eighth Day of Navaratri

    The eighth day of the nine night Navratri festival is celebrated across India as Durga Ashtami, and is also part of the ten-day Durga-Puja festival celebrated primarily in the state of West Bengal. Ashtami simply means eighth day of the fortnight. It is often also ascribed significance with respect to the eight-armed Durga holding weapons…

  • Celebration of Holi – A Unique and Vibrant Festival of Colors

    Holi or Holika, is a spring festival celebrated at the onset of the spring season, on the full moon day (Purnima) in the month of Phalguna. It is also the first day of the Hindu calendar (samvat) and a day of great joy and gaiety in the cities of Vrindavan and Mathura. Holi means the…

  • Best Gita Explanation of the Hinduism Caste System

    Lord Krishna speaks to Arjuna as he clarifies the origin and purpose of the caste system in sanaatana dharma (Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, Shloka 13). cāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ . tasya kartāramapi māṃ viddhyakartāramavyayam .. BG 4\-13.. चातुर्वर्णयं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः ।  तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यर्कतारमव्ययम् ।। ४\-१३ Hindu society’s four-fold order The four-fold order was created by Me according…

  • Chaitra Navaratri – Spring Festival of the Goddess

    Chaitra Navaratri or the nine (nava-) nights (-ratri) of Durga, are celebrated in the first 9 days of the bright half of the month of Chaitra (starting from the day after Amavasya). According to the Indian lunar calendar, this usually in late March or early April. This period of nine days heralds the onset of…

  • Spiritual Significance of Holi

    Holi Dahan – Burning of Desires Holi heralds the end of winter and the onset of spring. It is also pointed out as an instance of the conquest of base instincts of man and Holi is a celebration of this conquest. The Holi fire or Holika Dahan connotes this event in Hindu mythology of the…