Category: traditions

  • Holi, Holika Dahan and Holi Milan

    Holi, Holika Dahan, Holi Milan Holi or Holika, is a spring festival celebrated at the approach of the spring season, during the 3 or 4 days preceding the full moon day in the month of Phalguna. Holi is celebrated by throwing colors and colored powder in the air. Colorful Rangoli patterns are painted at doorways…

  • Vasant Panchami – Saraswati Puja

    Vasant Panchami (also known as Basant Panchami) is a festival in honor of Goddess Saraswati, the hindu Goddess of education, learning and the fine arts (music, writing, painting, etc.). The festival is celebrated on the fifth (panch) day after the new moon (amavasaya) in the month of Magha according to the Hindu calendar (usually occurs…

  • Pongal Festival History, Significance and Traditions

    The festival of Pongal is celebrated mainly in Southern India and is a parallel to the more widely celebrated occasion of Makar Sankranti (January 14th). Pongal is usually celebrated over a span of four days with great fervor and is connected to the harvest, the sun, the end of winter and many more traditional events…

  • Naraka Chaturdashi – Second day of Diwali

    The second day of the Diwali festival, is the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Ashvin, and is called Narak-Chaturdashi or Kali Chaudas and also known as Chhoti (-small) Diwali. This day is dedicated to the victory of Lord Krishna over the wicked demon king Narakasur. Narkasur had fought against neighbouring…

  • Ganesha Chaturthi – Celebration and Mantras

    Ganesha Chaturthi is celebrated on the fourth (chaturth-) day after the new moon (amavasya) in the Hindu month of “Bhadrapada” (usually in August-September). It is the beginning of ten days of festivities in the honor of the chief (eesha) of Lord Shiva’s celestial hordes (ganas), Lord Ganesha. Gana also means Read more…

  • Goddess Durga Mantras

    The Gayatri Mantra is one of the most revered and perhaps one of the most practiced mantra in Hinduism. The Durga Gayatri is a variation of the Gayatri mantra designed to address Goddess Durga, particularly during the period of Durga Navaratri or Durga Puja. The Durga Gayatri adapts the 24-syllable metre of the original Gayatri…