Category: traditions

  • Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi – The Bond of Love and Protection

    Raksha Bandhan (the bond – Bandhan of protection – Raksha) is a Hindu festival, which celebrates the love between brothers and sisters. It is celebrated on the full moon (poornima) of the month of Shraavan. This article discusses the different ways that Raksha Bandhan is celebrated across India, the legends behind the festival and the…

  • Guru Poornima – Celebrating the Guru

    The Purnima (Full Moon) day in the month of Ashadha (July-August) is known as Guru Purnima. Oh Guru, you are father, mother, brother, friend, knowledge and wealth. The ideal Guru is a facilitator and encourages the disciple to go and seek beyond that which is taught by the Guru. But what are the qualities of…

  • Pitra Paksha – Remembering our Ancestors

    Pitra Paksha, also known as “Shraadh” or “Mahalaya”, is a fortnight (fourteen days) dedicated to paying homage to our departed ancestors. It is observed during the dark fortnight of Ashwin or Aswayauja and usually occurs in September/October. The last day of the Pitra Paksha is known as “Mahalaya Amavasya” – the final night of the…

  • Janmashtami – Celebrating Lord Krishna

    Krishna Janmashtami is the birthday of Lord Krishna, the eighth Divine Incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It falls on the 8th day of the dark half of the month (in the waning part of the lunar cycle between the full moon and the new moon) of Bhadrapada (August-September). It is a festival celebrated with great devotion…

  • OM or AUM – The Seed Sound – The Beginning

    AUM or ओम् originally ओं = आं , which may be derived from आ, a word of solemn affirmation and respectful assent, sometimes translated by ” yes , verily , so be it “ it is placed at the commencement of most Hindu works, most mantras and shlokas, and as a sacred exclamation may be uttered…

  • Suktam for Glory from Samaveda

    This series of articles on the Vedas has discussed Agni mantras from the vedas and the highly venerated Gayatri Mantra. This article builds on the theme of Agni from the sAmaveda. The verse or suktam presented below is considered a ‘great sequence’ or ‘maka-panktii’ (महापंक्ति) in the vedas – one that carries great significance and…