The word “akshaya” literally means eternal or unfading in Sanskrit and “tritiya” means third which in the present context denotes the third day of the lunar fortnight. Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akha Teej, is a very auspicious festival for both Hindus and Jains. It is observed on the third day of the waxing moon in the month of Vaishakha. In 2026, it falls on Sunday, April 19. The muhurtam or auspicious time is from 10.49 am to 12.20 pm. Even though this timing is given it is also said that any auspicious venture which is started on this day will be free of all negative influences. This day is free from all bad effects. The benefits of doing japa, yajna, pitru tarpana and any form of charity on this day will remain with the person forever.

Events like marriage, housewarming, inauguration of a business or a shop will always prosper if done on this day. There is a popular belief that purchasing gold on Akshaya Tritiya brings prosperity and more wealth in the future. Thus, Akshaya Tritiya is considered a Golden Day by both Hindus and Jains. This festival is mostly celebrated by these two religions and is therefore not considered as a public holiday, nor is it celebrated anywhere else in the world. Akshaya Tritiya is also considered an auspicious day by Vedic astrologers, as it is free of all negativity. According to Hindu Astrology, the three lunar days of Ugadi, Akshaya Tritiya, and Vijayadashami do not require any muhurta to begin or complete any auspicious work because they are free of all evil influence. These are called sade-teen muhurtas.

In Sanskrit, “akshaya” means never diminishing. It is believed that charity done on this day brings enormous benefits.

As has been mentioned above, Akshaya Tritiya falls on the third day of the bright half of the Vaishakha month when the sun gives maximum heat and brightness. This year it is considered to be doubly auspicious since it falls on the Rohini nakshatram (star). Astrologically, it is considered the perfect day to start any new endeavour. It is assumed that any type of business will grow and become more prosperous.

As usual there are many legends connected with this day. Lord Vishnu is the presiding deity of this day. Treta Yuga is said to have started on this day. Lakshmi and Vishnu should be worshiped together on this day in order to get maximum benefit. This was the day when Lord Parashurama, the sixth incarnation of Vishnu was born. It was on this day that he threw his axe far out to the sea and recovered the land which is known today as Kerala. Pujas are performed on this day to Lakshmi and Vishnu to show our gratitude.

It is said that this was the day when Lord Ganesha started writing the Mahabharata which was being dictated to him by Veda Vyasa. It is also considered to be the day when the River Ganga – the most sacred river of India – descended on Earth from heaven.

Another story goes that it was on this day that Draupadi received the unending “pot of plenty” known as the “Akshaya Patra” with which she was able to feed all the people who had followed her husband to the forest.

It is also the day when the old brahmin, Sudama, who had studied with Lord Krishna visited him and later received enormous monetary benefits.

At Puri Jagannath Mandir in Odisha the Chandanotsavam is performed for Lord Jagannath. The construction of the wooden chariots for the Ratha Yatra also begins on this day.

It is said that it was on this day that Lord Shiva declared Kubera to be the God of wealth and Lakshmi as the Goddess of wealth.

Annapurna, the Goddess of food was born on this day. She is actually Parvati and it is said that she gave food to Shiva on this day when he approached her with a begging bowl in his hand.

In the Arasar Koil (mandir) in Tamil Nadu, Ganesha is seen sitting in front of the Mahalakshmi sanctum and is known as Akshaya Vinayaka. This is because he is said to have given the “Akshaya Patra” or bowl of plenty to Garuda, the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. Garuda was worshipping Lakshmi in this mandir and she turned the bowl to gold and gave it to Garuda. Garuda then did tapas to the sun god, Surya and offered him food in the golden bowl.

In Jainism, this day is worshiped as “Ahar Charya” in which food is prepared and served to Jain Monks. This day is celebrated to commemorate the one-year fast of Tirthankara Rishabhanatha. Sugar cane juice is poured into his cupped hands and drunk as prasad by devotees.

There are some rituals to be performed on this day. As usual with all Hindu festivals, the morning begins with cleaning the house. After this a bath is taken in some holy river if possible and prayers are then offered to Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi. Tulsi leaves and flowers are used for puja. Of course kheer or other sweets are also offered as prasad. One of the most important things on this day is to give food to the poor. This is known as “annadhanam” which is always extolled in Hinduism as the greatest of all charities.

The mandir of Kedarnathji in the Himalayas always opens on the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya every year.

Even though Hinduism tells us to avoid running after money yet we see that with its usual magnanimity and understanding of the human psychology, it also has festivals connected with the gaining of material wealth. But again this goes hand in hand with spiritual wealth and as we see prayers and pujas are offered to both Lakshmi and Vishnu – the perfect blend of spirituality and auspiciousness.

Hari Aum Tat Sat!

Sri Rama Navami is celebrated all over the world by Hindus as the birthday of Sri Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, scion of the Solar Dynasty, pinnacle of human perfection. The sage Valmiki wrote about the life of this great incarnation in his famous book “The Ramayana” – “The Way of Rama.” It is the story of the life of an exemplary human being that has enthralled the minds of all who have read it, not only in Bharat, the land of its origin, but in all parts of the world. The story of Rama has spread to Tibet, Turkey, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. In India, Thailand and Bali, Sri Rama is worshipped as God incarnate. The Supreme, formless, Brahman took a form to set an example to all human beings as to how a person should act and behave in the world in order to attain the summum bonum of life which is moksha or liberation from these mortal coils.

We live in a crazy age which is at a loss to know the meaning of human existence, which places money above character, personal greed before compassion or consideration of another’s right. Even those of us who still retain a small amount of sanity are at a loss to understand how we can act according to “dharma,” the cosmic law of righteousness, in a world which is devoid of dharma – a world in which the meaning of honour, truth and high principles seem to be dead – where hate and self-interest seem to be the only rules of conduct starting right up from the rulers down to the citizens.

The sages of the Sanatana Dharma have always understood that the only way to change a society which seems to act in an inhuman way is to give examples of individuals who act in an exemplary fashion. We can only change ourselves, we cannot change the society but the fact is that the society is made up of individuals and if more and more individuals begin to act in a righteous fashion, the society will be forced to change. In fact, the individual can and must change if the society has to change. All our ancient scriptures have tried to give us the methods of achieving this change, first in the individual, and then in the society.

For this purpose, the life of Sri Rama is an example beyond parallel. In Rama, Valmiki has portrayed the sublime aspect of human nature which is impossible to understand. In him we find a mixture of the might of a God and the frailty of a human being. It is an attempt to bring God and man together in a single individual. In him we find that the Supreme took on a human form with all its frailties in order to show us how our aspirations for a dharmic (righteous) life can be fulfilled despite the shortcomings of the human nature. In the life of Rama, Valmiki has portrayed a man who becomes divine by shaking off the limitations of humanity by his strict adherence to truth and honour. He has all the qualities of the average man – the attachments, the desires, the anger, the love, and the compassion. His greatness lies in the fact that he surmounted these obstacles in his character so that he became a superhuman – one who put his duty above all personal considerations.

The Hindu religion has always advocated that each individual should follow their swadharma which is the duty that each one of us has in the orbit of one’s own milieu, and depends on the particular position that we are placed in our life. Sri Rama was a king and he depicts very clearly the nature of the dharma that a ruler owes to his people. A ruler or the head of a state cannot afford to place his own petty desires before the needs of the citizens who have reposed their faith in him and expect him to do his best for them. This ideal of course is totally at variance with that of the British king who abdicated in order to marry the woman of his choice at the precise time when his country desperately needed him. On the other hand, Rama was prepared to banish his most beloved wife in order to keep to the dharmic standards expected of a king who has to put his citizens before his own self. At a time when all kings were free to marry many times, Rama refused to take another wife. He had enshrined Sita in his heart and no other woman had any appeal for him. He led his lonely and solitary life till the end of his days faithfully carrying out the duties allotted to him. His reign has been extolled as a utopia of grace and plenty where all sorrows were dealt with instantaneously and where the earth gave in abundance and all people were happy and content.

The universal laws of rita and satya when reflected through the medium of the human personality, become distorted and that is why we find that though many of us struggle hard to become totally dharmic, we do not always hit the mark. The character of Rama actually gives us a lot of comfort because it shows us that even God when he takes on a mortal body has to come under the sway of maya!

Ramayana – the story of Rama, is the very first poem composed in the world and Valmiki is acclaimed as the Adi Kavi or the first poet. One may well marvel at the fact that this story which took place some thousands of years ago has had such worldwide appeal. It has continued to cast its spell through the ages up to the present age, which is noted for its cynicism and contempt of anything which lies beyond the ken of the scientific mind. The reason for this is that the story is based on certain eternal verities which appeal to the best in human nature. These values have a universal appeal. The character of Sri Rama has risen above the limits of sect, religion, race and country. Though it is an ancient chronicle, the Ramayana has a deep message for the modern man and woman.

Rama was the epitome of all types of human loves – love of a son for his father, love for a brother, for a friend, for a wife and for the country. But soaring above all these loves, was his love for the abstract principle of dharma. His life shows that when a human being tries to uphold dharma at all costs, he must be prepared to sacrifice all his other loves. Dharma is a stern disciplinarian and brooks no straying from its strict path. One who adheres fanatically to the path of dharma will find, like Rama, that even the strongest of material attachments will have to be sacrificed. However, the greatness of Rama’s character lies in the fact that despite his agony he did not deviate from the strict ideal he had kept for himself and did not flinch from the final sacrifice of his beloved wife and brother on the altar of dharma. We, who live in an age of easy morality, where ideals are conveniently renounced for the sake of selfish interests, may not be able to understand and appreciate the towering personality of Rama but to the ancient Hindu society, he was a God for only a God could act with such total unselfishness.

The morals that have been instilled into our minds from the time of the Ramayana have helped to shape our society. Even now we are capable of appreciating this godliness even though we may not be able to emulate it. The Ramayana lifts us to the sublime heights of glory, in fact to the pinnacle of divinity, for no ordinary mortal could be so utterly selfless to the point of being considered heartless. In Rama we see the portrait of a mighty superhuman, who based his entire life on a strict adherence to the implacable law of dharma. It is a law of nature and thus brooks no disobedience. The whole of nature follows this rule without question. Human beings however allow their greedy minds to overrule their heads. Rama is the one exception to this and for this he had to pay a heavy penalty. To understand him better we should understand that the only question he ever asked himself was – “Am I acting according to dharma?”

Time according to the Hindu calendar is cyclical as we see it in nature. Just as there are twenty-four hours in a day and seven days in a week and four weeks in a month and twelve months in a year, we have a sixty-year cycle for the years and each of them have their own names. The birthday of Sri Rama, known as Sri Rama Navami falls on the ninth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Chaitra, which happens to be the 26th of March. So let us all take this as a unique opportunity to set right this society which seems to have only one object in life which is to make money. Let us concentrate on making our own country once again into a Rama Rajya where people can live without fear, with head held high and proud of our own heritage. Let us pray that our leaders will come to their right senses and realise that their first and foremost duty is to their country. A great step forward towards this goal has been taken by reclaiming the holy land of Ayodhya where Rama ruled.

It is said in our scriptures that the name of Rama, if used sincerely can make a huge change in our psyche. The word “Rama” is a mantra in its own right. In fact, it is known as a “taraka mantra” that is capable of elevating us from the entanglements of the world of the senses and lifting us into the liberating atmosphere of the divine. This mantra should thus be chanted by everyone as many times as possible in order to bring about a change in the world.

A reading of the life of Rama – The Ramayana, has the effect of cleansing us of our negative emotions and charging us with the moral fervour and grace of the great characters portrayed in the book.

“Sri Rama, Rama, Rameti, Reme, Rame, manorame,
Sahasranama tat tulyam, Rama Nama varanane.”

Chanting of the one name of “Rama” is equivalent to the chanting of the thousand and one names of Lord Vishnu – the Vishnu Sahasranama.

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Rama, Hare Hare!

This year 2026 Chaitra Navaratri starts on 19th March and ends on 27th March.

The Nine days of Navaratri are usually divided into three sections devoted to Kaali, Lakshmi and Saraswati as I have mentioned in the first article. One of the main sadhanas that are recommended during these days is the reading of the Devi Mahatmyam (Glories of the Goddess) which is also known as Chandi Path (chant of the fierce one) and Durga Saptashati (seven hundred slokas to Durga). So here I will give some instructions how the thirteen chapters should be divided during these days. Durga stands for the invincible aspect of Adi Shakti, the primordial energy of the divine in the form of the virgin goddess.

The seventy- fourth to the eighty-sixth chapters of the Markandeya Purana is known as the Devi Mahatmyam. It is a highly esoteric treatise with seven hundred slokas, in which are embedded many important bija mantras. As with all Puranic books, the stories are all symbolic. If we read this with faith and concentration we will find that with each asura that Durga vanquishes one of our negative traits will also be vanquished. Before we start the reading we have to supplicate her that she will clear all our negative tendencies and make us pure and ready to receive the highest wisdom.

The book begins with the story of a king named Suratha and a merchant called Samadhi who have been thrown out of their homes by their families. They are totally dejected with life and by coincidence they both meet each other at the ashrama of a great rishi called Medhas. In order to comfort them he tells them the story of the divine lilas of Durga which come in the Markandeya Purana. He tells them to surrender everything to the Divine Mother who will take control of our lives and lead us to enlightenment. Of course the story has a deep esoteric meaning which if understood properly will help us to control our lower nature and expel all our negative tendencies.

There are thirteen chapters in the book which are to be divided into three sections and have to be completed during the nine day vow. The three sections are known as Pradhama Charitra devoted to Maha Kaali, Madhyama Charitra to Maha Lakshmi and Uttama Charitra to Maha Saraswati.

The altar for Navaratri is a special one. First of all we should fill a mud or copper pot with Ganga Jal and put some sheaves of grain or banana leaves in it and keep it as the symbol of the Goddess of plenty. The pot can be embellished with sindoor (red powder) and a red string which is wound round it.

Some people also keep a flower pot or some vessel which has been filled with mud on which nine types of seeds of different grains are sown. This is known as “navadhanya”. These should be watered daily and by the tenth day all of them would have sprouted. Each grain stands for a certain positive quality which will grow and flourish in our minds during these nine days. These sprouts are distributed as prasad at the end of the festival. Of course we also light the usual diyas or lights and incense and make some edible offering. Durga is supposed to be fond of black channa or black dal so many people cook and offer that. Of course anything we make in the house and offer with love is happily accepted by her. In South India people make beautiful altars filled with idols of all the deities. In the evening, reading of the Devi Mahatmayam and singing her bhajans are an essential part of this festival.

Before starting the reading, three preparatory stotras (hymns) are to be read which give extra benefits. These are the Devi Kavacham which is a sort of armour for protection against all evil forces as well as for curing diseases. Then comes the Argala Stotram which invokes the blessing of the goddess and the Keelaka Stotram which gives us the benefits to be got from the reading.

Pradhama Charitra is the 1^st chapter and should be read on the 1^st day. It has the famous Brahma stuti which has a lot of bija mantras.

Madhyama Charitra comprises the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th chapters and the rest is known as Uttara Charitra and should be read on consecutive days ending on the tenth day which is known as Vijaya dasami day or the day of victory.

Those who wish can also do the whole poem comprising of 13 chapters on Vijaya Dasami day.

In the first chapter Durga slays the demons known as Madhu and Kaitabha. They stand for the dualities of pleasant and unpleasant. Madhu is sweetness or addiction and Kaitabha is bitterness or aversion. The world is a world of duality and we have to overcome this duality before we can proceed on the path to liberation.

The next three chapters deal with the killing of the great asura known as Mahishasura who stands for the stubborn ego which refuses to accept anything other than itself as being the greatest. Thus he is shown with a buffalo body. The buffalo is quite unintelligent and has a stubborn way of not listening to orders! Such a person is not open to the voice of the divine which is always ready to lead us.

The fifth is the longest chapter and contains the conversation between Durga and the messengers of the two great asuras known as Shumbha and Nishumba who want to marry her. The first messenger is known as Dhumralochana which stands for distorted vision -someone who cannot discern reality from unreality. All of us suffer from this particular quality.

Durga finishes him off and then Shumbha sends Chanda and Munda. Chanda is anger and Munda extreme dullness. Actually they refer to the qualities of rajas and tamas. The frightening form of the goddess that kills them is known as Chamunda.

After this Shumbha sends the asura known as Raktabija, whose every drop of blood turns into a thousand warriors if allowed to fall on the ground. This asura stands for our unquenchable desires that keep multiplying even as they are satisfied.

Shumbha’s brother is Nishumbha which stands for self-pity which prevents us from putting forth our best in any endeavour. This is what Arjuna suffered from in the 2^nd chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. One by one, Durga vanquishes all of these asuras.

The 11^th chapter is a beautiful stotra to Narayani, who is the sole refuge of all “naras” or human beings.

The goddess gives all her blessings in the 12^th chapter and the 13^th chapter concludes the story of the king and the merchant whose wishes are fulfilled.

Each of these nine days has one form of Durga attached to them. Each day has a special colour which is the colour worn by the goddess on that particular day. Ladies who are doing the puja try to wear these colours every day. The goddesses are known as the Nava Durgas or the nine Durgas whose names are given below. We will be giving a detailed account of them in our next week’s blog.

1. Shailaputri – refers to Parvati or the daughter of the mountain. She is worshipped as the consort of Shiva riding the bull, Nandi, with the trident in her right hand and the lotus in her left. The colour for this day is red.

2. Brahmacharini – refers to Sathi, the previous incarnation of Parvati before she married Shiva. She is depicted as walking barefoot, holding a rosary or japamala in one hand and a kamandalu or water pot in the other. She symbolizes bliss. Blue is the colour of the day.

3. Chandrakanta – After marrying Shiva, Parvati adorned her forehead with the crescent moon (chandra). She is the embodiment of beauty and bravery. The colour for the day is yellow.

4. Kushmanda –She is said to be the creative power of the universe, associated with vegetation and hence the colour of the day is green. She has eight arms and her vehicle is a tiger.

5. Skandamata – She is the mother of Skanda (Kartikeya, the general of the gods). She is riding on a ferocious lion, has four arms and holds her baby. Grey is the colour of the day. She depicts the power of the mother when her baby is in danger.

6. Karthyayani – She was the daughter of the sage Katyayana and is an incarnation of Durga. She is the warrior goddess and is a violent form of Parvati. She rides a lion and has four hands. The colour of the day is orange.

7. Kalaratri – She is the most ferocious form of Durga. She is black in colour and wears white. Therefore the colour of the day is white.

8. Mahagauri – She is the symbol of intelligence and peace. The colour is pink.

9. Sidhidatri – Seated on a lotus she bestows all types of siddhis (extraordinary powers) to her devotees. She has four hands and is the incarnation of Saraswati. Light blue is the colour of the day.

Aum Shakti Aum

The sub-continent of Bharat is definitely one of the “Holi”est spots on earth. The culture of this land is based on the Sanatana Dharma which is the actual name of Hinduism. All the festivals of the land have some connection with the Hindu way of life. The Hindus follow the lunar calendar of twenty-eight days. The effect of the moon on the ocean is clearly visible. Oceanic tides are connected with the waxing and waning of the moon. Our bodies are made up of seventy-two percent of water. If the moon has such an amazing effect on a huge body of water like the ocean, think of how much effect it will have on us! Thus, we find that all Hindu festivals have some connection with the planets, especially the moon which has the maximum effect on us since it is closest to us. We are actually citizens of the universe and not just of the earth. Our bodies are made up of the five elements which go to make up the whole universe so everything that happens in the universe will have a reciprocal effect on us. This was totally accepted by the ancient Hindus and our way of life was closely connected with the functions of the planets. The Hindu year is divided into numerous festivals. Every month has its own festival. The difference between our ancient Hindu festivals and the modern counterparts is that our festivals always had a divine twist to them so that we might even say every day was a “holy” day in Bharat.

Many of our festivals fall on full moon or new moon days since at those times the moon’s rays have a direct effect on our bodies and minds. Holi is one of the oldest festivals in Bharat. It is a two-day festival and signifies the victory of good over evil. It marks the end of winter and celebrates the beginning of a good spring harvest season. It is also known as the festival of colours. The festival heralds the arrival of spring and the end of winter. It is an occasion to let go of past regrets and hatred – to forget and forgive and restore broken relationships. Holi starts on the evening of purnima (full moon day) in the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna. The festival is celebrated for two days, Holika Dahan or Chhoti Holi and Dhuleti, Dhulandi or Phagwah. The celebration starts on the night before Holi with Holika Dahan where religious rituals happen in front of a huge bonfire in which the demoness, Holika is burnt. This year 2026, Holi will be observed on Wednesday, March 4th.

Holi is also known as “The festival of colours.” Children and adults play with many types of coloured powders typifying the different coloured flowers that suddenly spring into bloom in this season. On this day we celebrate the coming of spring after having gone through a harsh winter.

History

The historical name for Holi is Holika. We find detailed descriptions about it in our early religious works like Jaimini’s Purva Mimasa Sutras and the Kathaka Grihya Sutras. It is also mentioned in the Narada Purana and the Bhavishya Purana. A stone inscription with reference to this festival dating to 300 BC was found in the town of Ramgarh. King Varsha also mentions this festival in his famous work “Ratnavali” that was written in the 7th century. There are also references to this festival in the sculptures in some of our mandirs. Hampi was the capital of the ancient dynasty of Vijayanagar and the mandir shows a prince and princess, with their attendants holding “pichkaris” or syringes with coloured water all set to drench the royal couple. A great number of such paintings and murals are found in many of our mandirs that show how old this particular festival is.

Holi is known by many names in the different states of Bharat. It is believed that the Holi festival was first started in the Barsana region of Vrindavana as well as the villages of Mathura and Nandgaon. The local name in Barsana was Lathmar Holi because of the strange tradition in which the village women chased men with lathis (sticks)! In the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, it was known as “Khadi Holi.” People would wear traditional clothes and sing Khadi songs. In Punjab, it was known as Hola Mohalla or warrior Holi and was observed by the Nihang Sikhs who used to display their martial arts. People of Odisha and West Bengal referred to it as Dol Jatra and Basant Utsav. In Shantiniketan, on Dol Purnima idols of Radha and Krishna are taken out in procession. In Goa, it is known as Shigmo and the farmers celebrate with traditional dances on the streets. In Manipur their famous dance called Chongba, starts from the day of the full moon, combining Hindu and indigenous traditions. In the district of Konkan, Manjal Kuli is celebrated in the Konkan mandir of Gauripuram. Bihar celebrates Holi as Phagwah while in Assam it is known as Phakuwah.

As with all Hindu festivals there are a number of typical sweets that are a must. The traditional items start with Gujiya, Dahi Vada, Moong Dal Kachauri, Malpua with the flavour of cardamom filled with sweet Khoya, Kesari and Malai Peda. Different types of simple-looking drinks are spiced up with bhang! Of these Bhang Tandai is most dangerous and can easily make us drunk. Dhuska is a Bihari dish with a crunchy and mildly sweet taste.

Most of our festivals tend to emphasise the precarious balance of good and evil both in our personal lives and in the world outside. Of course they always end in the victory of good over evil. This faith in a superior power that will always come to aid the human being, and a strong belief in the traditions that have come down to us through the ages is what binds the people of Bharat from north to south despite the divergent and varied customs that exist in every state. Luckily for us these traditions have been kept alive till this very day. Hindus re-live these stories every year and bring to life the incidents that occurred thousands of years ago.

The literal meaning of the word “holi” is “burning” and this relates it to the most prominent of the legends associated with this festival. On the eve of Holi the monstrous figure of an ogress called Holika is burnt with great glee in all villages. Holika was the sister of a great demon king called Hiranyakashyapa. She had a boon that she could never be burnt by fire. The demon king had declared that he and he alone was the only God and nobody should worship any god except him in his kingdom under pain of death. Unfortunately for him, his youngest son Prahlada was a great devotee of Vishnu. When the king found this out, he tried various means to kill his son but somehow the child was saved by divine intervention. Vishnu was not one to forsake his devotee. At last Hiranyakashyapa had the brilliant idea of burning the boy by placing him on the lap of his sister Holika who he believed to be impervious to fire because of a boon she had received. However, at the end of the burning session, Holika was burnt to cinders and Prahlada came out unscathed. This is one of the most famous legends connected with the festival of Holi.

The ceremony of Holika Dahan is observed on the full moon night in the month of Phalguna. The event is celebrated by the burning of Holika on huge wooden pyres all across the northern states in Bharat (and also in the western state of Gujarat). People start collecting wood for many days before the actual event and the pyre is built over time by kids and adults alike. On the night of Holika Dahan, huge crowds gather around the pyre and make offerings of barley and wheat (from the freshly harvested crops) and priests make offerings of coconuts into the fire. The pyre is then lit to chants of “holi hai, holi hai” (it is holi, it is holi!). Once the fire cools down, the Holi festival begins by people smearing the ashes from the fire on each other.

The spiritual significance of this event is that people participating in the Holika Dahan are pledging to “burn away” their bad habits accumulated over the year and renew their faith in Lord Vishnu.

In some parts of Bengal and Orissa, Holi is connected with the birth of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the great devotee of Lord Krishna.

Nowadays we find the western world has many types of days dedicated to mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sweethearts etc. Hinduism always recognised the need for the human mind to fix itself on some point or other and therefore we always had specific days for all types of relationships. In one of the legends connected with Holi we find that it commemorates the great love between Radha and Krishna and hence we find it is one of the biggest festivals in Vrindavan. It is said that Krishna asked his mother why he was so dark and Radha so fair and his mother told him to get some colours and apply it on Radha’s face so that she would become any colour he chose. He proceeded to do so and all the other gopis followed suit and thus it turned to be a great festival. Strangely enough Holi comes soon after the modern Valentine’s Day.

Another legend is connected with the burning of Kama, the God of Desire by Lord Shiva when he tried to test him.

Still another legend connects it with the ogress Dundhi who used to molest children. The children used to shout and throw colours at her to drive her away.

As can be noticed all these legends except that of Radha/Krishna, display the triumph of good over evil and how devotion to God will always bring good results.

It is a day of particular freedom for kids who look forward to this day with great anticipation. Water balloons filled with coloured water are hurled at passers-by, pichkaris (water guns) filled with water are squirted in all directions and rowdy street gangs roam the neighborhood hurling all sorts of water at everyone. Adults of course prefer to observe a dry holi by greeting fellow guests with gulaal (coloured powders of various hues).

Actually, all Hindu festivals though based on legends, always had a utilitarian and scientific side to them. Traditionally the colours were made out of neem, kumkum, haldi, bilva and other medicinal herbs prescribed by Ayurvedic doctors. Coloured stones were also ground into powder. Biologists say that natural colours can enter the body through our skin and have the effect of strengthening the ions, thus contributing to both health and beauty. The burning of Holika is also supposed to kill bacteria in the air.

Thus, we see that the legends connected with Holi are as colourful as Holi itself and range in shades of love and devotion to the darkness created by demons and ogres. What is more remarkable is that even after six hundred years of foreign rule and sixty-five years of the rule of a government that tried its best to stamp out Hinduism under the pretext of “secularism,” millions of Hindus still have faith in these legends and festivals and relive them year after year. This is the faith that has kept the culture of Bharat intact for thousands of years. This is the miracle of the Sanatana Dharma – the Ancient Law of Righteousness that has survived the onslaughts of repeated attacks by foreign powers that were determined to wipe out this culture and replace it with their own superficial beliefs based on totally false premises.

The Sanskrit word for Eclipse is “Grahanam”. Aryabhatta the great Indian astronomer (476 C.E) was the first person in the world who did deep research into this dramatic astronomical event called the eclipse and discovered how it was caused. He gave the perfect scientific explanation for it way back in the fifth century- long before the western scientists even thought about it. So Indians were well aware of the scientific facts behind this phenomenon. In the ancient world people were more superstitious and less scientific than they are now so our sages always clothed the scientific facts behind all natural phenomena in beautiful stories so as to make them more palatable to the ordinary person. Hence we find that our Puranas contain thousands of stories that actually hide deep scientific truths. All the dos and don’ts that have been given to us to be followed during the time of an eclipse are based on some scientific truth and should not be shrugged off as superstitious nonsense. More and more of these so called “superstitious nonsense” are being found to be absolutely scientific by modern scientists!

The Vedic gods or devas were immortal beings who always followed dharma even though sometimes you find that they could also become corrupt. The demons or asuras were their opposite and were always trying to oust them from heaven. This is a symbolic picture of the fight between evil and good which is always going on everywhere in the outside world and within our own minds. Just as darkness cannot withstand light, the asuras could not withstand the power of the devas. However, just as darkness can temporarily overshadow light, the gods also used to suffer temporary defeat at the hands of the demons.

The puranic story of the cause of an eclipse in Hindu mythology dates back to the samudra mathanam, as described in both the Bhagawat and Vishnu Puranas. Once upon a time, the devas lost their youth after having been cursed by the Rishi Durvasa. The asuras defeated them and took over the heavens. The devas sadly went to Vishnu to seek his help. He advised them to churn the milky ocean on which he rested on his serpent bed. They would then get the amrita or the elixir of immortality by drinking which they would regain their lost youth. For this they were forced to ask the help of their arch enemies the asuras who promised to help them if they agreed to give them half of the amrita. After churning for a long time amrita came out of the ocean. Since the devas were very weak, the asuras snatched the pot of amrita and ran off to eat it all by themselves. The devas were frantic and begged Lord Vishnu to help them. Vishnu immediately took on the form of a beautiful woman called Mohini and went to the place where the asuras were busy quarrelling amongst themselves as to who should get the largest share. Mohini offered to portion it for them and made them sit in a line. She insisted that the devas should get their fair share and told them to sit in a line opposite the asuras. Everyone was told to sit with eyes closed till she had finished serving. Since the asuras had tried to cheat the devas out of their share of the elixir, Vishnu, disguised as Mohini, served all the amrita to the devas. Moreover it would have been unwise to give immortality to such cruel beings like the asuras. One of the asuras, called Svarbhanu saw what was going on and disguised himself as a deva, and sat between the Sun and the Moon and got a share of the elixir.

When Mohini came near them, the Sun (Surya) and the Moon (Soma) revealed to her that Svarbhanu was a demon. By this time, however, Svarbhanu had already taken a little of the drink. Vishnu immediately cut off his head, but since the demon had already swallowed a bit of the nectar, the two pieces became immortal. The two demons came to be known as Rahu and Ketu and assumed the body of a snake, one having a head and the other the tail. They have been added to the planetary system as shadow planets and make up the nine planets of Vedic cosmology. Since their plans were thwarted by Surya and Soma (sun and moon), they are always on the look out to take revenge on them. At specific times, Rahu swallows the sun and Ketu, the moon. When this happens Surya and Soma are said to be filled with fear since their brilliance is overshadowed by the darkness of the demons. Just as dark rain clouds temporarily cover the sun and moon and create darkness, so these planets overshadow the light and positive influences of the sun and moon and create temporary darkness. This is the beautiful story behind this amazing phenomenon.

This story is considered to be so important that it is repeated in many of our Puranas so it has to have a deep esoteric meaning. The scientific import of this story can only be understood by the modern mind which has some idea of quantum physics. As we know Einstein blasted the Newtonian theory that matter is made of solid particles called “atoms” and declared that matter is actually “energy in motion”! The quantum physicists went further to say that there is an underlying energy that supports the whole of this material world which is a heaving mass of energy particles called protons, neutrons, electrons and so on. This is like an ocean. Actually they called it a “field” – “the quantum field” which they declared to be the basis of all existing phenomena. In fact it was the “Field of all possibilities”. Einstein even went so far as to say that “The Field is the only Truth.”

Now can we start to imagine the connection between the ocean on which the Lord reclines on his bed made out of a huge snake called “Ananta” or “endless”? This is the ocean of all possibilities described as “the field of all possibilities” by modern physicists. The two factions of devas and asuras who churned this field are the positive and negative thoughts that are always swaying our mind, now here, now there. The Meru Mountain which they used as a churn is “Space”, and the snake they used as a rope is “Time” which is Ananta or “endless”. Thus by using the churn of “space” and the rope of “time”, each one of us churns out for oneself, from this ocean of all possibilities, whatever we desire. All sorts of things came out of this ocean. Some are grabbed by the asuras and some by the devas. What we get out of this ocean depends on the quality of our desires – whether they are negative or positive. Actually this ocean is capable of giving us anything we desire. It is also capable of giving us the highest state of immortality (amrita) if we so desire! Sometimes even when this state seems to be within our grasp some negative desire (asura) comes up and we are left bereft. Again we have to turn to the Lord for help. He will always help us provided our desire is pure. Thus we see that all our great Puranic stories, which are clothed in mysterious language, conceal some deep scientific truth.

Now let us see what the Veda has to say about this phenomenon of the eclipse.

The Rig Veda is the oldest record of humanity known to us. The Taittiriya Upanishad which comes in this Veda mentions a solar eclipse that was witnessed by the great Sage Atri. In the Panchavimsi Brahmana of the Rig Veda, the Rishi Atri is said to have dispelled the darkness caused by the eclipse by chanting 4 mantras. He differentiated the changes that occur during an eclipse into a 4- step process which has been verified by modern science! Research done on sea water during an eclipse reveals the startling truth behind the rishi’s statements. During the eclipse the induced gravity causes a reduction of the ozone layer in the stratosphere. This allows more cosmic radiation of different wavelengths to surface on the earth. This in turn causes changes in the oceanic pH which influences living organisms. This can be noted in the erratic behaviour of animals, birds and marine organisms. Marine organisms are seen to hide from the exposure to the sun during the time of an eclipse. Thus scientific research strongly supports the traditional Hindu view. Vedic astrologers were able to accurately predict the movement of the planets and even the comets and thus they knew exactly when eclipses would occur. It must be stressed that the fact that stories were woven over these natural occurrences did not mean that they did not know the underlying scientific reason.

Mention is also made in other places which point clearly to the fact that our ancients knew all about this phenomenon and could accurately predict the times when they would occur. How they did this without modern instrumentation is anybody’s guess. The overshadowing of one planet by another was always considered an evil omen. In the Mahabharata, sage Vyasa told King Dritarashtra of the number of evil omens that were seen before the start of the Mahabharata war, suggesting impending doom. He advised him to ask his sons to withdraw from the war.

Arjuna had taken an oath to slay Jayadratha before sunset, so the latter went into hiding. Krishna knew that a solar eclipse was going to occur and took Arjuna to the place where Jayadratha was hiding. When the sun disappeared Jayadratha crept out of his lair and was killed by Arjuna.

The Ramayana also mentions an eclipse which happened when Rama was fighting a demon.

As has been said before, Hinduism is filled with symbolism which is only a cover for the scientific facts of which they were well aware. The sun and moon have such a powerful effect on our lives that they realised that when these two orbs were temporarily cut off from us it would create a temporary aberration in the world order. Even though their influence would not last long it would still leave a mark on the celestial map as well as on the lives of all creatures living on this planet.

Eclipses overshadow our karma and destinies and create havoc in our lives, just as bad karma brings darkness into our lives and eclipses our peace of mind.

The sun, which is a major life force in the universe, disappears during the solar eclipse, making it a negative omen. The absence of the sun’s rays increases the amount of bacteria and germs in the atmosphere, thereby harming everything. These scientific truths gave rise to the superstitions surrounding the eclipses that state that harmful agents are at play during these periods, and so, all actions should be done with utmost caution. The entire period of an eclipse from the onset, to culmination is extremely important.

There are many health hazards which can affect us during this special period of time. Since micro-organisms multiply fast during an eclipse there is a tendency for food to get spoilt so we are asked not to cook during the time of the eclipse and not to eat food cooked the previous day since it would have become spoilt. Immunity to disease is also lowered so we are told not to wander all over the place but to sit in one spot and practice meditation or do mantra japa.

One should never look directly at the sun during an eclipse. Pregnant women are considered to be especially vulnerable to evil forces during eclipses. They are not allowed to go outside where the rays would be stronger. They are told to abstain from such activities like cutting vegetables and stitching clothes. This is because any cut that causes blood to flow would be dangerous since the ability to clot is reduced during an eclipse.

The mantra that is chanted during Surya Grahan by pregnant women is the Santana Gopala Mantra.

The mind is also affected during an eclipse. According to psychiatrists some individuals develop psychological problems such as depression, anxiety etc. during this period. Hence you find that eclipses were considered to be inauspicious according to Hindu thought. They are associated with suffering and adversity. If the eclipse occurs on one’s raasi or birth star, we are asked to do some special pujas.

In order to minimise the negative effects of this phenomenon we are asked to follow some rules. One should take a bath at the very onset of the eclipse. During the eclipse tarpan (offering water to deceased ancestors), chanting mantras, performing havans (fire sacrifices) and giving charity can be done. We should bathe once again at the culmination of the eclipse. It is said that during an eclipse any water becomes equivalent to the water of the sacred River Ganga. Merit increases progressively by bathing with water drawn from a water body, flowing water, water from a lake, large river, the Ganga and the sea. Special benefit is supposed to be got from bathing in the River Narmada during and after a solar eclipse. If bathing in the Narmada is not possible, one can chant the mantra which is supposed to be chanted over all waters when we take a bath.

Gange cha Yamune chaiva, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmade, Sindhu, Kaveri, jalesmin sannidhim kuru.

“O Gange, Yamune, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmade, Sindhu, Kaveri, do thou enter into this water and (make it pure)”!

This ensures that the waters of all these rivers enter into your bucket of water and purify it. This mantra can be chanted even if you are taking a shower.

The benefit derived from spiritual practices performed during an eclipse is thousands of times greater than at other times. This is precisely why it is important to give priority to spiritual practices during this period. Reading of holy books, meditation, asanas and other types of sadhana are highly beneficial and will give double their benefit when practiced during the time of an eclipse.

For spiritual practices, a solar eclipse is more beneficial than a lunar eclipse. As it is a transitory period the effects of spiritual practices performed during this period are visible at once. During a solar eclipse chanting performed with immense faith and concentration by remembering God or Guru in different ways, overcomes physical, psychological, spiritual and worldly distress. Success is certain for all spiritual tasks. No japamala (prayer beads) is required for chanting during this period.

There are some things that are forbidden during solar eclipses. No pujas should be done since we are not supposed to touch the murtis at this time. Temples are closed during an eclipse to prevent negative energy emitted by the planetary bodies from harming the murtis. After it is over the murtis have to be washed with Ganga water if available or ordinary water.

Sleeping, cooking, eating and sexual intercourse are totally prohibited during an eclipse. No food should be cooked during the eclipse. Leftovers should be eaten before the period of the eclipse. If due to some health problems we are forced to drink water we are told to put a tulsi leaf into it which will remove the negative vibrations.

It is most advisable to take a bath after the eclipse is over and change into fresh clothes. Sprinkling of Ganga water or taking a dip in the Ganga is also supposed to wash away the negativity incurred during the eclipse.

All living organisms appear to be affected by an eclipse. During this period you will find that the whole of nature seems to have withdrawn into itself. Animals and birds seldom come out. No bird sounds will be heard. A hush envelopes the countryside. Plants are all in a state of suspended animation. They seem to withdraw into themselves. Thus it is most advisable to follow the practices which our rishis had given us centuries ago and preserve our health and increase our spiritual wealth!

Let me repeat that all the “so called superstitious practices” of the Hindus always cloak deep scientific truths so even if you don’t know the reasons it would still be advisable to follow them!

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

The Hindu calendar follows the lunar month which consists of twenty-eight days. Each month has two fortnights. The dark fortnight or “krishna paksha” starts the day after the full moon or pournami and the bright fortnight “shukla paksha” starts on the first day after amavasya or new moon. The 14th night of the dark fortnight of every lunar month is known as Shivaratri – the night of Shiva. It is normally the darkest night of the month. It is the night just before the new moon. Thus, we find that there are twelve and sometimes thirteen Shivaratris in a year. However, the 14th night of the dark fortnight in the month of Magha/Phalguna (February/March) is known as Mahashivaratri or the Great Night of Shiva. This is a festival which is celebrated all over Bharat. The month of Magha is Shiva’s month and throughout this month devotees perform many rituals to him culminating in the Mahashivaratri.

Actually, Mahashivaratri is not a real festival. Festivals are celebrations with various social and cultural activities such as dancing, singing, games, wearing new clothes, visiting mandirs and of course enjoying the many types of food offerings made to the deities. However, on the day of Mahashivaratri, devotees fast, instead of feasting. Instead of becoming bhogis or lovers of worldly pleasures, they become yogis or ascetics. They fast and do penance to earn the grace of Shiva – the Adi Yogi, the first ascetic. They not only abstain from food until the ritual is completed at 2 am but also from all forms of worldly enjoyments.

On the night of Mahashivaratri, the planet is tilted in exactly the right angle for people living in the northern hemisphere of the world to feel an upsurge of energy. This energy can either be directed towards spiritual activities or be dissipated in commonplace actions. The Hindu tradition never lost any opportunity to give a push to the individual to accelerate his move towards the divine. Therefore, the festival of Mahashivaratri was established to make use of this spurt of energy and give it a thrust in the right direction. This is the day when nature is pushing us towards our spiritual peak. It is to make use of this, that the rishis established this night-long vigil. This is the reason why we are asked to keep awake during the night and remain with our spinal cord erect so as to facilitate the movement of the energy upwards. Spiritual energy always goes upwards through the spinal column.

As usual with all Hindu festivals and religious occasions, it has a deep esoteric meaning. The obscure reason behind every Hindu festival or ritual is to give an opportunity to the small, limited, individual ego to expand to its infinite boundless state. The smaller Shivaratris in all the other months are commonly known as “pradosham” which literally means, “that which removes all sins.” The time for pradosham lies between one and a half hours before and one and a half hours after sunset. Pradosham is a bimonthly occasion on the 13th or 14th day of every lunar fortnight in the Hindu calendar. At this time it is said that the sun and moon are in a horizontal line. There are certain vibrations during this time which help to remove our negative karmas. In the case of the Mahashivaratri these vibrations are amplified.

The rishis of ancient Bharat were intimately connected with the movement of the planets. They gave us instructions on how best we could make use of planetary positions and dispositions in order to allow our human system to rise to its highest potential. This year – 2026, Mahashivaratri falls on the 15th of Feb.

Shiva is the destroyer in the Hindu Trinity. The Shiva Tattva or his destructive power is supposed to come in closest contact with the earth at these times and especially on the night of Mahashivaratri. This destructive power is invoked in order to destroy the negative tendencies that we have accumulated during the year.

Mahashivaratri is an opportunity to bring you to experience the vast emptiness within us and outside us, which is the source of all creation. It gives us an opportunity to experience that vastness or unlimited energy that Shiva signifies, which is responsible for the construction as well as the destruction of all creation. Even though Shiva is known as the destroyer, he is also the most compassionate. He is furthermore known to be the greatest of all givers. Our Puranas are filled with countless stories about his compassion and generosity.

Shiva is the wielder of power! On this day the power he wields over the universe increases hundredfold. His role is not just destruction but “creative destruction.” This means that his destruction has a purpose. It is not mere annihilation but transformation. So, on this Great Night of Shiva we invoke him and beg him to destroy all the blocks in our system that act as impediments in the way of our spiritual progress. Before the night starts we should make a list of all our negative tendencies and concentrate on two or three of them and work on them during the long hours of vigil during the night of Mahashivaratri.

On this night devotees worship Shiva in four different forms during each of the four successive three-hour periods of the night known as “praharas.” During the first period he has to be bathed in milk, during the second period in curd, ghee during the third period and honey in the fourth. Of course water especially Ganga water is most important in all his pujas. Normally these abhishekams are done with the chanting of the Rudri which is a famous hymn to Shiva found in the Yajur Veda. Those who do not know the Rudri can also chant the “Panchakshari Mantra” which is Aum Namashivaya. It is customary to offer him bel or “vilva” leaves during the pujas. These leaves are said to be more precious to him than jewels and flowers. He is supposed to love datura flowers as well as the leaves of the cannabis plant. You will find that many of the plants ascribed as being pleasing to him are medicinal and some are even poisonous.

The rishis wove stories around deep spiritual truths in order to make them more palatable to the common man. Their desire was to turn everyone into a yogi and bring out the deep, hidden divine potential in every human being. The esoteric meaning behind Mahashivaratri is camouflaged in the famous story in the Puranas known as the “Churning of the Milky Ocean.” Once it is said that the devas or gods became very weak and lost their youth due to the curse of the rishi called Durvasa. The asuras or demons took this opportunity to oust the gods and grab the heavens for themselves. The miserable gods went with their tale of woe to Vishnu who comforted them and told them that they would get back their youth and strength by imbibing the “amritam” or nectar of immortality which could be got by churning the Milky Ocean on which he himself was resting. Of course the devas were totally incapable of taking on such a stupendous task. They were forced to ask for help from their bitter enemies, the asuras. The asuras agreed provided they were given half the nectar, to which the devas were forced to assent.

In olden days people used to make butter by churning yogurt. They tied a rope round a pillar and wound the rope round a wooden churn and kept on churning manually until butter rose to the top. Using this principle, the devas used the mountain called Mandara as a churn, and the snake, Ananta (on which Vishnu was lying), as a rope. The devas caught the tail of the snake and the asuras the head and they churned merrily for some days. After some time the snake started getting a bit sick of the whole affair and started to vomit the most virulent poison called “Halahala.” Had the poison fallen to the ground, everything on the earth would surely have perished. Both the gods and the demons were in a panic and prayed to Lord Shiva to come to their help. Shiva, the compassionate one, came immediately and caught the poison in his palms and drank it. His wife Parvati, forgetting his greatness, was terrified that it would kill him and caught his throat so that the poison congealed on his neck and turned it blue. This is how he got the name “Neelakanda” or the blue-necked one. Thus, Shiva became the “Saviour of the World.” It is common knowledge that one who has been bitten by a snake or taken poison should not be allowed to sleep, so it is said that the devas and the asuras as well as all the sages who had assembled there, kept vigil the whole night extolling Lord Shiva and chanting his names. This was the night of Mahashivaratri.

This is the story told to people in order to encourage them to keep a fast and stay awake the whole night with spine erect. Of course the esoteric secret behind the whole story has been given at the beginning of this article. In olden days people needed some story which would arouse their religious fervour in order to make them follow spiritual instructions. By following these instructions, they would benefit from the deep spiritual and scientific reasons, underlying the story which they could not intellectually understand. This is how the rishis ensured that profound spiritual truths were followed by common people so that they would all get the full benefit even though they did not understand the science behind it. Bel leaves, white flowers and ashes (vibhuti) are all special for Shiva. Again, the esoteric reason behind this is that these three things have the ability to attract positive vibrations so we are asked to apply “vibhuti” on our upper chakras before sitting for puja or meditation. Bel leaves and white flowers are always offered to Shiva during his pujas (rituals). The mantra for Shiva is the five-syllabled mantra – Aum Na-ma-shi-va-ya.

Mahashivaratri is also regarded as the union of Shiva and Shakti. Lord Shiva after losing his first wife Sati went into deep meditation. It is believed that Sati took rebirth as Parvati and wanted to unite with Shiva once again. Shiva was in deep meditation. However much she tried, Parvati could not shake him from his tapas. She was forced to take the help of Kamadeva, the God of Love, who shot his desire-filled arrow at Shiva and disturbed his tapas. Shiva turned round to see who had disturbed him and saw Kamadeva. He opened his third eye and turned him into ashes. Later Parvati did intense tapas until Shiva relented and agreed to marry her. At last they were united in the form of “Shiva-Shakti” or the “Ardhnareeshwara” (half male and half female) form of Shiva and the divine occasion of their re-union is celebrated as Mahashivaratri.

In the Kashmir valley, the Pundits used to celebrate Mahashivaratri for fifteen days before they were driven out of the valley by the Muslims. The story told by them was that Mahashivaratri was the day on which Shiva and Parvati got married.

Many other stories are also told to encourage people to keep the fast and stay awake the whole night.

There is a famous story about a man called Lubdhaka who was a poor tribal and a devout worshipper of Lord Shiva. Once he went into the jungle to collect firewood. As darkness engulfed the forest, Lubdhaka lost his way and could not return back to his house. He could hear the roars and growls of tigers and other wild animals coming closer and closer and was terrified. In despair he hastily climbed the nearest tree which happened to be a bel tree. He could see the tigers prowling beneath the tree and was terrified that he might doze off and fall off the tree. To keep himself awake, Lubdhaka plucked one leaf after another from the bel tree and dropped them down while chanting the Panchakshari Mantra (Aum Namashivaya). Unknown to him there was a small Shivalingam beneath the tree so all the bel leaves were being dropped on top of it. This happened to be the 14th night of the dark phase of the moon in the month of Magha/Phalguna – Mahashivaratri. Unknowingly he had actually performed the Mahashivaratri puja which specifies that we have to keep awake the whole night and chant the names of Lord Shiva. It is said that Lubdhaka was blessed by Shiva and given liberation or moksha.

Another story is about a king called Sundaresan who went hunting to the forest on his horse. He could not find any animal and by the end of the day he was totally exhausted since he had not eaten anything. He spent the night near a pond where there was a Shivalingam and chanted the Panchakshari Mantra while plucking bel leaves and dropping them to the ground. In the morning he saw the Shivalingam and cleaned the leaves on top of it. This happened to be the night of Mahashivaratri. When he died the attendants of Yama, the king of death, tied him with a rope and were all set to take him to the nether world. However, the ganas or attendants of Shiva forestalled them and told them that he was a great devotee of Shiva and thus he could not be taken to the abode of Death but would be escorted by them to Shiva, the abode of Immortality.

These stories are told to people in order to encourage them to keep vigil on this night. Even though people are not aware of the esoteric reason behind the practice they would still attain a high state of spiritual awakening if they followed the instructions. Thus, everyone was exhorted to keep up the practice of fasting and keeping awake on Mahashivaratri – The Great Night of Shiva!

This year 2026 Mahashivaratri is on the 15th of Feb. May everyone be showered with Lord Shiva’s grace and attain the fourth goal of human life.

Aum Namashivaya!

The Hindu year is divided into two sections known as Uttarayanam which extends from January 14^th to July 14^th or 15^th and Dakshinayanam which is from July 15^th to January 14^th when the sun is seen to be slowly moving towards the south. “Uttara” means north and “Dakshina” means south. “Ayanam” means “way”, so Uttarayanam is the northern path of the sun and Dakshinayanam is the southern path of the sun.

Uttarayanam is considered to be very auspicious for celebrating all noble events like marriages, house warming etc. It is said to be the “day of the gods” just as Dakshinayanam is said to be their night. Thus, Uttarayanam is also said to be the best time for the year to depart from this planet since the gods will be awake to welcome you! The great Mahabharata war took place in December during Dakshinayanam. Bhishma was the son of Ganga and the great-grandsire of both the Pandavas and the Kauravas. He was the great hero of the battle and supposed to be invincible. He was the most revered character in the Mahabharata.

However, he fell on the 10^th day of battle. So many arrows had pierced through him that as he fell backwards, he was supported by the arrows which made a macabre bed for him. The battle stopped when he fell and both parties flocked around him to pay their last respects. He had been given the boon that he could choose the time of his departure from this planet and he chose not to die at this inauspicious time of Dakshinayanam. He told them to shift him to a safe place where he could stay till Uttarayanam began.

Even though Uttarayanam begins on the 14^th January, the sun does not start its northward journey till “Ratha Saptami” which occurs on the 7^th day of the bright phase of the lunar month. So, Bhishma waited on his bed of arrows till the 8^th day of the lunar month and left his mortal frame. This day is known as Bhishma Ashtami and this is the day when the great hero left his body and rose to the celestial regions. Lord Krishna and the Pandavas were with him at this time. Lord Krishna stood at his feet and looked at him with love overflowing from his eyes. Bhishma was filled with ecstasy. He beheld that wondrous form in front of him and extolled him by chanting the famous “Vishnu Sahasranama” – the one thousand and one names of Lord Vishnu! Krishna gave him the final benediction and allowed him to leave his mortal frame.

This happened on the 8^th day of the bright fortnight of the month of Magha - January/February and hence it is celebrated as Bhishmashtami. This is celebrated in most parts of Bharat. In the state of Bengal, special pujas and rituals are held during the day. The day is celebrated with great dedication and fervour in Vishnu temples all over the country.

Childless couples as well as newly married couples observe a strict fast on this day, in order to be blessed with a noble son like Bhishma. The fast is supposed to take away “putra dosha” or inability to have children.

Thus, our Itihasas (The Ramayana and the Mahabharata) have given us untold profiles of noble souls whose footsteps we should follow and many asuric characters whose characteristics we should avoid!

This year, 2026, Ratha Saptami is on Sunday 25^th January and Bhishmashtami is on Monday 26^th January.

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Pongal is one of the major festivals of South India. This festival is celebrated for a period of four days beginning with Makara Sankranti. This year - 2026, the Pongal festival starts on Wednesday, 14 January and ends on Saturday 17th January. Makara Sankranti is always on the 14^th January since it is the only Hindu festival that follows the solar calendar so it always falls on the same day. It is the day on which the sun begins its northern journey and comes into the 10^th house of the Vedic zodiac which is “makara” or Capricorn. It is the beginning of the six month period of the Hindu calendar known as Uttarayanam or the northward path of the sun. The Pongal festival is a four-day affair. Each day is marked by different festivities. The first day is known as Bhogi Pongol. The second day is called Thai Pongal; the Third day is known as Mattu Pongal; the Fourth day is called Kaanum Pongal.

On the 1st day called Bhogi, people collect all the old and useless things in the house and burn them. The esoteric meaning is that we should burn our negative memories and tendencies and other useless bits of baggage that the mind carries before the start of a new year . The 2^nd day is called Thai Pongol since it comes on the 1^st day of the Tamil month of Thai. This is the day when we make “payasam” or “kheer” to be offered to the sun. The 3^rd day is called Mattu Pongol. “Madu” means “cattle” in Tamil. This is a very sweet custom when the farmers bring out their cattle and decorate them and feed them with tasty tit-bits in order to show their appreciation for the help they have rendered during the year. The famous game called “jellikettu” takes place on this day which is actually a bull race. The fourth and the final day is celebrated as Kaanum Pongal. On this day, the leftovers (food) are placed on a washed turmeric leaf along with sugarcane and betel leaves and put out for the birds and insects to eat. The women then perform a ritual praying for the prosperity of their brothers. On this day people go and visit relatives and friends or just go for outings in nature.

The life of a farmer in Bharat is indeed hard. He has to take bank loans for getting fodder and seeds etc and despite all his hard work, the monsoons may fail or prices fall and he will be unable to repay the loan. We seldom think of these things when we eat the rice or the chapattis on our plate.

The history of this festival can be traced back to the times of the Sangam Age i.e. from 200 B.C.E to 300 C.E. Many of the Puranas also mention Pongal. Initially, this festival was celebrated as a Dravidian Harvest festival during the reign of the Dravidian kings of Indian history. At that time it was known as Thai Niradal. It was the custom in those days for unmarried girls to fast and pray to the goddess Kartyayani for the agricultural prosperity of the country.

Then came the Pallava dynasty who used to celebrate the festival as ‘'Pavai Nonbu'. It was celebrated during the Tamil month of Margazhi. Young girls carried on the tradition by offering prayers to the goddess for sending rain and having a good crop. Throughout the month of this festivity, they did not consume milk or any milk products. Neither did they put oil in their hair during this period. In other words they followed a strict regime of avoiding all luxuries and concentrating on praying for the prosperity of their land.

The festival as well as the penances which the girls undertook have been vividly described in Andal's Tiruppavai and Manickavachakar's Tiruvembavai. Andal was a famous woman saint of Tamil Nadu and Manickavachakar was one of the four ardent devotees of Lord Shiva. The Chola King, Kiluttunga used to present lands to the Veeraraghava temple at Tiruvallur, to ensure that the festival was celebrated on a grand scale. So we can see the antiquity of this festival.

It is basically a harvest festival in Tamil Nadu and newly harvested grains like rice, sugarcane, turmeric, are cooked for the first time on this day.

On this auspicious day the sun is worshipped as the embodiment of the divine. The sun is considered as the “pratyaksha devata” or the god that is visible to our eyes.

The term 'Pongal' is derived from the Tamil language and means 'to boil over'. On the 2^nd day known as Thai Pongol (Makara Sankranti in the north) a concoction of milk, sugar and rice known as “payasam” is cooked in a mud pot (preferably) outside the house, facing east. The “payasam” or “kheer” is supposed to boil over just as the sun rises. This is an offering to the sun . This is later distributed to everyone. Ven Pongal is another dish that is a must for this festival. It is basically a type of kichadi with rice and mung dal and lots of ghee.

The poor are fed and given clothes on this occasion. The next day is known as “Mattu Pongal.” On this day the cow is worshipped. Other animals and birds are also fed. It is a form of thanksgiving to the entire creation and the power that sustains all life. On the third day there is big gathering of all the family, relations and friends. So the whole festival is about restoring our relationships with everything and everyone – with Nature, with the universe and with each other.

It is an interesting fact that all Hindu festivals have some association with the planets, in this case with the sun. Bharat is an ancient country and we have always upkept our traditions. This is what has kept our country and our culture together. Our culture is being buffeted by so many western influences at this point of time in our history that our children have very little idea about all these festivals. The Sanatana Dharma is the oldest and most precious culture ever seen in the world and this generation has a very serious duty to keep it alive. So it is very important that all Hindu households keep following these traditions so that we can hand over this precious gift to the next generation.

Loka Samasthat Sukhino Bhavantu!

May the Whole World be Happy!

The Solar Year or Varsha is divided into two halves. If we mark the position of the

sunrise on the horizon every day, we will notice that from January 14 th to July 16 th it

seems to be drifting slowly towards the North and from July 16 th to January 14 th it drifts towards the south along the same route.

Starting from Makara Sankranti on January 14 th , the six months of the sun’s northward movement towards the Tropic of Cancer is called Uttarayanam ( uttara- north, ayanam- path or movement). Similarly, starting from July 16 th , the 6 months of the movement to the south towards Tropic of Capricorn is called Dakshinayanam (dakshina-south; ayanam- path or movement). The six months of Uttarayanam are considered auspicious because we appear to be travelling towards the sun.

The path taken by the earth to go round the sun is elliptical. Since it is tilted at 23.5

degree on its axis, different places on the planet receive different amounts of sunlight

during its journey round the sun. The day that it reaches the farthest point from the sun is referred to as a solstice. Due to the tilt, at one end of the elliptical path, the Tropic of Cancer is in line with the sun and at the other end, the tropic of Capricorn. These mark the extreme north and south latitudes (+23.5° and -23.5°) where the sun appears to take a dramatic turn when observed from earth.

The change in the sun’s relationship with the earth plays a significant part in the lives of people especially those who live in the northern hemisphere, because this is the part that gets the maximum impact. We are part and parcel of our galaxy and we can’t escape the changes that take place on our planet. This planet earth is our abode. If anything happens to the house we live in, it will naturally affect the lives of those who live in it!

All through the sun’s peregrination towards the north-east for six months of the year

and south-east for another six months, the strange fact is that it will never rise exactly in the east except on March 21st and September 23rd. Needless to say that the sun never travels. This is an illusion caused by the tilt of the earth on its axis and its movement round the sun. This is what makes it appear as if the sun is drifting towards the north- east and south-east.

The rishis who were the founders of the Sanatana Dharma were experts at

camouflaging dry, scientific truths with imaginative stories. They knew that the only

way to teach science to the masses was to put it in the form of stories. These stories were woven into the very structure of our culture so that even a small child could appreciate it. So, they said that one human year is the equivalent of one divine day of the gods. The six months of Uttarayanam is their daytime and the six months of Dakshinayanam is their night. So now that Dakshinayanam is coming to a close, the gods are just waking up after their sleep so it’s very auspicious to waken them with hymns and pujas and other spiritual practices. If people were told to do all these things because it was good for them, they might not have listened but since a story was woven round it, people followed them blindly.

Thus Uttarayanam marks the daytime of the gods or devas. Harvest and spring

festivals, marriages and other auspicious occasions are celebrated during Uttarayanam

since the gods are awake and presiding over the functions. This period starts with short days but over the next six months, the days become longer and longer. Energy levels in our body rise and things happen more easily. We are more receptive to spiritual grace and reap the harvest of our previous sadhana or spiritual practices.

Uttarayanam is also called the Kaivalya Pada, the time between the winter solstice and

spring equinox. This is the period of receptivity, grace and enlightenment. This is the

reason that in the Mahabharata, Bhishma chose to wait for Uttarayanam before giving

up his life. It is also believed that the Ganga descended from heaven and reached the

earth on the auspicious day of Makara Sankranti which marks the start of

Uttarayanam.

The six months of Uttarayanam are divided into three ritus or seasons, though actually

it starts with the last bit of winter also. Phalguna (Vasanta), Spring, mid-January to

mid-March, Greeshma (summer), mid-March to mid-May, Varsha, Monsoon, mid-May

to mid-July. Each season is marked with a variety of rituals and festivals to allow us to

sync our energies with that of the sun. All these benefit us both physically and

spiritually. This is the period when the sun’s energies come into prominence and

Dakshinayana is the time when the moon’s energies are more dominating.

Hence Uttarayanam, when the forces of the sun are supreme, can be compared to the

“yang” or masculine aspect when the forces of spirituality come into prominence.

Dakshinayanam is the time when the moon comes into play and this can be compared to the “yin” or feminine aspect which is the body/mind duality. When the earth turns her aura from masculine to feminine, significant changes take place in both the mind and body of the humans inhabiting the planet.

Interestingly, in our culture, even diet and yogic practices were adapted to these

seasons. Each season dictates the type of food eaten in different parts of the country.

Heavy, greasy food, and foods which create heat are eaten in winter. Watery vegetables

to hydrate and pungent and salty foods which induce sweating are eaten to cool the

body in summer. Periodic fasting also helps the body to adapt to the changes in the

sun’s energies. So we have two Navaratris one during Uttarayanam and one during

Dakshinayanam which gives us an opportunity to fast.

The first festival in Spring is Vasant Panchami. It signals the shift between seasons,

helping us to shift our dietary pattern. During winter we are advised to eat jaggery and

sesame seeds for warmth. These are kept aside after Vaisaki, when the weather starts to turn warm. Once, we understand the connection between Hindu practices and science we will see that all our traditions are extremely logical and scientific.

The change in the sun’s relationship with our planet has a significant impact on the lives of all the people who live between eighteen degrees to forty-eight degrees north latitude since this is the part that gets the maximum impact during the shift. Human beings are made up of the five elements that compose the earth so we are really pieces of the planet earth. So, whatever happens to the planet will have a tremendous effect on the human system. We have to cultivate the sensitivity to make use of it. Actually, we are unconsciously affected by these forces. We behave and function better on some days and at certain times. We do not realise that this is because the dynamics of the whole planet are working on us. If our body is brought to a certain level of sensitivity, it will be able to keep in perfect tune with the whole cosmos. The microcosm is only a mirror of the macrocosm and everything that happens in the external sphere manifests itself in subtle ways in our bodies. Both our bodies and minds will work at a superior level if we keep them aligned to the movement of the sun and moon during Uttarayanam and Dakshinayanam. We have been given a discriminating intellect by which we can become aware of the movement of the planets and stars and we can use this knowledge to create a healthy, holistic and consciously intuitive lifestyle. In modern times where our lives are cluttered with too many conveniences, most of us are not even aware of this connection and are totally oblivious of what is happening in the nature outside.

It is said that the months of Dakshinayanam should be used for purification and intense sadhana which will bring benefits and lead to enlightenment in Uttarayanam.

The esoteric reason is that during Uttarayanam, the energy of the sun travels from our

lower chakras to the higher. It moves from the (Muladhara Chakra) which is the lowest

which corresponds to Capricorn, through (Swadhistana Chakra), corresponding to

Piscess, (Manipura Chakra) corresponding to Aries, (Anahata Chakra), corresponding

to Taurus, (Vishuddha Chakra) corresponding to Gemini and finally reaches the (Ajna

Chakra) commonly known as the Third Eye, which corresponds to Cancer/Leo. Each

chakra is connected with a planet though we don’t know it.

The three lower chakras — Muladhara, Swadishtana and Manipuraka keep the body

rooted to the earth element and are necessary for our basic survival. Fear and anger are

the basic traits of people who are fixed in these three chakras. If our energies are

concentrated on this, we will be more interested in things like food, sex, pleasure and so on. The three chakras on the top- Vishuddhi, Ajna and Sahasrara are always trying to pull us away from the obsession with the physical. During the period of Dakshinayanam we will find that it is easier to cleanse the three lower chakras and during Uttarayanam we will find that the three upper chakras will be able to guide us to higher realms of consciousness.

The Anahata chakra or the heart chakra is the one that acts as a balance between these

two forces, one centrifugal and the other centripetal. Love is the only thing that can lure us away from our basic instinct for survival. For instance, a mother, whether it be

animal, bird or human will be prepared to sacrifice its life for the sake of its children.

Since the sun is starting on its northward journey from this day of Makara Sankranti,

we begin the morning by worshipping the sun. A fire is built facing the east and a

mixture of milk, rice and sugar is cooked on this fire. The milk should boil over just as

the sun rises on the horizon. It should be offered to the sun. This payasam (kind of

pudding) is then distributed to everyone. This festival is known as Pongol in South

India. Thus, the rishis saw to it that dry scientific facts were combined with interesting rituals so that they would be remembered and followed even by those who did not have a scientific mind.

However, the modern mind readily accepts scientific facts so the time is ripe to bring

these scientific facts to the common people so they will begin to understand.

If we want to make use of the energy of the planets to bring health to the body and rid

ourselves of diseases, a proper understanding and appreciation of what is happening in Nature is essential. We should keep our internal mechanism in tune with the movements of the sun, moon, earth and other planets; we should align our inner self with the movement of the sun during Uttarayanam and Dakshinayanam.

Makara Sankranti is the one date in the Hindu almanac that follows the “solar

calendar”. Therefore, it always comes on 14 th January. Uttarayanam starts from that

date onwards.

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Kala means “time” and Bhairava means “frightening”. Of course, “time” is always frightening since we cannot control it. Kala Bhairava is a unique manifestation of Shiva, which is in the form of time. We cannot manage time because it is running at its own pace. Energy we can manage, we can play with it. But there is a certain dimension of consciousness, which can go beyond time. That dimension of consciousness is referred to as Kala Bhairava. This means that if we pray to him, he can take us beyond “time” and beyond “fear”.

His Jayanti or birthday, falls on the 8^th lunar day -Ashtami, of the waning phase (Krishna Paksha) of the lunar month of Kartika (November) This year, 2025, it falls on 12^th November.

As usual, the Puranas give an interesting story about his origin. This story is taken from the Shiva Maha Purana. Brahma is the creator in the Hindu trinity. Once he became very haughty and decided that he was superior to Shiva. It is said that Shiva laughed and plucked the nail from his small finger and threw it at Brahma. The nail assumed the form of Kala Bhairava and cut off Brahma’s head. He held Brahma’s head as a begging bowl in his hand. This act totally destroyed Brahma’s ego.

It is said that Shiva in the form of Kala Bhairava guards all the 108 Shakti Peethas.

He is depicted in a sort of dwarfish form wearing ornaments of twisted serpents which serve as earrings, bracelets, anklets and even the sacred thread. He is clad in a tiger skin and a sort of apron made of human bones. His vehicle is a dog.

He is the guru of the planetary deity – Shani or Saturn so those who have Shani dosha in the horoscope should worship Kala Bhairava on his birthday.

If the Bhairava Ashtami falls on Sunday or Tuesday it is considered to be especially powerful.

He is specifically worshipped for success, wealth, health and removal of obstacles. His devotee will be free from fear of death in the form of Time!

He can be worshipped by chanting his gayatri.

Aum kaalakaalaaya vidmahe,

Kaalatheethaaya dheemahi

Tanno bhairav prachodayath

Aum Kalabhairavaya namaha!

The month of Kartika is considered to be the holiest month in the Hindu lunar calendar. Kartika Purnima is also known as “Tripurari Purnima” as it commemorates the victory of Lord Shiva over the three demons known as Tripurasuras. If the purnima occurs on kartika nakshatram it is considered to be even more sacred and is known as Maha Kartika.

The day of Kartika Purnima is so auspicious that any religious activity done on this day gives manifold benefits. It is claimed that performing puja, dana (giving of charity) or snana (taking baths in sacred rivers), on this day is equivalent to performing a hundred Ashvamedha Yagas. It is aptly stated that taking the vow of Kartika Purnima provides us with all the goals of life – dharma, artha, kama and moksha. These are the four goals of Hinduism. They can be loosely translated as dharma – righteousness, artha – wealth, kama – pleasure and moksha or liberation.

The first incarnation of Vishnu is known as the “matsyavatara” (incarnation as the fish). This is said to have taken place on Kartika Purnima so this is a special day for worshipping Vishnu in the form of a fish.

Kartika Deepam is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Kartika according to the Indian calendar. This year 2025 it falls on Wednesday, 5^th November. This is one of the oldest festivals celebrated in South Bharat. One of the first references to the festival is the Ahananuru, a book of poems dating from the Sangham Age (200 BC to 300 AD). The Ahananuru clearly states that Kartika is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Kartika. It was one of the most important festivals of the ancient Tamils. Avaiyyar, a famous poet of the time, refers to the festival in his songs. The inscriptions in our temples also refer to the festival. A mid-16^th century inscription on the Arulalaperumal Mandir in Kanchipuram refers to the Thiru Karthikai Thirunal festival. It is basically a festival of lamps. The illuminated lamp is considered as a symbol of enlightenment. Hence, many of our Hindu festivals make use of lighted lamps. It is believed to remove the forces of evil and lead to prosperity and joy. On this day thousands of little lamps are lit in front of all houses in South Bharat.

Even though this festival is celebrated across Bharat, it is given more importance in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. This is also known as Dev Diwali. It is claimed that the gods take a dip in all the sacred rivers on this day so those who take a bath in sacred waters on this day will get their blessings. This auspicious bath is called Kartik Snan and the most important places to take the ritual bath or snan are Varanasi and Prayag Raj. The snan is done at sunrise or moonrise.

Jains celebrate this day as the “Jain Festival of Light.” For followers of Sikhism, the day of Kartika Purnima marks the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and is celebrated as Guru Nanak Jayanti.

Houses are cleaned and washed on this day. Mystic patterns or yantras called “kolams” are made in front of the house to welcome the deities. They are made with rice flour. Lamps called “agal” are placed in front of the deities in the prayer room and are also used as decorations in the kolams.

Traditionally different types of lamps are lit on this occasion. They come in different sizes, shapes and colours. Large clay lamps, stone and metal lamps are lighted in many houses. In fact, the entire house is decorated with numerous lamps. Lots of diyas or mud lamps are used like we do during Diwali but in South Bharat we find that lamps of different shapes are also used. The Lakshmi villaku (lamp) is shaped like a woman with folded hands, the Kuthu villaku is shaped like a five-petalled flower and the Gajalakshmi villaku is in the shape of an elephant. It is said that the ancient Tamils even imported lamps from Greece and Rome, through the ports of Arikamedu (near Pondicherry), Mamallai or Mamallapuram and Mylai or Mylapore (suburbs of Chennai). One of these imported lamps was in the form of a swan with a fish placed at the top. A few of these interesting lamps can still be seen in some of the old houses.

In Andhra Pradesh, a huge lamp with three hundred and sixty-five wicks is lit to ward off any evil for the whole year of three hundred and sixty-five days and the holy text of Kartika Purana is recited by a priest or some of the elders.

Some people observe a fast for the whole day and eat some special prasad at night after it has been offered to the deities.

The legend behind this festival connects all the three main deities of Hinduism – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Once it is said that Brahma and Vishnu wanted to find out who was more powerful. While they were debating about this, Shiva appeared before them in the form of an enormous pillar of fire. He asked them to find out the beginning and end of this pillar. Both of them agreed. Brahma took the form of a swan and moved upward. Vishnu took on the form of a wild boar and started burrowing down into the bowels of the earth. Even after searching for centuries neither of them could find out the top or bottom of the mighty pillar of fire. Vishnu came up and admitted defeat. On his way up Brahma saw the keora flower floating down from Shiva’s locks. He asked her to give false witness that he had reached the top of the column. She agreed, albeit reluctantly. They returned and Brahma said he had seen the top. The keora flower nodded her head in agreement. Shiva was incensed when he heard this and cursed both of them. He told Brahma that he would have no temples in his name and no one would ever worship him. He reprimanded the keora flower and said that in future she would never be used in his worship!!

Soon after, Lord Shiva appeared as a hill in Thiruvannamalai (Arunachala) in Tamil Nadu. In fact, the names “Thiruvannamalai” and “Arunachala” can both be translated as “hill of the sacred fire.” Actually Shiva has also incarnated himself in the five forms of the pancha bhutas. The pancha bhutas are the five basic elements of creation. They are akasha or ether, vayu or air, agni or fire, apas or water and prithvi or earth. The linga in the temple here is the agni linga or fire linga. When we go into the passage leading to the sanctum we feel waves of heat coming from inside. The linga at Arunachala is also one of the twelve Jyotirlingams or self-created lingas of Shiva.

On the night of the full moon in the month of Kartika, a huge bonfire is lit on top of the hill of Arunachala which can be seen for miles around. It is believed that the small lamps lit during the Kartika festival are miniature replicas of the Kartika Deepam in Thiruvannamalai. It can be seen from miles afar. This represents the column of fire by which Shiva appeared on this day in ancient times on the hill of Arunachala.

In most places the marriage of Tulsi with Vishnu is conducted on the ekadashi (11^th day) of the bright fortnight in the month of Kartika but in some places this day of Kartika Purnima or full moon in the month of Kartika is the auspicious day on which the marriage ceremony of Lord Vishnu with Devi Vrinda (Tulsi plant) is commemorated. The Tulsi plant is brought inside the house and draped with a red cloth. Lord Vishnu in the form of a saligrama (black stone denoting Vishnu) is placed beside her. There are many quaint rituals that are followed at this time, ending with an elaborate arati.

The wedding season in Bharat begins with the Tulsi Vivah day.

Pushkar is another place where the full moon in the month of Kartika is celebrated with great joy. Pushkar is a town in Rajasthan which has the only temple to Brahma in Bharat. It also has a holy lake which is supposed to have been created by Brahma. Pushkar is actually a small town which comes alive in the month of Kartika. A huge camel fair is held there every year in this month to which tribes come from all over the desert and surrounding villages. In modern times this fair has become a huge event to which people come from all over the world. The full moon rising over the desert sands presents a fantastic scene. The grand Pushkar Mela (fair) ends on the day of the full moon. This is the most important day of the mela in which thousands of devotees take a bath in the sacred waters of the Pushkar Lake. Circumambulation of the lakes are also considered to bring a lot of spiritual merit.

All Hindu festivals have reiterated this theme of taking us from darkness to light. This festival is no exception to this rule. Diwali is celebrated on the darkest night of the new moon or Amavasya and Kartika Deepam on the brightest night of the full moon or Purnima! We are reminded of the famous Vedic mantra, “Asato ma sad gamaya, Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, Mrityor ma amritam gamaya.” “Lead us from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light and from death to immortality!”

May all of us in this country and on this planet wake up to the full moon of enlightenment.

Hari Aum Tat Sat!

Chhath is an ancient festival that has its origin in the Vedas and used to be celebrated all over Bharat at one time. However, with the passage of time, it decreased in popularity and became confined to the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and the Madhesh region of Nepal.

The festival is dedicated to the worship of Surya – the deity of the sun and his sister Chhathi Maiyya, who is worshipped as the goddess of the festival. The whole puja is performed as a thanksgiving to Surya, the sun god, for supporting life on earth and seeking the divine couple’s blessings. Worship of the sun has always been given a unique position in Hinduism from Vedic times. Though our physical eyes cannot see the creator, we can see the sun which is the source of both light and life. Life on this planet would cease if there was no sun. So, in Hinduism, the sun is called pratyaksha devata – the god that is visible to the eyes.

The Hindu religion has always believed in the efficacy of the sun to give both physical and mental health and cure all types of ailments. Hence, the most famous hymn in the Vedas is the Gayatri Mantra which is an invocation to the sun to ensure longevity, prosperity, progress and well-being. The Chhath festival is the only festival that is solely devoted to the worship of the solar orb.

This festival is one that demands a lot of tapas (austerity) from its devotees. There is a rigorous routine of bathing in holy rivers or water bodies, abstinence from food and water, offering arghya (water scented with cardamom and dhruv grass) to the setting and rising sun, and meditation on the sun while standing in water! So, it’s a festival which demands great faith and dedication on the part of the devotee.

The word chhath is derived from the word shat which means six in Sanskrit. Chhath Puja is celebrated on the Shashti Tithi or the sixth day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Kartika, six days after Diwali. It is celebrated for four days starting from chaturthi or the fourth day of the bright fortnight and ending with saptami or the seventh day. The main puja known as “Chhath” actually falls on the third day which is shashti or the sixth day of the bright fortnight.

Strangely enough, the famous festival of Kartikeya known as “Skanda Shashti”, which is very popular in the south of Bharat, also falls on the same day – the sixth day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Kartika. Skanda is one of the names of Kartikeya and Shashti means the sixth day as we have seen. Kartikeya used to be a popular deity in the north at one time. Later on, he is said to have shifted to the south after a tiff with his parents. Maybe this was the time when the split occurred and the northern states kept on with the ancient Chhath Puja and the south started worshipping Kartikeya, son of Shiva and the general of the gods.

Shashti Devi or Chhathi Maiyya is said to be the manasaputri (mind-born) daughter of Brahma. In the Puranas, she is known as the mother of Katyayani, who is worshipped on the sixth day of Navaratri.

It is believed that Chhath Puja was performed during the early Vedic period by sages who would fast for days and perform the puja using mantras from the Rig Veda. The Mahabharata says that Chhath Puja was performed by Karna, the son of Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas. His father was the sun god, Surya. Karna was made the king of Anga by Duryodhana. Anga Desh is the modern city of Bhagalpur in Bihar.

According to another legend, the Pandavas along with Draupadi performed the puja to overcome the obstacles in their lives and gain their lost kingdom. The Ramayana mentions that Rama and Sita kept the fast on this day and the Chhath Puja was performed by Sita. Hence, she was blessed with two sons, Luv and Kush.

The Brahmavaivarta Purana gives another interesting story about this festival. King Priyamvrata was the son of the first Manu, known as Swayambhuva. He had no children. The great sage called Maharishi Kashyapa advised him to perform the “Putrakameshti Yaga.” Soon after the yaga was conducted, his queen, Malini, gave birth to a son but unfortunately, the baby was stillborn. The king and the entire court were totally depressed. Just then they saw an aerial vehicle hovering above them in the sky. A divine being was sitting inside. She introduced herself as Shashti Mata to the sorrowful king and told him that she was the one who protected all children and blessed childless couples with progeny. She laid her hand on the lifeless corpse and infused life into it. The king was delighted and from that day on he swore to worship her. This happened on the sixth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Kartika and this is supposed to have been the very first celebration of Chhath Puja.

As has been said many times before, all Hindu festivals have a scientific and utilitarian reason hidden behind the outer, elaborate rituals and the Chhath Puja is no exception to this rule. The scientific significance lies in the fact that the sun has the power to cure various ailments and ensure longevity. The whole process undergone by the devotees during the rituals ensures solar infusion into the body. When the physical conditions of the body are in a specific state, the absorption and conduction of solar bio-electricity increases.

According to astronomy, the date of the Chhath Puja is also very important. The sun is in the southern hemisphere during the month of Kartika. At this time, there is an upsurge of ultraviolet rays to the earth. This is very harmful to people’s skin, eyes and stomach. That is why during Chhath Puja, arghya is offered to the sun many times both in the morning and evening to protect us from the harmful effects of these rays.

Yogic philosophy says that the physical or exterior forms of all living beings have highly advanced energy channels. Solar bio-electricity starts moving into the human body when it is exposed to solar radiations of a particular wavelength. Under specific physical and mental conditions, the absorption, as well as the conduction of this solar energy, becomes higher. The rituals done during Chhath Puja make the mind of the devotee who is fasting fit to absorb the solar energy which might otherwise harm her.

The Vedic rishis were using the same kind of process. Their intake of solid and liquid food was cut down to the bare minimum to enable them to absorb the energy required for life directly from the sun instead of from food and water.

Environmentalists have claimed that the festival is one of the most eco-friendly religious festivals and should be used to spread the message of nature conservation. Moreover, it’s one of the few Hindu festivals that transcends the rigid caste system, which emerged in the post-Vedic period. Devotees from all castes took part in the festival and prepared the same type of prasad for offering to the sun god. In each village devotees of all castes used to go to the same riverbanks or ponds for performing the ritual.

During the puja, the vrattis, or those who are taking the vow, have to fast without water for thirty-six hours and pray for the well-being of their families and loved ones. Fasting begins on panchami which is the fifth day of the lunar month and ends on saptami which is the seventh day when the devotees give ushas arghya to the sun god, Surya in the early morning. During this period the devotees must observe purity of thought, word and deed and live a frugal life. They have to sleep on the floor on a single blanket.

Now let us see how the four-day festival is conducted.

The first day is known as “Nahai Khay”. Devotees have to bathe in some water body, preferably the Ganga or some other holy river or lake. After this, they have to clean their houses and surroundings. After the bath, prasad cooked with light ingredients like moong beans, pumpkin, and bottle gourd is distributed. The women who are observing the fast are called vrattis. They can eat the prasad only once on this day. They are not allowed to drink water. Other members of the family will eat only after the vrattis have eaten the prasad.

The second day is known as “Lohanda” and “Kharna”. It is also known as rasaio kheer. On this day the vrattis will have a full day fast. They are not allowed to drink even a drop of water. After sunset, the vrattis have to prepare a special prasad called rasaio kheer which they can eat along with fruits in the evening. On this day prayers are offered to Chhathi Maiyya at midnight. A special dish called thekua is prepared which is used as prasad during the puja to Chhathi Maiyya.

The third day of the festival is known as sandhya arghya. This is the main festival when the sun god is worshipped through the yogasana known as Surya Namaskar.

Sandhya means “twilight” so this festival is performed in the evening at some riverbank. A bamboo basket filled with fruits, thekua and rice laddus is offered to the sun along with arghya (perfumed water). After returning home the vrattis perform the ritual known as kosi bharai. A canopy is made out of five big sugar canes, representing the five elements. This canopy is an integral part of the puja and is known as a kosi. Twelve or twenty-four diyas (mud lamps) are lighted beneath the kosi or canopy. A bamboo basket filled with offerings is offered to Chhathi Maiyya. Her songs are sung throughout the night and the story of the vrat or vow is repeated by some priest or knowledgeable person.

The fourth or last day of the festival is known as “ushas arghya”. Ushas means “dawn” and all rites on this day have to be done before dawn. Devotees will sit on the banks of the river or lake till the sun rises. As the day breaks the devotees stand in the water and offer arghya to the sun. The vrattis break their fast by eating prasad after which they take blessings from the elders of the family.

Many types of health benefits are supposed to accrue from this four-day ritual. Due to the thirty-six hours fast done by them, the vratti’s body literally gets transformed into a cosmic powerhouse. The latent psychic energy of the kundalini also gets awakened since complete detoxification of the body takes place.

The rituals help the flow of blood and allow the proper functioning of the body. By praying to the sun during sunrise and sunset devotees get optimum energy. The prayers along with fasting ensure detoxification of the human body, making it stronger and capable of fighting all diseases.

When the physical and mental conditions of a body are in a specific state, the absorption and conduction of this solar electricity increases. This is the great benefit that we get from the Chhath Puja. The whole process allows cosmic solar energy to flow unchecked into our bodies.

So, we see that this festival, as is common with all our festivals, is a means to keep up our health as well as promote our spiritual evolution by using natural means and in this case, the energy of the sun.

This year 2025 the festival is celebrated on 27th October.

Aum Suryaya Namaha!

Diwali is one of the festivals of Bharat that is celebrated all over the sub-continent by all the states. The word itself is a condensed form of the word Deepaavali which means “a row of lights”. This festival is very old and has even been mentioned in the Padma Purana which is a very ancient scripture.

All Hindu festivals have only one theme and that is to lift the human being from his present state of ignorance into the state of enlightenment which is his birthright. Most people including Hindus don’t realise this truth because very often this truth is buried under a heap of rituals and superstitions and just fun things that have been collected through time and have smothered the central idea over a period of thousands of years. Diwali is one of those festivals which openly blares out this truth since light is always a synonym for enlightenment. However, due to the love of the Hindus for encasing truth with allegorical stories, this fact has again been hidden in a wealth of Puranic stories which in themselves are no doubt most interesting but which tend to deteriorate from the main purpose of the festival which is to point out to the human being that his sole purpose in having taken on a human body is to make sure that he exposes that divine light which is always shining within himself and to return to the source from which he has come.

Like the source of a river which is very often hidden in bushes and brambles, making it almost impossible for the seeker to find it, so also is the source of our Being, hidden beneath the wealth of external trivialities that covers it. Moreover, our senses are outer-oriented so we find it well-nigh impossible to direct our attention inwards and discover the interesting fact that the source of our life lies within ourselves. The brambles and bushes we have to remove are the various ideas and theories about our origin and about our creator as well as all the useless information which has been poured into us from birth. Once this is removed, the effulgence of that creator will burst out in all glory from inside us. In Hinduism, the one, immutable source of all creation is the Brahman and That is also the light of all lights, beyond the darkness of ignorance. Its light illumines the entire universe and enables us to behold the glory of Its own creation. It is nothing but our own inner self.

The Bhagavad Gita says:

“The sun does not shine there, nor the moon, nor stars or fire.”

What does this mean? Just as the light of a small candle pales into insignificance before the light of the sun, so also all the lights of this universe cannot be compared to even a spark of the effulgence of the Brahman. That effulgence is ever burning within us and all around us. All we have to do is to remove the darkness of many births and allow that light to burst out in all its glory. IT is ever enshrined in our hearts but the brambles and bushes of our abysmal ignorance cover IT. If that light was not within us, no amount of external light would allow us to see this world of multiple phenomena which is actually a shroud which covers the face of the creator. Diwali is the festival of lights in which we are told to remove this ignorance by lighting the lamp of wisdom within us.

The Hindu calendar follows the lunar cycle of twenty-eight days. The moon is the planet that is closest to us and hence has the maximum effect on us. So, all our festivals have something to do with the moon. The festival of Diwali is celebrated for five days starting from the thirteenth day of the dark phase of the moon in the month of Kartika . The new moon signifies the darkness of ignorance in which all of us are enshrouded. Hence, each one of us has the responsibility and the ability to light the lamp of wisdom within us and remove the darkness of ignorance in which we are enshrouded.

Since it’s such an important festival for the whole of Bharat, all the religions in this country, except the Abrahamic religions, have woven some story about it into their own scriptures. It is celebrated by several other religions including Jainism, Sikhism and numerous folk religions. They have different mythological versions of the same tales. Jainism, Bharat’s sixth largest religion, hails this as the day on which Lord Mahavira, the last of the twenty-four Tirthankaras (Great Teachers) attained nirvana (enlightenment). Most traditions surrounding Diwali go back thousands of years, but the most recent tradition associated with it is the one in Sikhism. Sikhs celebrate Diwali as the occasion on which their great teacher Guru Hargobindji was released from the captivity of the Mughal ruler Jehangir from the fortress of Gwalior along with several Hindu kings. The Hindus of course have incorporated the story into the lives of both their great avataras – Rama and Krishna.

In North Bharat Diwali is celebrated for five days.

The first day of Diwali known as “Dhanteras”, is on the thirteenth night of the dark half of the lunar month of Kartika. Normally it comes two days before Diwali. The next day is both Naraka Chaturdashi and Diwali. Lakshmi Puja is normally done in the morning of the third day and the lighting of the lamps in the evening. Govardhan Puja is celebrated on the fourth and Bhai Dhooj on the fifth day.

Day 1 – Dhanteras

Dhan means “wealth” and teras means “thirteen”. Dhanteras is celebrated on the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight of the moon in the month of Kartika. The tradition goes that on this day Shiva played dice with his wife Parvati, so on this day people play cards and other gambling games. Our ancient sages were great psychologists and they knew that the urge to gamble is as strong as the urge to drink in humans. So, they curbed this instinct throughout the year and gave full freedom to it on this one day and gave a divine twist to it by saying that Shiva and Parvati played it on this day so that the players would at least think of the divine pair on this day!

Actually, this day is meant for the worship of Dhanwantari who is the Lord of Ayurveda. Lord Vishnu took on the form of Dhanwantari when he emerged from the Milky Ocean on this day. He carried the pot of nectar or amrita in his hands which, by taking, would enable people to regain their youth and health. Dhan means wealth and our greatest wealth is our health so on this day we should concentrate on becoming healthy and also pray for the health of the whole world, especially in these trying times when so many viruses are floating around!

All these festivals have interesting stories connected with them. One puranic story mentions that the horoscope of a prince stated that he would die of snakebite on the fourth day after his marriage. The wife was determined to save the life of her husband. On the fourth night, she made sure that her husband didn’t sleep and kept him awake by narrating many interesting stories. She scattered a lot of gold and diamonds in all the entrances to the room. When Yamaraj, the Lord of Death came in the form of a snake he was dazzled by the jewels and couldn’t resist listening to the stories. Thus, the whole night passed and in the morning, he left the place and spared the life of the prince.

Day 2 – Naraka Chaturdashi / Choti Diwali

Chaturdashi means fourteen and Naraka is the name of a demon. It was on this day that Lord Krishna killed the demon called Naraka and released the sixteen thousand one hundred princesses who had been incarcerated by Naraka. Krishna had taken his wife Satyabhama with him since she was an incarnation of the earth goddess. Sometimes it is said that she assumed the form of Kali in order to kill the demon. Hence, on this day Kali is also worshipped. This day is also known as Choti Diwali.

The princesses who had been released from the dungeon begged Krishna to marry them since even their parents would refuse to take them back after having stayed for some years with a notorious womaniser like Naraka. Of course, the chances of their ever being accepted by any man were out of the question. Lord Krishna was one who never let down anyone who approached him with devotion and therefore he accepted them and took them with him to his city of Dwaraka. The day happened to be the amavasya (new moon) day of the month of Kartika. He was welcomed by the citizens with rows and rows of lights and hence on the night of Diwali, we should light lamps and imagine that we are citizens of Dwaraka, welcoming the Lord after his glorious victory over the forces of evil as depicted by Narakasura. The esoteric significance is given below.

The word naraka means “hell” and Krishna is the divine who has taken on a human form and kills this demon, Naraka. He destroys the hell of misery we have created for ourselves within our minds due to our lack of understanding of our true nature. He frees the spirits of positivity which have been shut up within the prison of our ignorant minds and marries them (allows them to unite with him). The enlightened being will destroy the hell of ignorance in his mind which in turn throws open the door to many positive qualities which have been jailed inside. His true nature or home within himself will now be lit up with all positive qualities.

Symbolically we light thousands of lamps in our houses trying to remove the darkness of the night outside but our hearts are still choked with the darkness of intolerance, fear and hatred. In fact, this darkness has covered the whole world defying all attempts to remove it by right-minded people. The festival of Diwali celebrated every year is a continuous reminder to us to kill this demon and set free the positivity which is enshrined in us.

The same theme is repeated in the Ramayana. Rama killed the rakshasa Ravana and returned to his own city of Ayodhya along with his wife Sita, after fourteen years of exile, on the night of the new moon – amavasya. The citizens had been waiting for his return and welcomed him with thousands of little lights. Here Ravana is the epitome of the unbridled ego which has to be vanquished by Rama, the man of enlightenment. Rama rescues his beloved wife Sita who is the epitome of all positive traits like purity, spirituality and unconditional love. Re-enactments of the Ramayana, the story of Lord Rama, are part of the celebrations in some areas of Bharat.

Day 3 – Lakshmi Puja

The third day of Diwali is Diwali proper and falls on the amavasya (new moon) day in the dark fortnight of the month of Kartika as has been said. This is said to be the darkest night of the year. Lakshmi Puja is done in the morning. She is the goddess of prosperity and on this day, she is in her most benevolent mood, ready to fulfil the wishes of her devotees because this was the day on which she emerged out of the ocean of milk and the day on which she married Vishnu!

It is said that the goddess will not enter a dirty house or take her residence in a heart filled with negativity so it is very important to keep your house spotlessly clean and wear clean clothes and offer prayers with a clean and pure heart. She will enter only such houses that are filled with purity. Lamps are lit in the evening to light up the path and make it easy for her to enter the house.

On this day merchants redo their account books and pray for success and prosperity during the coming year. They do puja to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and invite her to their homes.

Again and again, the theme of the ignorant mortal who is covered with abysmal nescience is repeated every year in the hope that one day the light of clear reason will prevail and humanity will realise that the solution to all its problems can be found by clearing the ignorance in their own hearts. The divine Self is ever residing in our hearts and ever ready to give us all help if we turn to Him. Since He has given us a certain amount of intelligence, He allows us to make our own choices until the day dawns when we realise that we are truly incapable of making the right choices. At this moment we turn to Him out of our own free will. At that time, He will come running to our aid like Krishna did to help the princesses who had been jailed for many years.

Firecrackers are a must for Diwali. Apart from the fact that people especially children love crackers, there is a scientific reason for burning them. Diwali comes straight after the monsoons when a lot of insects and mosquitos are flying around. The fumes produced by the firecrackers, if they are not made with harmful chemicals, will kill or repel many of these unwanted insects. Above all, Diwali is the victory of our noble emotions over our negative tendencies.

Day 4 – Govardhan Puja

The fourth day of Diwali is Govardhan Puja. To know the meaning of this we have to go to the cowherd village of Vrindavana which was the place where Krishna grew up. At that time Vrindavana was a forest where Krishna and his friends used to go to graze their cows and calves. There was a hill near the forest known as Govardhan. The gopalas (cowherds) used to have an annual festival in which they worshipped Indra, king of the gods, since he was the Lord of rain. Their survival depended on their cows who in turn needed grass which of course would grow only if there was rain so the cowherds used to worship Indra every year. Once Krishna told them to stop worshipping Indra and worship Govardhan instead since the mountain was the one that provided them with grass and streams and whatever they needed for their livelihood. So the simple folk started their worship of the hill. Indra was furious and started to pour down torrents of water from the clouds. The village was on the verge of being washed away. They ran to Krishna to save them and it is said that the Lord lifted up the hill on his little finger and the whole village including the cattle took shelter under the hill which acted as an umbrella.

Of course, Indra was furious and he poured down more and more rain for seven days but the Lord held the hill aloft and the cowherds had no problem. This incident was what gave Lord Krishna the name Giridhari. Indra realised that this was no ordinary child. He came down to the village with the celestial cow Surabhi who did abhishekam (ceremonial bath) to Krishna with her milk. Indra’s pride was thoroughly humbled and he knelt in front of Krishna and begged him to forgive him.

This incident is the pivot of this ritual. A small hillock is made in the garden with cow dung cakes and it is decorated with flowers and garlands. Devotees go round the hillock and pray to Lord Govardhan and to Lord Krishna to protect them.

This day is also associated with the great King Mahabali who was an exceptional Vishnu bhakta. When he started to become very haughty, Vishnu took the form of a dwarf – Vamana and defeated him and pushed him down into the last of the lokas known as Patala. On this fourth day of Diwali, Bali is supposed to return from this loka to his own land so this day is also known as Padva or Bali Pratipada in some parts of the country.

Day 5 – Bhaidooj

The fifth day is known Bhaidooj in North Bharat in which married girls return to their ancestral homes to celebrate their bond with their brothers. This festival is very similar to the festival of Raksha Bandhan. The only difference is that on this day no rakhi is tied by the sister. In fact, the roles are reversed and she has to give presents to her brother.

May the festival of Diwali allow each one of us to cast off the shackles of ignorance which have tied us down for lifetimes, free us from the choking chains of the demonic Naraka ego and allow us to attain union with Krishna, the Purushottama, the Supreme Person, who alone can engulf us in the glorious light of eternal freedom which is ever existing in our hearts.

May Diwali clean our whole country of its negativity and the whole planet of the negative emotions of greed and anger and make us realise that we are puny mortals compared to the overwhelming forces of nature that we have been taking for granted for so many years.

This year 2025 Diwali is celebrated on the 20^th October.

Hari Aum Tat Sat!

The festival of Karva Chauth or Karak Chaturti is exclusive to the women of the north and north-western states of Bharat like Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu/Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. There is a particular reason for this. At one time, the army of Bharat was made up of a huge number of soldiers from these parts so the wives who were left behind started fasting on this day for their safety. Due to this, the festival is mainly observed by married women. The word karva means an “earthen pot” and chauth is the number four. This festival is celebrated on the fourth day of the dark fortnight (krishna paksha) of the month of Kartika. This year 2025 it falls on Friday 10^th October.

The time of the festival coincides with the Rabi or wheat sowing season in these places. The women of the families used to fill an earthen pot or karva with wheat grains on the chaturti day of the dark fortnight in the month of Kartika and offer it to God and pray for a good crop. They used to fast the whole day and offer arghya (water, dhruv grass and whole rice) in an earthen pot to the moon as it rose. Only then would they break their fast.

Like the lesser-known festivals of Hariyali Teej, Kajari Teej, Hartalika Teej and Savitri Vrat, Karva Chauth aims at strengthening the bond between a man and his wife. However, even unmarried girls (above the age of eighteen) can observe this vow in order to get a good husband.

I have already mentioned the utilitarian origin of the festival. There was another reason why this became popular during the middle-ages.

In those days girls were married off between the ages of ten and thirteen. They certainly did not get time to enjoy their teen years in their own homes. This festival was one in which they could congregate with the rest of the married women of their age or even older and celebrate. They used to call each other “sisters or friends given by God.” In this way, they could forget their loneliness. They could always depend on their kangan sahelis (bangle friends) if they wanted some help. They would all congregate at one place and spend the whole day together, singing and laughing and chatting until the moon rose in the eastern sky. They used to present each other with bangles, sindoor (vermilion) and other small trinkets to remind them of the fact that they had a friend in the village who was like a sister. These two anecdotes show us the origin of this festival but as is usual with all festivals in Bharat, we always try to connect it with some story from the Puranas. There are a number of stories connected with this. One of the most famous which is always narrated by the priest during the puja is about Queen Veeravati.

Once there was a beautiful girl called Veeravati who was the only girl in their family of seven sons. She was married off to a king and returned to her parent’s home on the occasion of her first Karva Chauth festival. She was determined to fast for the sake of her husband but by evening she was so weak that she fainted. Her brothers loved her dearly so they placed a lamp behind a sieve and showed it to her through some peepul trees. She thought it was the moon and broke her fast but as soon as she put the first morsel into her mouth, she experienced many bad omens. In the first morsel she found a piece of hair and in the next, she sneezed and when she took the third morsel, she was given the news that her husband was seriously ill. She immediately set out for her husband’s house. On the way she met Lord Shiva and Parvati who told her that this mishap had happened because she had been tricked by her loving brothers and had broken the vow and eaten before moonrise. Seeing the state of the grief-stricken Veeravati, Parvati told her to undertake the Karva Chauth vow on every fourth day of the waning moon in every month, for one full year and her husband would recover. Veeravati did as she was told and her husband returned to her in full form.

The next story is about a woman called Karva who was deeply in love with her husband. She was a true pativrata – chaste wife and this intense love gave her a lot of spiritual powers. Once, a crocodile caught her husband while he was bathing in the river and tried to drag him down into the waters. Hearing his cries, his wife, Karva, came on the scene. She bound the crocodile with the cotton yarn she was carrying in her hand and prayed to Yama, the Lord of Death to release her husband. The curses of a chaste woman are as powerful as those of a rishi so Yama was terrified of being cursed by her and released her husband.

The next two stories are from the pages of the Mahabharata. Of course, Draupadi is a classic example of an extremely chaste wife. Once Arjuna went to the Himalayas to do penance to Shiva. The rest of the brothers had to undergo many challenges without Arjuna. Draupadi immediately prayed to Krishna to tell her how she could help her husbands. Krishna told her that once Parvati had performed the Karva Chauth rituals in order to overcome her problems. Draupadi immediately went on a strict observance of the Karva Chauth rituals and eventually her husbands became victorious.

Another beautiful story concerns the princess called Savitri who insisted on marrying a prince who was foretold to have an early death. At the time when Yama came to take away her husband Satyavan, Savitri insisted on following him up to the very gates of Yama’s abode. This she was able to do, due to her great chastity. The day that this happened was the fourth day of the dark fortnight. Savitri had totally given up all food and drink on that day and kept following the God of Death. She kept on petitioning Yama to give back the life of her husband. At last, Yama told her that he would grant her any boon except the life of her husband. Savitri very cleverly asked that she should have children. Of course, being an extremely chaste woman she could only have children with her husband. Yama realised that he had been tricked and gave back the life of her husband, Satyavan.

The Ritual

The ritual starts with the Sargi. Ladies wake up well before dawn for Sargi. A Sargi is traditionally prepared by the mother-in-law. It is a thali that contains food items like sweets, savouries, dry fruits, fresh fruits, clothes and jewellery. This is usually sent by the in-laws the previous evening. This is the pre-dawn meal that you eat before starting the fast. In the morning women adorn themselves in their bridal attire and apply henna and other beauty adornments. They are allowed to eat anything from this thali after it has been offered to God. This should be eaten before sunrise which is normally around about 6 am in the morning in the month of Kartika. They fast for the rest of the day without food or even water. In the evening the women gather together and exchange gifts.

The priest or some older lady narrates the different Karva Chauth stories from the Puranas. They sing songs and wait for the moon to rise. Once it rises, they are supposed to look at the reflection in a bowl of water or through a sieve. They offer water and fruits to the moon and pray for the long life of their husbands. After that, they turn to look at their husbands through the same sieve. The husband then takes the thali from his wife’s hands and feeds her with some fruits or sweets from the thali and thus breaks her fast. Of course, after this, all wives and husbands enjoy a good feast.

There are many reasons given for looking at the moon through a sieve. It is said that in the story of Veeravati, her brothers had kept a lamp behind a sieve in between the peepul trees and thus she thought it was the moon. This tradition is still carried on and women see the moon through the sieve.

As we have seen many of our festivals, especially those concerning women, are connected in some way or other with the moon. Women have a close bond with the moon. Their cycles closely follow the moon cycle of twenty-eight days. So, the moon has even more effect on women than on men.

The moon is supposed to be a manifestation of Brahma who is endowed with a very, very, long life. So, it is believed that the moon can grant long life to their husbands also. The moon is beautiful, cool and adorable. Women pray to the moon that their husbands will have the same qualities. In olden days, the women of north Bharat used to wear a veil or ghoonghat to cover their faces when they came before their elders. Similarly, they look at the moon through a sieve to show their respect.

It is said that if a woman’s health is very bad or she is in hospital, the husband can observe the fast.

In olden days this fast was hardly known to all women in Bharat but now with modern methods of communication, many other ladies from other states are also following the tradition.

In any religion, festivals and rituals are what keep the members together so it is always good to observe all the festivals that are kept in the Hindu Dharma.

Hari Aum Tat Sat!

This year 2025 Navaratri starts on 22^nd September and ends on 2^nd October.

The Nine days of Navaratri are usually divided into three sections devoted to Kaali, Lakshmi and Saraswati as I have mentioned in the first article. One of the main sadhanas that are recommended during these days is the reading of the Devi Mahatmyam (Glories of the Goddess) which is also known as Chandi Path (chant of the fierce one) and Durga Saptashati (seven hundred slokas to Durga). So here I will give some instructions how the thirteen chapters should be divided during these days. Durga stands for the invincible aspect of Adi Shakti, the primordial energy of the divine in the form of the virgin goddess.

The seventy- fourth to the eighty-sixth chapters of the Markandeya Purana is known as the Devi Mahatmyam. It is a highly esoteric treatise with seven hundred slokas, in which are embedded many important bija mantras. As with all Puranic books, the stories are all symbolic. If we read this with faith and concentration we will find that with each asura that Durga vanquishes one of our negative traits will also be vanquished. Before we start the reading we have to supplicate her that she will clear all our negative tendencies and make us pure and ready to receive the highest wisdom.

The book begins with the story of a king named Suratha and a merchant called Samadhi who have been thrown out of their homes by their families. They are totally dejected with life and by coincidence they both meet each other at the ashrama of a great rishi called Medhas. In order to comfort them he tells them the story of the divine lilas of Durga which come in the Markandeya Purana. He tells them to surrender everything to the Divine Mother who will take control of our lives and lead us to enlightenment. Of course the story has a deep esoteric meaning which if understood properly will help us to control our lower nature and expel all our negative tendencies.

There are thirteen chapters in the book which are to be divided into three sections and have to be completed during the nine day vow. The three sections are known as Pradhama Charitra devoted to Maha Kaali, Madhyama Charitra to Maha Lakshmi and Uttama Charitra to Maha Saraswati.

The altar for Navaratri is a special one. First of all we should fill a mud or copper pot with Ganga Jal and put some sheaves of grain or banana leaves in it and keep it as the symbol of the Goddess of plenty. The pot can be embellished with sindoor (red powder) and a red string which is wound round it.

Some people also keep a flower pot or some vessel which has been filled with mud on which nine types of seeds of different grains are sown. This is known as “navadhanya”. These should be watered daily and by the tenth day all of them would have sprouted. Each grain stands for a certain positive quality which will grow and flourish in our minds during these nine days. These sprouts are distributed as prasad at the end of the festival. Of course we also light the usual diyas or lights and incense and make some edible offering. Durga is supposed to be fond of black channa or black dal so many people cook and offer that. Of course anything we make in the house and offer with love is happily accepted by her. In South India people make beautiful altars filled with idols of all the deities. In the evening, reading of the Devi Mahatmayam and singing her bhajans are an essential part of this festival.

Before starting the reading, three preparatory stotras (hymns) are to be read which give extra benefits. These are the Devi Kavacham which is a sort of armour for protection against all evil forces as well as for curing diseases. Then comes the Argala Stotram which invokes the blessing of the goddess and the Keelaka Stotram which gives us the benefits to be got from the reading.

Pradhama Charitra is the 1^st chapter and should be read on the 1^st day. It has the famous Brahma stuti which has a lot of bija mantras.

Madhyama Charitra comprises the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th chapters and the rest is known as Uttara Charitra and should be read on consecutive days ending on the tenth day which is known as Vijaya dasami day or the day of victory.

Those who wish can also do the whole poem comprising of 13 chapters on Vijaya Dasami day.

In the first chapter Durga slays the demons known as Madhu and Kaitabha. They stand for the dualities of pleasant and unpleasant. Madhu is sweetness or addiction and Kaitabha is bitterness or aversion. The world is a world of duality and we have to overcome this duality before we can proceed on the path to liberation.

The next three chapters deal with the killing of the great asura known as Mahishasura who stands for the stubborn ego which refuses to accept anything other than itself as being the greatest. Thus he is shown with a buffalo body. The buffalo is quite unintelligent and has a stubborn way of not listening to orders! Such a person is not open to the voice of the divine which is always ready to lead us.

The fifth is the longest chapter and contains the conversation between Durga and the messengers of the two great asuras known as Shumbha and Nishumba who want to marry her. The first messenger is known as Dhumralochana which stands for distorted vision -someone who cannot discern reality from unreality. All of us suffer from this particular quality.

Durga finishes him off and then Shumbha sends Chanda and Munda. Chanda is anger and Munda extreme dullness. Actually they refer to the qualities of rajas and tamas. The frightening form of the goddess that kills them is known as Chamunda.

After this Shumbha sends the asura known as Raktabija, whose every drop of blood turns into a thousand warriors if allowed to fall on the ground. This asura stands for our unquenchable desires that keep multiplying even as they are satisfied.

Shumbha’s brother is Nishumbha which stands for self-pity which prevents us from putting forth our best in any endeavour. This is what Arjuna suffered from in the 2^nd chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. One by one, Durga vanquishes all of these asuras.

The 11^th chapter is a beautiful stotra to Narayani, who is the sole refuge of all “naras” or human beings.

The goddess gives all her blessings in the 12^th chapter and the 13^th chapter concludes the story of the king and the merchant whose wishes are fulfilled.

Each of these nine days has one form of Durga attached to them. Each day has a special colour which is the colour worn by the goddess on that particular day. Ladies who are doing the puja try to wear these colours every day. The goddesses are known as the Nava Durgas or the nine Durgas whose names are given below. We will be giving a detailed account of them in our next week’s blog.

1. Shailaputri – refers to Parvati or the daughter of the mountain. She is worshipped as the consort of Shiva riding the bull, Nandi, with the trident in her right hand and the lotus in her left. The colour for this day is red.

2. Brahmacharini – refers to Sathi, the previous incarnation of Parvati before she married Shiva. She is depicted as walking barefoot, holding a rosary or japamala in one hand and a kamandalu or water pot in the other. She symbolizes bliss. Blue is the colour of the day.

3. Chandrakanta – After marrying Shiva, Parvati adorned her forehead with the crescent moon (chandra). She is the embodiment of beauty and bravery. The colour for the day is yellow.

4. Kushmanda –She is said to be the creative power of the universe, associated with vegetation and hence the colour of the day is green. She has eight arms and her vehicle is a tiger.

5. Skandamata – She is the mother of Skanda (Kartikeya, the general of the gods). She is riding on a ferocious lion, has four arms and holds her baby. Grey is the colour of the day. She depicts the power of the mother when her baby is in danger.

6. Karthyayani – She was the daughter of the sage Katyayana and is an incarnation of Durga. She is the warrior goddess and is a violent form of Parvati. She rides a lion and has four hands. The colour of the day is orange.

7. Kalaratri – She is the most ferocious form of Durga. She is black in colour and wears white. Therefore the colour of the day is white.

8. Mahagauri – She is the symbol of intelligence and peace. The colour is pink.

9. Sidhidatri – Seated on a lotus she bestows all types of siddhis (extraordinary powers) to her devotees. She has four hands and is the incarnation of Saraswati. Light blue is the colour of the day.

Aum Shakti Aum

The Supreme Reality of Hinduism is a formless, immutable, eternal, unborn entity or spirit known as the Brahman. It is the same for all living creatures and underlies both the manifest and unmanifest states of Being. It is an integrated state, that is changeless, indivisible, without distinctions or qualifications and thus utterly beyond human comprehension. It is Pure Consciousness and can only be known through direct experience. The embodied soul is known as the jivatma. It is a projection of the Absolute Brahman. It takes many births and goes through the dramas of its many lives until it reaches a point of satiation with the external world and desires to return to its original status. This then is the purpose of life in Hinduism - to return to the source from which we have come. Hinduism gives many methods for having this experience and these paths are known as “yogas”. They help us to transcend the levels of the mind and experience the Absolute.

Hinduism is a way of life, and our ancient sages saw to it that all our rituals and festivals are meant to upkeep this tradition and ensure that we never forget the goal of human life. Consciously or unconsciously these rituals help us to nurture that one single aspiration that our culture has been enshrining within itself from eternity. Even if our conscious minds forget the purpose for which we are born, that purpose will remain imprinted on the level of our subconscious. Thus, the Hindu calendar is studded with numerous festivals, all intended to take us back to our roots. This goal is embedded in our genes and carried forward from generation to generation. All our scriptures, epics, ceremonies and festivals are charged with this spiritual goal. They have an esoteric significance that is not apparent to the common eye.

Indian thought is famous for its symbolism and from ancient times the pictorial representation of God took the form of both male and female. The universal form of the motionless Absolute came to be associated with the male and the manifested energy of Nature with the female. To the undiscerning eye, the Brahman and Nature are two completely different things but this is only an apparent phenomenon. Fundamentally they are one, as gold and ornaments made of it, are one. The Absolute and Nature are not “two” but “two-in-one”. Hinduism has always recognised and accepted these two principles and variously called them by many names as Shiva /Shakti or Purusha/Prakriti.

Just as the tree is latent in the seed, so this universe of names and forms, lies enfolded in this Shakti of the Brahman. She is the Divine Mother who is the womb of all creatures. As Nature, this Shakti manifests itself in multifarious forms, so we personify the Divine Mother in the forms of various goddesses. She pre-supposes all forms of existing knowledge - past, present and future. But she is also “maya”, the illusory power that entrammels us in her web of beauty and mesmerises us into believing that this world which we see before our eyes is real. The “jivatma” or embodied soul is so fascinated by her beauty that it forgets the purpose for which it has incarnated in a human body. Seen from the background of eternity, the drama of our lives, enacted on the stage of space and time, is only a show of light and shade, like a TV show. It is only a creation of the mind and like all TV shows it passes, flows and vanishes into the space from which it came. This phenomenon is what Hinduism calls the maya-shakti of the goddess who has produced this phenomenal world which has its basis in ignorance of the true nature of Reality.

This view of the world as given by our ancient rishis has been corroborated by Quantum Physics. They have discovered that we are connected to every single thing in the cosmos by this one underlying energy field that they call “The Field” and which our rishis called Prakriti. The tiniest bit of matter is not solid as we have been led to believe but only energy in motion. This pulsating energy field is the centre of our existence. Our eyes deceive us into imagining a reality that does not exist in the way we perceive it. But we are so fascinated by this world which has been created by this enchantress that we forget the purpose for which we have taken a human birth. In order to remind us of this purpose and re-connect with this source of the universal energy of the Divine Mother, the Hindu culture demarcated two festivals in the year dedicated to the remembrance of that energy.

This festival is known as Navaratri or the nine nights of worship of the Goddess in her many forms. It takes place in the first nine days of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Ashwin, September/October. This year 2025 it starts on Monday 22nd September and ends on Wednesday 1st October. The 10^th day of victory is known as Vijayadasami which is on the 2^nd October. The Devi Purana gives the story of how Durga killed the buffalo demon known as Mahishasura on the 10^th day of victory. The buffalo demon of course is an allegory for ignorance. The festival closely follows the digits of the moon which is the one planet which has most effect on our mind. It starts on Prathama or the 1^st digit of the waxing moon and goes on till Navami, the 9^th digit of the waxing moon. Hence the readings are generally conducted at night.

This festival is also known as Durga Puja and actually shows how Hinduism has always revered the feminine and strived to empower women through the ages. Durga, is the virgin goddess. She stands on her own and does not need the support of any of the male gods. She is a true representative of dynamic feminine power at its highest. During these nine days and nights she is worshipped in her nine different forms but this might be too complicated for most people so we will give the nine different forms of the goddess in another blog.

The nine days of Navaratri are meant for reflection and removal of our negative traits and the acquisition of positive qualities. These nine days can be divided into three parts. The first three days are kept for the worship of Mahakaali, the next three days for Maha Lakshmi and the last three days for Maha Saraswati. Some people also worship the Navadurgas or the nine aspects of Durga on each day.

Let us take the first method of worship of the three different goddesses. Before we can proceed towards our goal of union with the Absolute it is absolutely necessary to remove all the complex amount of negative traits that we have accumulated throughout the year. For this a certain amount of force may be necessary. So, during the first three days the goddess is worshipped as Kali which is her unconquerable form as Kaala or Time – relentless, all-consuming and indomitable. Time is the only killer. Everything in creation falls a prey to Time. All of us fear Death in its aspect of Time, so Kaali’s form is frightening to behold. It is meant to intimidate those who are not ready to accept the fact that life is a coin with two sides – birth and death!

She is usually portrayed as pitch black with long dishevelled hair flying behind her like a cloak. She wears a girdle of severed arms and a necklace of freshly cut heads. She has a cavernous mouth dripping with blood from her lolling tongue. She has long sharp fangs and claw-like hands with hooked nails. She portrays one of the masks of Prakriti – of Nature bringing all beings from her womb, feeding them at her breast and then devouring and assimilating them back into herself!

Kali’s nature is such that she cannot tolerate deceit and falsehood. Her wrath is immediate and dire. Thus, we spend the first three days and nights of Navaratri worshipping her, for only she can remove our negativity and vulgarity. When we start a garden, the first thing we have to do is to dig the ground and remove all the stones and unwanted grass and weeds from it. This is the job which is given to Kaali so for the first three nights we pray sincerely to her to take away our negative traits even though this may cause some pain.

The next three days are kept aside for Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, beauty and auspiciousness. She is the one who is lavish with her gifts of all types of good fortune which include positive traits of the mind. In the garden of our mind which has been ruthlessly weeded by Kaali we invite the beauteous Lakshmi to come and sow the seeds of love, generosity, consideration, compassion, gratitude and so on. For this we worship this beautiful goddess and entreat her to come and take her abode in our pure hearts.

The last three days are dedicated to the enchanting Saraswati- the goddess of learning, arts, science and wisdom. Seated on her vehicle, the graceful swan, she floats through space looking for an opportunity to bless us. During the last three days we beseech her to enter our hearts and fulfil the goal of human life which is to attain the Absolute. In that garden of our mind which has been weeded of all its negativity by the forceful Kali, and in which the gracious Lakshmi has sown the seeds of positivity, we invite Saraswati, the one who can give us the bliss of union with the Absolute. Only in such a garden can the pure lotus of enlightenment bloom.

This is the esoteric meaning behind the festival of Navaratri which is celebrated all over India. This festival is celebrated twice a year, once in spring and once in autumn. This is to safeguard that our knowledge of the reason behind human birth which is to gain liberation from the coils of maya and enter the blissful realm of the Absolute, is never forgotten and to ensure that all Hindus renew their relationship with the Divine Mother every year. In these following days and nights let us beseech her in her various forms to enter into us and dispel the darkness of the accumulated ignorance of our true nature with the glowing lamp of knowledge which only the she can light for us.

Surya grahan will be observed on Sept 21 from 10.59 pm till 3.23 am on Sep 22. For spiritual practices, a solar eclipse is more beneficial than a lunar eclipse. As it is a transitory period the effects of spiritual practices performed during this period are visible at once. During a solar eclipse chanting performed with immense faith and concentration by remembering God or Guru in different ways, overcomes physical, psychological, spiritual and worldly distress. Success is certain for all spiritual tasks. No japamala (prayer beads) is required for chanting during this period.

There are some things that are forbidden during solar eclipses. No pujas should be done since we are not supposed to touch the murtis at this time. Temples are closed during an eclipse to prevent negative energy emitted by the planetary bodies from harming the murtis. After it is over the murtis have to be washed with Ganga water if available or ordinary water.

Sleeping, cooking, eating and sexual intercourse are totally prohibited during an eclipse. No food should be cooked during the eclipse. Leftovers should be eaten before the period of the eclipse. If due to some health problems we are forced to drink water we are told to put a tulsi leaf into it which will remove the negative vibrations.

It is most advisable to take a bath after the eclipse is over and change into fresh clothes. Sprinkling of Ganga water or taking a dip in the Ganga is also supposed to wash away the negativity incurred during the eclipse.

Aum Shakti Aum

The word “vishwakarma” means “the one who created the world.” This was originally an epithet of Brahma who is the creator of the world in the Hindu Trinity consisting of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara.

Later on this name was given to one particular person who was designated as the architect of the gods. He is said to be the son of Brahma, the divine draftsman of the whole universe and the official builder of all the gods’ palaces as well as their flying chariots and their divine weapons. He is said to have revealed the Sthapatyaveda or fourth Upa-Veda which describes in detail the construction of mandirs and other buildings. He presides over the sixty-four mechanical arts.

In the Puranas, he is described as “The Lord of arts, executer of a thousand handicrafts, carpenter of the gods and the most eminent of artisans, the fashioner of all ornaments!”

In our Puranas we see that his name spans across the four yugas. In Satya Yuga he built Swarga Loka or heaven, the abode of the gods which is ruled by Indra, the king of the gods. In Treta Yuga he designed the golden Lanka, the capital of Ravana, king of Lanka. There is a story behind this. After he married Parvati, Lord Shiva asked Vishwakarma to build a beautiful palace for them. He built a magnificent golden palace. Shiva invited Ravana, who was his great devotee, to come and perform the Grihapravesha (housewarming) ceremony. After it was over, Shiva asked Ravana what he wanted as “dakshina.” True to his nature, Ravana promptly asked for the palace itself. Shiva was obliged to keep his word and Ravana took off the golden palace to Lanka!

In the Dwapara Yuga, it was Vishwakarma who built the golden city of Dwaraka at Lord Krishna’s request which has been now discovered by divers off the coast of the present day Dwaraka. Thanks to the fact that the sea had kept its secrets well for all these years, this city can be seen in all its glory as has been described in the Mahabharata and Bhagavad Purana.

In Kali Yuga, he built the wonderful city of Indraprastha, capital of the Pandavas, again at Lord Krishna’s behest. Ruins of this city can still be seen in Old Delhi.

Of course we know that the lives of our rishis spanned a period of a couple of yugas but could an ordinary human being like an engineer or architect do this?

This leads us to conjecture that this name might be a generic one that describes all architects who were the successors of the original person with that name. There is a theory that all our craftsman have come from the five sons of Vishwakarma. Their names are Manu, from whom came the black smiths, Maya, the carpenters, Twashta, the tin smiths, Silpy, the sculptors and Vishwajna, the gold smiths. In fact, there used to be a Vishwakarma community or “jati” that used to exist in olden days. Somehow they are not to be found any more.

Hinduism is famous for keeping one special day to honour our gods, our gurus, our parents, our ancestors and so on. Since we worship him as the presiding deity of all craftsmen, we have kept a special day for honouring him. This is known as Vishwakarma Day and this year it falls on Wednesday, 17th September 2025.

When we see the ancient monuments and temples of Bharat, one cannot fail to be astounded by the magnificent way they have been built and the great mathematical precision that went into every detail. Who were the engineers who were able to make these grand creations? Without the use of modern measuring tools how were they able to make such fantastic constructions which have stood the test of time not just for a few years but for centuries and sometimes millennia. All Puranas reiterate that all these creations were made by the divine architect, Vishwakarma. He was also the one who built the great cities of Dwaraka, Ayodhya and Mathura.

The modern mind likes to look down upon all our ancient knowledge and assert that the earliest craftsmen and engineers used very basic instruments. But anyone who has gone to our old Hindu temples and seen the magnificent way in which they have been built cannot help but wonder how they could have made such marvellous creations using only basic tools. We must also remember that these temples have stood the test of time unless they have been deliberately destroyed and defaced by western vandals who failed to see the amazing beauty of these fantastic creations. Is it possible that they possessed techniques which we have not recognised or refuse to believe?

The fact is that the sub-continent of Bharat was protected by the Himalayas in the north and surrounded by seas on all other sides so for a long period of time we were left in peace. This atmosphere was conducive to the blossoming of all types of knowledge. Our only fault was that our religion was not aggressive so we did not learn how to defend ourselves. When the invaders and aggressive religions swept over our country we were in no position to defend ourselves and thus became a prey to their senseless massacres. Many of our craftsmen became extinct and our inspiration seemed to have dried up since we were forced to spend all our time in defending ourselves. But anyone who looks at our ancient splendour with an open mind cannot help but admit that our ancient civilization must have been far superior to our modern one. It is a fact that we did not choose to spend our scientific knowledge in making our lives more comfortable (as we do now) but we chose to spend our time in making our lives more worthwhile. We spent more time in the pursuit of the true dharmic values of life rather than frittering it on the production of physical comforts.

If we can let go of our superiority complex that we of the modern world are the best engineers and architects and the ancients were illiterate fools who knew nothing and used primitive tools, we would be able to see these sculptures and temples with a different eye. We should be filled with pride that our ancestors were capable of creating such fantastic works of art. But unfortunately, the modern Indian youth sees everything through the eyes of the western scientist and western technology so they tend to scoff. In fact, they simply refuse to face facts – that these creations were done by people who were highly intelligent and highly advanced in engineering skills and they most probably used tools that were similar if not superior to the ones we are using now. In any case, they obviously had some techniques that have been lost through time so we are certainly not in a position to scoff at them. Mentally we should be falling at their feet and begging them to reveal their knowledge to us.

Let us examine some of the sculptures of Vishwakarma in our mandirs and see if they can give us a clue as to the type of tools that were used in those times. The statues of Vishwakarma show him as having three heads with hands holding various weapons. If we examine these heads we will see that each head is different as if to show that they are not representing the same person but pointing to three different people. The central head has a beard and seems older than the other two. So could it be that these sculptures actually show a team of architects? This is very possible since we see that each head is doing something different. The head on the left seems to be peering through an instrument which resembles a modern theodolite which is a kind of telescope which modern engineers use in order to verify the flatness of the land on which they are supposed to build.

It is always a mystery to us how our ancient builders achieved such flatness even on mountain tops before they built these amazing mandirs. Obviously they had some type of sophisticated tool like the theodolite. The person whose head is on the right side is shown as holding a long rod with markings. This again is very similar to the levelling rod which modern engineers use in order to ensure that they get a perfectly flat surface on which to build. If you have ever watched engineers working on a construction site, before the construction begins you will see one person at one side peering through the theodolite and the other one standing on the opposite side of the field holding a levelling rod. These two are very important to get a flat surface on which to build.

In some statues of Vishwakarma the markings on the rod are clearly seen but in some others they have been erased through time. So obviously the three-headed statue of Vishwakarma is to show that there were at least three people working on the site, one looking through the theodolite and the other standing on the opposite side with the levelling rod thus ensuring that the ground was perfectly flat. Now let us see how they achieved perfection on the vertical level. Probably the third man with the older head in the middle was the one in charge of this.

We never find tilted buildings amongst the ancient mandirs unless the builder actually wanted to make it that way like one of the mandirs we see in Varanasi standing at an angle on the banks of the Ganga.

Modern engineers use something called a plumb bob to get this vertical perfection. This is very similar to the one which is being held in Vishwakarma’s hand which people mistake to be a water pot. It resembles an old fashioned spinning top that children used to play with in the last century with the upper half looking like a bulb and a pointed end at the bottom. Today we have mechanised versions of this so that when you press a button, the pointed end automatically comes down and touches the ground. Strangely enough, the sculptures of Vishwakarma show something very much like this modern device. In fact, you can clearly see his finger pressing something on the device! People say that he is holding a water pot but why should an architect hold a water pot? And why should his finger press the side of the water pot? If we examine this closely we see that it is indeed a plumb bob. The fact that his finger is pressing something clearly shows that they also had a button which when pressed would release the pointed end and make it drop vertically to the ground.

One of his hands holds a long cylinder which resembles the tool modern engineers use known as a soil probe. This is put deep into the ground and taken out to find what type of soil is there. There are records to prove that this was used on the soil before the construction of the great Temple of Brihadeeshwara in Tanjore. And obviously this must have been in use long before that which is how they were able to gauge the type of soil.

In another hand, Vishwakarma holds a rosary or mala with hundred and eight beads which we normally use for prayers. This obviously was used to calculate the sacred geometry which was a must before the construction of any building or mandir. All Hindu mandirs have to follow this type of mathematical precision which is always related to the divine principles by which the whole universe has been constructed. The number hundred and eight is found in all our calculations and shastras which shows the importance we placed on this number. It is closely related to the way in which our whole universe works. This is why our mandirs have withstood the ravages of countless centuries.

Another of his hands holds something which actually resembles a tuning fork at the bottom. The tops differ in different sculptures but the bottoms are always the same. We cannot guess what this is for the simple reason that we have not yet discovered a tool like this! This might seem blasphemous to the modern mind which likes to think that it knows everything but the fact is that we still don’t know half of what the ancient builders seemed to know. Can we ever construct a mandir like the Kailasa Mandir in Ellora? This was constructed by carving the whole mandir out of one rock starting from the top of a huge mountain of rock!

What about the amazing rock carvings of Elephanta? How did they carve such perfect faces which are so high that it would need huge ladders to reach the top? But they are all perfectly symmetrical. They have not been built by people who had no knowledge of modern tools and techniques! They were done by people who were expert mathematicians. There are so many other wonders in our ancient mandirs that we would discover if we had the time and patience to go and study them instead of going for holidays abroad.

Therefore, we can suspect that these things that resemble tuning forks might have enabled them to manipulate sounds in order to build these great edifices. Of course it is a fact that the ancient rishis were well aware of the power of sounds. The mantras are a standing proof of the fact that they had perfected this science of “sonology” which is still a baby science in the west. With the use of mantras they were able to shatter rocks at a distance according to our shastras! This is still an unexplored area in today’s scientific world but perhaps we will come to it in time! But we can be sure that our ancient architects did make use of all types of precision instruments as well as their superior knowledge of sounds in order to create these magnificent citadels, cities and edifices which are living proof of the advanced techniques used by Vishwakarma, the divine architect!

All of us use some type of instruments for our work, so on this Vishwakarma Day let us all worship our instruments even if it’s a computer or a knife for cutting vegetables and ask for divine blessings to help us in our work! Let us remember that “work is worship” as Lord Krishna told Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita and thus let us learn to offer all our actions to the Lord of action – the master architect – Vishwakarma – the creator of the universe.

Aum vishwakarmaaya namaha!

Mahalaya Paksha is the lunar fortnight in the month of Bhadrapada/Ashwini (September/October) in the Hindu calendar, in which Hindus pay homage to their ancestors or pitrus. Hence, it is also known as Pitru Paksha or the fortnight of the ancestors. This fortnight comes in the krishna paksha or the waning phase of the lunar month. (A lunar month has twenty-eight days out of which fourteen days are for the waxing moon and fourteen days for the waning.) Remembrance of our ancestors is so important that Hinduism has kept aside a special fortnight to help us recollect. This year (2025), it starts on the 8th of September and ends on the 21st of September which is the day of the new moon or amavasya. This day is known as the “Mahalaya Paksha Amavasya” or the new moon that marks the end of this fortnight which has been reserved for the remembrance of our ancestors.

Pitrus (ancestors) do not come to the earth plane at all times. It is believed that they visit the earth during these fifteen days in subtle bodies and seek our attention. Thus, Mahalaya Paksha is a very important timespan to connect with them and acquire their blessings. So it’s good to keep the house clean during these fifteen days and connect and appease them by performing Shraddham (ritual performed for the departed soul between the 11^th and 31^st day after he has passed and every year on the same thithi or lunar date) and Tarpanam (an offering of water and cooked rice mixed with black til seeds to the departed soul and to the ancestors in order to get their blessings). This can be done during the death rites and during the Mahalaya Paksha Amavasya.

Most of us do not remember even our parents after a few years of their demise, much less our ancestors and even if we do, it’s only a passing thought. However, it’s an undeniable fact that we stand on the shoulders of those that have gone before us. Countless generations have come and gone because of whom we are what we are today. It’s because someone in ancient times made the discovery of the wheel that we have motor cars today. They are the ones who have made us what we are today. Even our physical and mental characteristics are decided by our ancestors. Our rishis well knew that gratitude was not a strong point with human beings. Therefore, they kept not just a special day but a whole fortnight to think of our ancestors and show our gratitude to them. Gratitude is a most evolving emotion. It cleanses the mind and brings a sense of peace and well-being.

Every Hindu is born with five types of debts (pancha maha yajnas) which have to be repaid by him during his lifetime.

These debts are:

1. Rishi Yajna or Brahma Yajna

The rishis are the ones who have given us the knowledge of the Vedas and are the ones who are responsible for giving us this great culture, the Sanatana Dharma. The debt to them is repaid by reading the Vedas and Puranas and practising their teachings.

2. Deva Yajna

This is the debt we owe to the gods, who are nurturing us in many subtle ways and this we can repay by extolling them, chanting mantras, doing pujas etc.

3. Pitru Yajna

Next comes the debt to our ancestors, pitru yajna, and this can be repaid by remembering them and performing the rituals especially during this special fortnight which is kept for them.

4. Bhuta Yajna

This is the debt we owe to nature and everything in it – the soil, the rivers, the plants and so on. We owe a great debt to nature since our very existence depends on her. This we repay by looking after the land, the trees, the rivers, birds and other animals. One of the things in the daily routine of a Hindu is to water the plants, give food and water to the birds and feed some animal before taking one’s own food.

5. Manushya Yajna

Finally comes the debt we owe to humanity. We are part of this social milieu and we are bound to give charity to as many people as we can at all times. Hence, in India the guest, especially the uninvited guest, is to be treated like a god and always given food, water or whatever they need. These debts are incumbent on every human being but in Hinduism, they are made a part of our religion so that we never forget them.

Actually we are supposed to perform a special ritual for our parents every year on the lunar day and month on which they died. But we have poor memories and busy lives, so very few care to remember the day on which their parents died. This fortnight is a boon for such people. By doing this ritual on this special day of Mahalaya Paksha Amavasya, one can compensate for the fault of not doing it on the special day on which they died, so most people choose the easy way out.

Three of our preceding generations are said to reside for a short time in the place known as Pitru Loka (the world of the manes), which is a subtle realm between heaven and earth. This realm is governed by Yama, the god of death, who takes the jivatma (embodied soul) from Bhu Loka (earth) to Pitru Loka.

Everyone celebrates the great festivals like Navaratri, Diwali etc. but very few go out of their way to remember their ancestors. It is amazing how fast we forget even our beloved parents after a few years. Actually the great festival of Navaratri, to the Divine Mother begins the day after Mahalaya Paksha Amavasya. This year, it starts on 22nd September.

Bathing in holy rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Kaveri, Narmada or Tungabhadra and giving alms according to one’s capability while remembering one’s ancestors, will bring immense blessings especially during this period.

As with all Hindu rites and festivals, everything is connected with the zodiac and planetary dispositions. At the beginning of Pitru Paksha, the sun enters the zodiac sign of Libra (Tula). Coinciding with this, it is believed that the spirits leave Pitru Loka and reside in their descendants’ homes for a month, till the sun enters the next zodiac – Scorpio (Vrichchhika) – on the day of the full moon. We are expected to propitiate the ancestors in the first half, during the dark fortnight. This is the time when they are actually closest to us. After that they will go away to other worlds so they will be especially happy if we do something for them at this time and we will get their blessings. In Hinduism, the blessings of all people especially our elders and ancestors are considered to bring a lot of good luck for us.

We all know that many of us may not have been able to fulfil all the wishes of our parents and other members of our family while they were in their physical bodies so these jivas are discontented and return to the earthly realm. This period is considered to be a great opportunity for those of us who are still alive to see to it that we satisfy them so that they will be able to continue their journey onwards. These rituals are firstly a method of expiating for any wrong we have done to them and secondly a way in which we can help in furthering their journey to moksha or final liberation.

The offerings to the ancestors during this period are known as shraddh. Only the three generations preceding us who are still in Pitru Loka will benefit from these rites, since others have gone on to other worlds and may even have been born again.

Normally the offerings consist of what is known as “pinda.” This is a ball made of cooked rice mixed with til (sesame) seeds. One ball each is made for every one of the ancestors whom we can remember starting with our own parents and going back to three generations. This is important since it connects us to our lineage. A person thus gets to know his three preceding generations. Of course he knows the names of his sons and grandsons. Hence, a bond is created for seven generations including you. The rituals during the Pitru Paksha emphasize the fact that our ancestors and the current generation and the next unborn generation are connected by blood ties. These rituals are supposed to enhance the possibility of the departed souls to rise to higher realms of existence. The rituals can also satisfy the unfulfilled desires of the departed ones that may be acting as a hindrance to their onward journey to the higher realms.

After keeping “pindas” for all those in our family whose names we know, we can also keep for those whose names we cannot recall. Finally we keep pindas for those unfortunate ones who have no kith or kin to remember them or perform any rites for them. Water has to be poured on top of each pinda. This is known as “tarpana.” Some people make kheer or sweet rice and offer it and some make the food that was particularly liked by the departed soul. But these are all extras. The main things are the rice/til balls and the water and kusa grass (certain type of grass) on which the pindas are placed.

Normally departed souls are said to come and peck at the food in the form of crows. It is believed that if crows and especially ravens come and peck at the rice, it is a sign that the ancestors are pleased with us and will bless us. It is a curious thing that even though crows are greedy birds and will normally eat anything that is offered to them, sometimes they just look at the offerings and refuse to touch them. I have personally observed this strange fact. This is meant to indicate that for some reason our ancestors are not happy with us.

However, in those places where crows are not to be found, other birds may also come and eat it but again it is to be noted that even other birds, however greedy, never seem to have much interest in the food specially kept for the ancestors. Another important fact which should be kept in mind is that the remembrance of the ancestors and doing the “shraddh” ceremony benefits not only the departed souls but also the ones who are doing the “kriyas” or rituals. By doing this we will be opening up the channel between them and us and paving the way to bring down their blessings on us.

On the day of the Mahalaya New Moon, the pitrus return back to the Pitru Loka. Therefore, on that day they should be specially worshiped, adored and sent on their way.

During this period we should examine ourselves and try to find out if we have caused any displeasure to our parents or any of our close relatives while they were alive. Have we done anything which they disproved of? Did we not take care of them and give them the consideration that was due to them? Is there something that we had promised to do that we have forgotten to do? Have we caused some actual harm to any of our close relatives? Of course the only way to expiate for having done something wrong to them while they were alive is to sincerely beg forgiveness both from God and from them. If we really feel sorry for our sins of omissions and commissions and beg them to forgive us, they will certainly do so and we will find that the crows once again come and peck at our offerings. Of course if we have forgotten to do something they had asked us to do, we should immediately see to it that it is done. So these rituals are an act of repentance which will release us from what is known as “pitru dosha” or the curse of the ancestors.

If we examine ourselves we will find that all of us have been guilty at some time or other, in some way or other of having displeased our parents or uncles or aunts or other close relatives. Whenever we displease or harm anyone or any creature we will obviously incur the effects of bad karma. Evidently all of us in some measure have been guilty of this. Sometimes we get the opportunity to beg their forgiveness while they are still in their body but sometimes it is too late and before we realise the harm we have done, they have left their bodies. Hinduism gives a unique method for expiation of this particular sin of not having done enough for our parents and ancestors.

Karna was one of the great warriors in the Mahabharata who was known for his charity. He never refused a gift to whoever came to him. When he died of course his subtle body ascended to heaven where he was offered only gold and jewels in lieu of food. When he questioned Indra, the Lord of the heavens about this, he was told that he had always donated only material things during his life and had never offered food to his ancestors in the shraddh ceremony. Karna argued that he did not know who his ancestors were. However, since he had been such a generous soul, Indra allowed him to return to earth for a fortnight, so that he could perform the shraddh ceremony and give food and water in their memory. This story is only to enforce the importance of this ritual in the life of a Hindu. If even Karna, the greatest of all charitable people had to come back to earth during this fortnight in order to atone for his sin of omission, what about us who may not have given any charity during our lifetime.

Therefore, this fortnight is an opportunity for us to give charity in the way of food to as many poor people as possible and especially so on the final day of the new moon. By this we can repay most of the debts we owe to ancestors and other people. Any of the relations of the deceased like son, daughter, grand-son, grand-daughter, great grandson, wife, brothers or anyone in the seven generations can perform shraddh for the departed ancestors. Of all charities, the giving of food during these fifteen days is the greatest.

Auspicious activities like marriages or parties or celebrations should be avoided during this period. By observing all the rules for this ritual a person is sure to have a good, healthy and peaceful life. Thus, it is incumbent on all children to conduct these rites for the sake of their parents and their ancestors and thus forge the link between them.

The modern generation does not realise how far the blessings of our parents and elders can take us. In Hinduism, we have placed great importance on the blessings of our elders.

Of course it is always best to see that we do our duty to our parents and other close relations while they are still alive. Let us hope that this article will help people to understand the importance of being kind to our parents while they are alive and not wait for them to die and then try to expiate for our omissions.

On Sep 7th there is Chandra Grahan too. The eclipse will begin at 9:58 PM IST and end at 1:26 AM IST on September 8. As the Chandra Grahan is visible in India we should have our last meal by 6pm and then after bath on next day.

Hari Aum Tat Sat!

The festival of Onam is the most important celebration in the state of Kerala, South

India. Like all Hindu festivals, it has both historical and spiritual signicance. It is

celebrated immediately after the monsoons, in the Kerala month known as Chingam

(August/September) – in the Shukla Paksha of the month of Bhadra on Shravana

Nakshatram.

Lord Vishnu is the harmonizer in the Hindu Trinity made up of Brahma, the creator;

Vishnu, the harmonizer; and Shiva, the destroyer. Vishnu is supposed to have taken

ten incarnations to uplift the world and free it from the thralldom of adharma or

unrighteousness. The whole festival of Onam centers around the story of the h

incarnation of Vishnu known as Vamana. Unfortunately, this part of the Onam

festival was forgotten during the days of British rule. Now, with the revival of

Hinduism, this story is slowly being brought into prominence.

The fascinating story of the legendary king called Mahabali is closely connected with

the Onam festival. Let us go back in history to the Titan known as Hiranyakashipu,

who was Mahabali’

s great-grandfather. He was indeed a true asura (demon) who had

sworn to erase the memory of Vishnu from his land and told everyone that he was

both king and God ("le roi et dieu"). His son, Prahlada, was a great Vishnu bhakta

(devotee), and when Hiranyakashipu tried to kill him, Vishnu took the incarnation of

Narasimha (man-lion) to save him.

The modern city of Ahobila in Andhra Pradesh is the place where Narasimha is

supposed to have incarnated himself. There are temples there for all the different

aspects of Narasimha. Strangely enough, Lord Vishnu took two incarnations to bless

this family even though they belonged to the asuric (demonic) clan.

When Prahlada took over the reign of the land, he put an end to all adharma

(unrighteousness), and the land nourished, and everyone had devotion for Vishnu.

His son was Virochana, who was also a great Vishnu bhakta. Bali was his son, and he

too inherited this deep love and devotion to Vishnu. His guru was Shukracharya, who

gave him all the knowledge necessary to become the greatest ruler of this earth. He

had inherited his father’s kingdom, which was in the Deccan plateau, now known as

Andhra Pradesh, and he had extended it to include modern Maharashtra and even

the northeastern states. The land prospered and nourished under his rule, and

everyone loved him. However, too much afluence always corrupts people’s minds,

and soon they started to fall from the ancient Vedic concepts of dharma and good

behavior. King Bali felt sad at this insidious corruption that was creeping into his

realm and with the advice of his guru Shukracharya, he decided to hold one hundred

Ashwamedha Yagas (special re ceremonies) to bring the citizens back to the Vedic

way of life.

In the meantime, the gods under their king Indra went to Vishnu and begged him to

do something about this kingdom that had been nourishing with noble people at one

time and had now become totally corrupt. Vishnu agreed and took birth in a Brahmin

household on the full moon day of the month of Shravana (August/September) under

the star known as Shravana, called Thiruvonam in Malayalam (the language spoken

in Kerala). Soon after his birth, he took on the form of a seven-year-old boy. The little

boy was called Vamana due to his dwarfish size. He was invested with the sacred

thread and given all the accoutrements of a Brahmachari or a celibate student. He

held a begging bowl in one hand and a leaf umbrella in the other and was asked to go

and beg for his food as is customary for a Brahmachari who had just been invested

with the holy thread. At that time, King Bali had just completed his 99th

Ashwamedha Yaga and was preparing for the 100th. Vamana set out purposefully

towards the palace, but with every step he took, the whole earth shook, as if to

proclaim his future grandeur. Such was the splendor emanating from Vamana that

when he reached the court where the king, sages, and other great souls were

assembled, King Bali, even though he was the emperor of all the worlds, stood up to

welcome him. He rose from his throne, went forward to receive him, and gave him a

seat of honor. The king felt his heart surge with love for this small boy and told him

to ask for anything he wanted, promising to grant it.

His guru Shukracharya had suspicions about the boy’s identity and warned the king

not to agree to Vamana’s request, suspecting that he was Vishnu sent by the gods to

deceive him. Hearing the name "Vishnu," Bali's heart jumped with joy, and he

disobeyed his guru for the first time, expressing his honor at having Vishnu come

and beg from him. He told the child to ask for whatever he wanted. Although Vishnu

loved him deeply, he decided to humble him, so he requested only three steps of land.

Bali laughed and said, “I thought you were intelligent, but now I see you are only a

child. You have come to the palace of one who owns the whole earth, and you ask for

only three steps of land.”

Vamana smiled mysteriously and replied, “Only the person satisfied with what they

have can be truly content. In fact, such a person is indeed a king. What is the use of

having more than one truly needs? I want only three steps of land!”

The king agreed and proceeded to solemnize the promise with water, which he took

in the palm of his hand, as was customary. He was set to pour it into Vamana’s little

palm when he was stopped by Shukracharya, his guru (spiritual guide).

“Oh King!” he said, “This little boy is none other than Vishnu, sent by the gods to

defeat you. It is a trick. Do not give him anything!”

The king replied, “I deem it a great honor that Vishnu, the great god of all the worlds,

has come to beg from me. Moreover, I will never go back on the promise I made to

anyone, even if it means death for me!”

Vamana was happy to hear these words from the mouth of the asura, who he felt was

his true devotee. Suddenly, the dwarf's body started to enlarge until it became a

gigantic figure whose head couldn't be seen because it soared above the earth. With

one step, he measured the whole earth, and with the other, all the intervening space.

Then, in a thunderous voice, he boomed, “Where is the third step you promised me,

O Bali!”

Without hesitation, the king whispered, “O Lord, if you return to your original size,

place your little foot on my head to enable me to keep my promise of giving you three

steps of land”.

Vamana promptly returned to his original size and placed his sacred foot on the

king's bowed head, who was determined to keep his promise despite the odds. He

pressed his foot down on the king’s crowned head and sent him along with his

retinue to the netherworld, where he was installed as the sole emperor. Vamana

blessed him and said, “From now on, you will be known as Maha-bali (the great Bali)!

You are indeed a noble soul and will be known as one of my greatest devotees, even

though you were born in the clan of the asuras (demons). I admire you greatly, and I

promise to become your gatekeeper, ensuring no enemy shall ever conquer you.

”

Mahabali begged to be allowed to return to the land he loved at least once a year.

Vamana agreed, and it is said that Mahabali returns every year on Thiruvonam day to

his land to bless his people. He is always accompanied by Vamana, who prepares

everything for his arrival. Because of this, both the asura king Mahabali and Lord

Vishnu as Vamana are welcomed by the Keralites during Onam. This makes Onam a

unique festival in which the victor and the vanquished are both worshipped

simultaneously.

The British derided us, claiming we had no written historical records. This statement

is partly true, as our history dates back to a time before the written word. Western

history is often a mere account of kings and heroes, documented by those long aer

their reigns. Our history, however, resides in the hearts of the people, in the very cells

of the citizens of this country. It remains a living thing, woven into the fabric of our

lives and celebrated through festivals. Our history was and is conveyed through bards

and "kathas" (storytelling of the Puranas) that take place in temples, keeping it intact

despite foreign invasions. It inspires us to emulate the heroes and noble kings of

ancient times.

As we examine the stories intertwined with the festival of Onam, a practical issue

arises. Kerala's historical records do not mention a king named Mahabali, and

Vamana is the h incarnation of Lord Vishnu, while Kerala is believed to have been

shaped by Parashurama, the sixth incarnation. How can we reconcile this

discrepancy?

To do so, we must delve into Kerala's ancient history, spanning thousands of years.

Parashurama, son of the sage Jamadagni, vowed to avenge his father's death by

decimating the haughty kshatriya rulers. Aer realizing the folly of his actions, he

sought divine pardon. Varuna, Lord of the waters, advised him to donate land to

Brahmins, providing a safe haven for them. Parashurama threw his axe into the

ocean, and thus Kerala was born. He brought Brahmins from Andhra Pradesh and

established them in this new land, along with Shiva and Durga temples. Later,

artisans and other workers settled there.

Historically, Narasimha's avatar took place in Ahobila, Andhra Pradesh. Vamana's

avatar also likely occurred there, as it was Mahabali's legacy from his great-

grandfather, Hiranyakashipu. However, the Brahmins from Andhra Pradesh brought

the memory of their king Mahabali with them, celebrating his return to their land on

Vamana's birthday. This is how the festival of Thiruvonam began in Kerala, even

though Mahabali wasn't a Kerala king. Their history traveled with them.

Over centuries, people forgot their origins and began believing Mahabali was their

king and that Vamana's incarnation occurred in Kerala. To support this belief, they

built a temple to Vamana, known as Trikkakara, in Trippunithura, Ernakulam

District. The name is derived from "Trikal," meaning "holy feet"

of Lord Vishnu as Vamana. The idol of Vamana was possibly installed by Parashurama himself. It was originally called "Trikal-kara," meaning "place of the holy feet," but later became "Trikkakara."

This is the historical background of the Onam festival, honoring the h incarnation

of Vishnu as Vamana and showcasing the greatness of a king who honored his

promise even in the face of harm. Such an attitude is what rulers should embody,

prioritizing their people's welfare and upholding their promises.

Hindus follow a lunar month of twenty-eight days, with each day associated with a

specific star. Onam, a shortened form of Thiruvonam, corresponds to the star

Shravana in Sanskrit. Vishnu, in his form as Vamana, was born on this day, the full

moon day of Shravana. On the eve of Onam, when the star Uttradam (Uttaraphalguni)

ascends, Keralites invite Lord Vishnu in his form as Vamana to bless their homes. A

pyramidal clay figure with four sides and a at top, representing the four stages of

human life, is made. It's known as Trikkakarappan or the Lord of the Trikkakara

temple, Vamana. In modern times, wooden versions are used when clay isn't

available. The idol is placed on a banana leaf with rice our mystic symbols. Two

smaller idols are often placed beside the main one, representing Vamana's three steps

of land.

The ten-day festival begins with Hastha or Attham, during which children collect

wildowers to create "pookkalams," lovely oral arrangements outside their homes.

Each day has a specic pookkalam design. Originally, the pookkalam had ten

concentric rounds, representing Vishnu's ten avatars. Nowadays, the focus is on

design and lower variety.

The Aramula snake boat race is a famous event during this season. The boats, long

and sleek, have carved snake heads. With around two hundred rowers, they

synchronize their rowing to a drumbeat. Even a single mistake could cost them the

race, rejecting the importance of unity.

This is Kerala's glorious tradition, where each Onam fulfills Vamana's promise.

Sadly, recent events in Kerala show that present rulers diverge from greatness,

disrupting the spirituality of the land. Let's hope that with Vamana's blessings,

Kerala will regain its past glory and have rulers who emulate the noble Bali -

Mahabali.

This year Onam will be celebrated on 5th September, 2025

Pic - Hand Made Ganesha by Vanamali Maa

The Sanatana Dharma is the most ancient religion in the world. It is a way of life that has existed from very ancient times. Great sages known as rishis were the ones that gave this knowledge to us. They discovered that the material world and its evolution was controlled by a subtle spiritual energy called prana. In lower forms of life, evolution is a mechanical process, but they found out that in the human being there is a possibility to consciously cultivate this spiritual energy or prana in order to give a boost to evolution. Biologists are now becoming aware of something called selective evolution, which is what the rishis who knew about it, told us a long time ago. They did not write long treatises on such abstruse subjects. Instead, they resorted to symbols and parables that could easily be understood by the common man. Thus, we find that the Hindu scriptures are full of such symbols, analogies and allegories. These are most scientific and have been shaped through abstract conceptions of the external environment.

Our Puranas (books on the stories of the gods) are studded with stories of an amazing variety of gods and goddesses who are the dynamic representations of this abstract Truth as given in the Vedas. These stories are not fairy tales, but they are the reflections of the revelations of the rishis. The rishis realised that it was imperative to create ideals of perfection for the society in order to help it evolve to higher states of consciousness. Their language is couched in mysticism since that was the only way in which these great esoteric secrets could be communicated to the normal human being whose mind is conditioned by names and forms from birth onwards. The Puranic stories are like abstract paintings that suggest a different dimension to the mind and enable it to comprehend the intangible ideas that are expressed through these forms.

Vyasa is the great sage or rishi who is the author of the eighteen Puranas. He was a master story teller. He said that stories serve as pools in which the reflection of Reality can be caught. The subtle essence of Reality can be caught only through allegories, symbols and stories. They have to be read with the sensitive heart of an artist and not with the carping intellect of the scientist. If we listen to them with the innocence of a child, they will open our hearts to a vast vista of mysticism and romance for which the human heart actually craves.

Vyasa saw the totality of nature, both her outer physical phenomena as well as her inner invisible psyche. The forms of the various gods and Ganesha in particular are the visible signs for expressing the invisible. One who meditates on these symbols will be able to penetrate the subtle psychic presence in them and attain a comprehensive view of the totality of the cosmos. He will also be able to dive into the recesses of his own psyche and get higher spiritual experiences. This is the truth underlying the often-bizarre forms of the Hindu gods as in the case of Ganesha. They translate the Infinite in terms of the finite and the spiritual in terms of the material. By fostering our faith in the symbols and forms of the deities we can establish a rapport with the deity that will draw us closer to the Supreme, of which they are reflections. In this unique way Vyasa succeeded in getting the incomprehensible Supreme, reflected in the liquid poetry of the Puranic literature and created a myriad forms or altars for worship which would be suitable for different personalities. The mind of man has to learn to focus on some form that inspires him before proceeding to the formless.

Ganesha is the first letter in the alphabet of symbolic forms devised by the rishis. He is the most popular of the gods in the Hindu pantheon. Even votaries of other gods have to pay obeisance to him before starting their rituals to their own chosen deity. Hindus start all religious ceremonies and even worldly affairs of importance by breaking a coconut to Ganesha. He represents the power of the intelligent will unfolding the spiritual life from the world of matter. Hence, he is associated with the Mooladhara Chakra at the base of the spine which denotes the element “earth”. He is said to be God of gravity that is the base of all existence. Anyone who wants to get into the Hindu fold has to supplicate Ganesha first.

The figure of Ganesha has a deep spiritual significance. It symbolises the idea of the emergence of life from earth and the unfolding of consciousness from matter. His dual form of animal and human points out to us that we too can aspire to a supra-mental level even though we have come from an animal background. The apparently ludicrous figure of Ganesha mounted on a small mouse is actually a representation of this theme and meant to give an impetus to the human being to realise his own inner divinity.

Now let us first see what the word Ganesha or Ganapati implies. The word “gana” comes from the root “gan” which means to count. “Ganya” means limited and “aganya” means unlimited or infinite. “Ganya” includes the whole of manifold creation, everything that the human intellect can comprehend. Therefore, Ganapati is the Lord of all finite things. He is also “Ganyaapati” — Lord of everything in creation. The “aganya” or Infinite has taken on a finite form as Ganapati or Ganesha in order to uplift humanity out of these finite forms.

The ganas are the subtle creative powers and elements that cause diversity and create obstructions in the universe. Since he is Ganapathy or the leader of the ganas, we have to contact him so that these obstacles can be removed. He not only removes obstacles from our physical life but also from our spiritual life. When a devotee takes a wrong path, he also places obstacles in our way so that we are forced to take a different path which is better for us.

There are many accounts of the birth of Ganesha. The most popular one comes from the Shiva Purana. Once when Shiva had retired to the high Himalayan peaks for his meditation, Parvati felt a bit unsafe when she went for her bath to the pool since she had only two female attendants. In those days there was no soap, so she had smeared a mixture of turmeric, sandal powder, mud and various other unguents over her body. Before she got into the water, she scraped this out and made a beautiful figure of a boy. Parvati is Prakriti or Nature, which is latent with infinite creative potency. It gives birth to life that emerges and evolves and eventually turns into consciousness in the human being. So, she breathed life into the figure of the boy she had made. She made him stand at the door of the path leading to the lake and told him to obstruct anyone who tried to enter. When Shiva returned from his meditation, he found his way barred by the child who absolutely refused to let him in. Shiva sent his ganas to rout the boy, but they were defeated and eventually Shiva himself came and cut off his head. Parvati was distraught to see the headless torso of her boy and threatened to destroy the whole world if her son was not restored to her. Shiva immediately sent the ganas to cut off the head of the first creature they found who was sleeping with his head turned to the north. As it happened, they found an elephant and brought his head and Shiva fixed it on the torso. The priests muttered some mantras and the body came to life. The body was that of a boy with the head of the elephant. Parvati was delighted to see her son alive even though with the head of an elephant. She took him on her lap and christened him “Vinayaka”, the one who is born without a sire – vi-nayaka. This happened on the fourth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Bhadra (August/September) and hence this day is celebrated as his birthday.

When his trunk is turned to the right his figure is a representation of the mantra Aum when written in Sanskrit.

The most striking thing about Ganesha is his elephant head. There is a deep esoteric reason for this. The elephant is the largest of the vegetarians in the animal world. In fact, it is the most powerful and massive creature on earth. It is long-lived, vigorous, has a large brain and an excellent memory. They can be trained to become great friends with the human being. Animals that are feared by men and beasts alike are all predators and flesh eaters. No one fears a vegetarian giant. This is one of the reasons that the elephant was chosen as a most auspicious symbol in Hinduism. Most houses in India have an idol or picture of Ganesha at the front so that they can pray to him before going out.

An elephant’s trunk is the most amazing instrument known to man. Human ingenuity still has not been able to devise such an instrument. It is capable of lifting huge logs of wood as well as of picking up a small pin lying on the ground. With this trunk, Ganesha is capable of removing every obstacle in the path of his devotee. His large ears act like antenna to receive all possible sounds and thus he can easily gauge every situation. In an esoteric sense he can discern the real from the unreal. His huge belly is a symbol of the whole universe. Everything emerges from the cauldron of his belly. His small eyes show his ability to make minute observations.

The fact that the insignificant mouse is his vehicle is the most enigmatic portion of his figure. According to Hinduism, consciousness is ingrained even in the grains of sand. It turns into intelligence after passing through many rudimentary forms. The mouse is a fitting symbol for this. It is a creature of the earth and lives in burrows and holes in the ground. Its body touches the earth all the time. It cares only for the satisfaction of its palate. It has a primitive intelligence encased in ignorance and is restless, avaricious and worried. On the other hand, the elephant is the symbol of power and wisdom. The fact that Ganesha rides on such a creature shows that the liberated man keeps his worldly desires completely under control. The picture of Ganesha mounted on a mouse shows that the human being has the power to be calm and majestic and reach the infinite but continues to be a rat and rush about in the rat race of life, fighting and squabbling over trivialities. Thus, his whole image is a graphic picture of the immense possibility of the human being to reach the heights of consciousness.

The breaking of coconuts in front of Ganesha in order to remove all obstacles on our path, is a special offering to him. This has an esoteric significance as is usual with all Hindu rituals. The coconut represents our prarabdha karma or the karma of our past lives for which we are either being rewarded or punished now in this life. When we break the coconut, we should have the mental attitude that we are offering this load of karma to him and begging him to deliver us from them. The outer fibrous covering of the coconut represents the gross body which carries a lot of desires and attachments. Before breaking the coconut, we have to remove this fibre of attachments. Then we break the hard shell which is our ego and then expose the white kernel of our pure desire to be united with him. Finally, the sweet water of our love is poured over him. In S. India we always break a coconut before we start on a journey or before we start some new enterprise.

Normally the fourth day of the bright half of every lunar month is believed to be the day for Ganesha and is known as Siddhi Vinayaka Chaturti. The fourth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada (August/September) is the most important of these and is known as Mahasiddhi Vinayaka Chaturti. This is the day on which Parvati created Ganesha. It was on this day that his first birthday was celebrated in Kailasa. This year 2025 Ganesha Chaturti falls on Wednesday, 27^th August. The festival is conducted for ten days especially in Maharashtra. On the final day the figure of Ganesha that has been worshipped for ten days is taken in procession and immersed in the ocean or river or tank.

The ritual is done to signify the birth cycle of Lord Ganesha; just as he was created from clay/Earth, his symbolic statue is also made of mud. The idol is immersed in water so that Ganesha may return to his home after his ‘stay’ at the devotees’ home or temple where the rituals are conducted. While it might seem like a good idea to skip the visarjan and keep hosting the God for fortune and prosperity, it is said that the power that suffuses the statue after 10 days of worship is all a human being can bear. So it is not to be kept longer.

On this auspicious occasion of his birthday let us pray to him to remove all the obstacles that stand in the way of our progress towards moksha.

Aum Sri Ganeshaya Namaha!