Makar Sankranti - Kites and til-gul laddoo

Posted on May 16, 2011 by admin
0177214f 63c8 49c1 9b1f 0ab92df75d48 Makar Sankranti Kites and til gul laddoo

Sankranti festival

Sankranthi also known as Makar Sankranti is a day of celebration in India signifying the onset of the uttrayana punyakalam when the sun starts its journey to the northern hemisphere, also called makara rasi in the Hindu scriptures. The day of sankranthi starts with people going for a holy dip in the waters of rivers and lakes and are deemed cleansed. Then they begin the day by worshipping the sun god and this time is considered as auspicious as even the veteran bhishma of Mahabharata wanted to die during this period. It was during this time when bhishma fell to lord arjun’s arrows in the battle. Bhishma had the special power to chose his time of death and he chose this time, sankranthi, to give up his life and depart from the physical world and hence people who die during this period are said to have no rebirths in other centuries. read more about Sankranti festival
Posted in Indian Festivals | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Lohri - The festival of spring

Posted on May 16, 2011 by admin
e9268603 0477 422f 9b82 d437457bf17b Lohri The festival of spring

Lohri festival invitation

Lohri is a festival celebrated throughout the nation and is one of those festivals which has no historical significance but is just a day of showing each other love and care, but also a relaxed day taking a break from the busy life of city individuals. The evenings are spent by visiting relatives and exchanging wishes and dancing through the night to the local beats. Lohri is also seen as a festival which instils secularism and national pride where religion is forgotten and all are one in the eyes of the celebrators. It helps remind us that the best virtues in life are a pure heart, truthfulness and honest characteristics in a person. more about the fun of Lohri
Posted in Indian Festivals | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Holi - A Burst Of Colors

Posted on May 16, 2011 by admin
3da25b96 156e 4553 b1d8 128332241051 Holi A Burst Of Colors

Holi festival invitation

Holi is the most colourful and vibrant festivals of India celebrated in different names through out the nation but the spirit remaining the same all over. this festival is celebrated with much enthusiasm and joy in the month of march, which falls in the month of phagun in the Indian calendar. The festivals is highlighted by the people celebrating, singing and dancing to the tunes of traditional songs and setting aside differences and enjoying as a group.   Holi started out as a festival called holika in the olden days, which was celebrated by the married women for their well-being where they prayed to the moon. It evolved as a fun festival during the later years and it is said that the exciting festival of holi has been mentioned in many of the ancient scripts, inscriptions and murals written around 2000 years ago. An ancient Muslim tourist to India has mentioned the celebration of holi in those days and hence from this it becomes clear that holi was celebrated by the Hindu’s as well as the Muslims. The evening before holi the entire nation is electrified with activity and the markets buzz with people who are doing their last minute shopping of gulal and abeer to surprise each other colourfully.   read more about the fun of holi
Posted in Indian Festivals | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Onam – festival story and significance

Posted on May 16, 2011 by admin
78f05502 d627 4799 ad82 d9db8f9fb78b Onam – festival story and significance

Onam festival invitation

Onam is celebrated in most parts of south India especially in the state of Kerala, in a traditional style. The festival is celebrated anytime between the months of August and September, and symbolizes the homecoming of Mahabali, one of the greatest kings of Kerala. Onam can be related with flowers, kolam’s and boat races along the scenic back waters of Kerala. Legend has it that Mahabali was a powerful King who ruled his subjects well and they were happy and contended under his rule. For the good deeds of Mahabali, God allowed him to visit his subjects once every year on the day of Onam. The captivating feature of Onam is the purest form of South Indian traditional style of celebration. The boat race organised on the day of Onam attracts huge crowds and people prepare a huge feast which comprises of 9 courses, which truly is a feast fit for a King. Lots of other activities take place during the Onam week. Kerala is known for its unique style of martial arts and numerous contests are held all across the state. Actual celebration of Onam starts 10 days before the day of the festival. Beautiful designs made from petals of flowers called ‘Onapookalam’ are designed in front of the houses. During the last day,before the actual festival King Mahabali is believed to visit the homes of all his people, who clean and decorate their houses to welcome their King. One must not miss the fantastic display of fireworks across the capital, Thiruvananthapuram. read more about Onam celebrations
Posted in Indian Festivals | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Raksha Bandhan – The celebration of a divine bond

Posted on May 16, 2011 by admin
India is a country which celebrates various festivals round the year. Rakha Bandhan is one
3d371fae ff5b 432f bf05 a08e92599aa3 Raksha Bandhan – The celebration of a divine bond

Raksha Bandhan festival

of the most important festivals which are celebrated in India. This festival is celebrated to mark the divine bond between sister and brother. This festival is also known as ‘Rakhi’ which shows the love of brother and sister with each other. The full moon day of the Hindi month Shraavan is celebrated as Raksha Bandhan. Since this festival is celebrated according to the Hindu calendar, the dates may vary from year to year. This day may come on any date of the months July and August of the Gregorian calendar. As the date is not fixed, you should consult Hindu calendar to confirm the date for the present year. more about the beautiful festival on raksha bandhan
Posted in Indian Festivals | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Satyanarayan Pooja

Posted on May 15, 2011 by admin
0586068e 5f34 4ca0 95c3 4d3442472222 Satyanarayan Pooja

Satyanarayan pooja ritual

Satyanarayan Pooja is a day of celebration in India signifying the onset of the uttrayana punyakalam when the sun starts its journey to the northern hemisphere, also called makara rasi in the Hindu scriptures. The day of satyanarayana pooja starts with people going for a holy dip in the waters of rivers and lakes and are deemed cleansed. This day is said to bring abundance of wealth and health as well as a peace of mind for all forms of life including humans as well as animals. During the day of satyanarayana puja the people worship shri satya narayan and the puja can be performed during any part of the day. The full moon night of sankranthi can be considered as one of the most auspicious times for doing the pooja though prayers in the morning are also usually done. On the day of the puja the devotee is to maintain a fast after the morning bath starting with the prayers. The satya narayana puja is usually attended by relatives and neighbors of the person observing the fast or the group who organize the puja. The platform where the puja happens is decorated with lord idol which is accessorized and well kept with all the required items. read more about pooja items and significance
Posted in Hindu rituals | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Griha pravesh pooja ritual - Hymns For Homes

Posted on May 15, 2011 by admin
c86ef1de 2a10 4b66 9022 cb66ec5c0582 Griha pravesh pooja ritual Hymns For Homes

Griha pravesh pooja

Griha pravesh is a pooja which is done by the Hindu’s before entry into a new house. The family which is going to stay in the house would move into the place on an auspicious day which is deemed good by the astrologers determined by the sun and moon charts. The purity of the panchang and the purity of the time of moving into the house should be considered for the ritual to take place. The ceremony has been made into three parts as described by the scriptures, they are, apoorva, sapoorva, and dwandwah. The entry phase into the newly built house on the newly acquired land is called the apoorva griha parvesh. read more about vastu shanti pooja
Posted in Hindu rituals | Tagged , , | Leave a comment