Posts

Showing posts from October, 2010

Diwali – The New Year of Hindus

Image
Diwali or Deepavali is not only the festival of lights, but also marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. Homes are filled with oil lamps, candles and lights. It is one of the most popular Indian national celebrations as it is believed that the goddess of good luck visits our homes to brighten our luck. The first day of Diwali is also a New Year of Business. On the occasion old business accounts and deals are settled and new account books are opened. Special ceremony is performed to worship the books to run their business well in the New Year. This is also the time of year when businessmen visit temples to pray for good fortune in next year. Diwali is very important festival for many Hindus. One of the most important thing done on Diwali is to drive out ‘Alaksmi’ , or the goddess of bad luck, poverty and misfortune. In India the woman of the house will sweep the entire house. This is suppose to also sweep out the goddess of bad luck. The goddess is usually depicted with four h

A CLAY POT AND CHAUTH

Image
Moon was never more beautiful… :) Karva Chauth, karva (karuaa) means a clay pot, and chauth (from char meaning four) corresponds to the fourth. Specifically, in this case Chauth (signifying the day of Karva Chauth festival) is the fourth night (day) after the Full Moon in Kartik month (of Hindu calendar) following the Autumnal Equinox. The idea behind Karva Chauth is very sweet and noble, celebrated by all married Hindu women. They observe a fast for the long life of her husband and in the evening, they adorn bridal makeup . Marriages in India are a sacred union of not just two individuals but also two families. Many such successful unions are testament to the fact that marriages are considered with utmost seriousness in India and are lifelong alliances. Fasts are kept by married hindu women and they pray for the long life of their husbands. Lot of tradition is associated with the festival of Karwa Chauth. Breaking the day long fasting after moon-sighting is one s

SITA – THE SILENT POWER OF SACRIFICE

Image
Sita was a foundling, discovered in a furrow in a ploughed field, and for that reason is regarded as a daughter of Bhudevi , the Goddess Mother Earth. She was found and adopted by Janaka , hence she was also called Janaki , king of Mithila in present day Nepal and his wife Sunayana. Since she was the princess of Mithila , she was (and is also) known as Maithili . Upon her coming of age, a swayamwara was held to select a suitable husband for her, and she was wed to Rama , prince of Ayodhya , an avatara of Vishnu . Sita is the consort of Lord Rama, the seventh avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu. Sita is the one of the most popular goddesses of Hindu religion. Devi Sita is regarded as the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, the divine consort of Lord Vishnu. Sita is considered as the ideal daughter, ideal wife, and ideal mother, since ages. Goddess Sita is remembered for her virtues and attributes. Devi Sita symbolizes all that is noble in womanhood. Sita is one of t