The culture journal
Explore Indian heritage through clear introductions to sacred places, thoughtful readings of familiar texts, and practical guides to living traditions.
33 articles in this topic
Sanatan Festivals & Rituals · 2 min read
Someone familiar with Saraswati Puja at Basant Panchami may be surprised to encounter it again during Navratri. The difference reflects regional calendars and practices rather than a need to…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 2 min read
A Saraswati image often brings together a veena, a book and a bird associated with the Goddess. Looking at these details can open a conversation about music, learning and…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 3 min read
Dussehra is often introduced as the victory of good over evil. That phrase is a useful beginning, but it does not explain why one family watches a Ramlila, another…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 2 min read
For an audience arriving only at the final evening, Dussehra may appear to centre on Ravana Dahan. Yet the effigy belongs to a much larger storytelling tradition. Watching even…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 2 min read
Mysuru Dasara belongs to the religious and civic life of a particular city. Its relationship with Goddess Chamundeshwari, its palace setting and its public cultural programmes make it distinct…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 2 min read
Kullu Dussehra has a rhythm that surprises visitors familiar with a one-evening finale. The local celebration begins on Vijayadashami and continues as a week-long gathering. Its focus on Raghunathji…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 2 min read
Ayudha Puja brings the objects of work into a space of gratitude. Tools, instruments and other implements are cleaned and honoured in several Navratri traditions. The observance offers a…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 2 min read
Saraswati Puja places learning and the arts within a language of reverence. Books, music and study are not treated merely as ways to obtain marks or recognition. They become…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 2 min read
Placing books and musical instruments before Saraswati during Navratri changes the way familiar objects are seen. A textbook normally opened in a hurry or an instrument used for daily…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 2 min read
Vidyarambham marks a beginning in learning. In Kerala it is closely associated with Vijayadashami, when children may be introduced ceremonially to letters. The public image of a guided hand…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 2 min read
A family may remember a death on its calendar anniversary and also observe shraddha on a lunar tithi. These dates do not necessarily fall on the same civil day…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 2 min read
Gaya is an important destination for ancestral rites, especially during Pitru Paksha. The town's significance is connected with several sacred places rather than one interchangeable riverside stop. A little…
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