The culture journal
Explore Indian heritage through clear introductions to sacred places, thoughtful readings of familiar texts, and practical guides to living traditions.
217 articles
Scriptures & Philosophy · 3 min read
The Upanishads are not a single book written at one time. They are a diverse body of texts associated with questions about the self, knowledge, reality and liberation. The…
Read articlePilgrimage · 3 min read
Rameswaram brings together a coastal landscape, the Ramanathaswamy Temple and traditions associated with Rama. It is both a Jyotirlinga destination and one of the four cardinal Dhams. These connections…
Read articlePilgrimage · 3 min read
Kamakhya Temple, on Nilachal Hill in Guwahati, is a major centre of Goddess worship. Its reputation is closely connected with Shakta traditions and the annual Ambubachi observance. A useful…
Read articleScriptures & Philosophy · 3 min read
The ashrama framework describes four forms or stages of religious life: brahmacharya, grihastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa. It is often presented as four neat blocks of twenty-five years. That popular…
Read articleHistory & Ideas · 3 min read
The Sushruta Samhita is an important work in the history of Indian medicine. It is often introduced through striking accounts of surgery, but a serious appreciation should extend beyond…
Read articlePilgrimage · 3 min read
Ambaji, in northern Gujarat, is an important centre of devotion to the Goddess. Many visitors know it through family journeys, bhajans or festival visits. Its association with the Shakti…
Read articlePilgrimage · 3 min read
The Bhasma Aarti at Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain is widely associated with the ritual use of sacred ash in Shiva worship. Many visitors plan their journey around it. Understanding its…
Read articleScriptures & Philosophy · 3 min read
The Purusha Sukta, found in Rigveda 10.90, imagines the world through a cosmic being called Purusha. It is a hymn, so its language works through image, rhythm and sacred…
Read articleEveryday Traditions · 3 min read
The change from darkness to daylight is easy to overlook on a busy morning. Sandhya Vandana gives that transition a place in religious life. In traditions that practise it,…
Read articlePilgrimage · 3 min read
Somnath stands on the Gujarat coast at Prabhas Patan, near Veraval. For devotees, it is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas associated with Shiva. For a visitor interested in history,…
Read articleStories & Traditions · 4 min read
The story of Daksha’s sacrifice is often the first explanation a visitor hears when asking why a shrine is called a Shakti Peetha. It brings together family conflict, religious…
Read articleEveryday Traditions · 3 min read
At many Hindu temples, worship includes walking around a shrine. This movement is usually called pradakshina or parikrama. It can be brief, within a temple courtyard, or part of…
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