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
Puranic Legends & Epics · 2 min read
The Dnyaneshwari is a Marathi exposition of the Bhagavad Gita associated with Sant Dnyaneshwar. It is also known as the Bhavarthadipika. Calling it simply a word-for-word translation misses the…
Read articlePuranic Legends & Epics · 3 min read
Sant Dnyaneshwar Jayanti is an occasion to remember a saint whose work helped make philosophical reflection part of Marathi literary and devotional life. Readers encounter his name in several…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 3 min read
Before a Ganesha image reaches a home or public mandal, it has passed through a workshop. Someone has planned its size, shaped its features, allowed materials to dry, applied…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 2 min read
A Ganesh Visarjan procession combines worship, music, movement and the effort of many volunteers. Joining with children or elders requires a different plan from following it alone with no…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 2 min read
By the final day of Ganesh worship, a home or mandal may have accumulated flowers, leaves, paper decorations, cloth, string and packaging. They may all have been used around…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 3 min read
A calm home visarjan begins before the final aarti. The family needs to know which image is being immersed, where the immersion is permitted and who will manage the…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 3 min read
The farewell at Ganesh Visarjan can feel surprisingly personal. An image that occupied the centre of a home or neighbourhood gathering is carried away, often with songs asking Ganesha…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 3 min read
Ancestral remembrance can include a formal rite and also the quieter work of keeping family memory alive. A favourite dish, a handwritten letter or the explanation of an old…
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…
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 · 3 min read
Shraddha, tarpana and pinda daan are often mentioned together during Pitru Paksha. They are connected, but they are not three interchangeable names for exactly the same action. Understanding the…
Read articleSanatan Festivals & Rituals · 3 min read
Shraddha Paksha sets aside time for people who are no longer present but whose lives continue to shape a family. A surname, a recipe, a skill, a home or…
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