Archive for 'Uncategorized'
Indian Waterfalls Posted by kunthra on Nov 30, 2010
India is such a blessed nation. It has some of the best monuments, people, food and natural landmarks in the entire world. Speaking of natural landmarks, India has some of the most beautiful and highest waterfalls that a person could ever see. Here are my best picks : Shivanasamudra Falls is a waterfall in Karnataka…
Indian Stringed Instruments Posted by kunthra on Nov 29, 2010
Indian stringed instruments are quite different from the stringed instruments from the West. The uniqueness of Indian stringed instruments has lent itself to beautiful renditions of Indian music. The Sitar (सितार) is a stringed instrument with a long neck made of wood and several bridges made of animal bone. The strings are played with a…
Guru Nanak Jayanti’s Birthday Posted by kunthra on Nov 24, 2010
November 21st was the day of Guru Nanak Jayanti’s birthday. Guru Nanak (गुरु नानक) is the founder of the Sikh religion. The celebration of Guru Nanak lasts for three days and in places like Punjab, these celebrations are especially festive. The celebration is marked by a elaborate display of fireworks as shown here : The…
Karthikai Deepam Posted by kunthra on Nov 22, 2010
Karthikai Deepam is a festival celebrated by Hindus in Tamil Nadu. This is the festival of lamps. Every house is lighted by bright lamps. The light is thought to ward off evil spirits and protect the inhabitants of the house. The town of Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu is the place to be for this festival…
Common Elements of a Indian Wedding Posted by kunthra on Nov 16, 2010
I’ve attended many Indian weddings in my lifetime, and it’s always a blast every time. In almost every traditional Indian wedding, there are some common themes that have symbolic significance. In India, the arrival of the groom to the wedding on a donkey, horse or elephant is probably one of the first common elements in…
Char Dham Posted by kunthra on Nov 13, 2010
Char Dham (चारधाम) refers to four sacred pilgrimage sites in India. Devoted Hindu followers believe that these sites are holy. If you connect the geographic locations of these four sites on a map, they form a square. Also, each site is dedicated to an incarnation or avatar of Vishnu. As a result, they are considered…
Chhath Posted by kunthra on Nov 10, 2010
Chhath (छठ) is an old Hindu festival that honors Surya (सूर्य). Surya is the Hindu sun god. A puja (पूजा) is performed to ask Surya for long life, health and prosperity. A puja is an offering given to a deity to receive a blessing in return. Other rituals include bathing in a holy body of…