Onam (Thiruvonam)

Onam (Thiruvonam) on 

5^th September 2025 (Friday)

Onam - Kerala’s Carnival

Onam, a major festival of Kerala, has been an essential part of Malayalee culture since time immemorial. Though it is difficult to find a definitive start for the festival, it is believed to have begun around 800 A.D. The festival is celebrated in the Malayalam month of Chingam (August-September).

Reminiscent Of Kerala's Agrarian Past

The earliest recorded proof of Onam can be traced to the reign of Kulasekhara Perumals. It was celebrated as a harvest festival. It is a reminder of prosperity and growth that filled the lives of the natives. Food grains were produced in abundance, and both families, and the state were benefited as famine never became an issue to worry about.

Mahabali – The Great Sacrifice

Another prominent reason to celebrate Onam lies in the legendary life of the demon king – Mahabali. He was a rather judicious and kind-hearted king of Kerala. He was not only illustrious but also powerful. Lord Brahma granted him a boon which made him invincible and undisputed ruler of all three worlds, i.e., earth, heaven and hell.

The Gods were worried as they could not allow a demon king to have that kind of power and authority. After numerous requests and complaints from them, Lord Vishnu decided to overthrow Mahabali. Knowing that Bali rejoiced in helping the poor and needy, Vishnu went to meet him disguised as a Brahmin named Vamana.

The king was happy to offer anything the Brahmin required and gave him his word even after his Guru Shukracharya warned him against it. Vamana manipulatively asked for land that could be measured in three steps of his to which Bali readily agreed. Vamana then increased his own size and measured the entire earth with one step and heaven with another. So as to complete his promise, Bali asked Vishnu to place his foot on Bali’s head to execute the third step, which instantly sent Bali to the nether world.

His Heart Lay With His People

The love Bali felt for his kingdom was immense and pure. Thus, he requested Vishnu to allow him to visit earth once in a year. This mythical annual homecoming of Mahabali to meet his subjects is celebrated as Onam. In Mahabali’s kingdom, no one stole, lied or committed any other sin and to pay homage and respect to their perfect king, people of Kerala observe the festive season of Onam with tremendous devotion.

Ways of Celebrating Onam

Pookkalam are the beautiful designs drawn in front of the gate of the house with the help of flowers on Onam. Many competitions are held to appreciate the unique and beautiful design. People also prepare grant feast. They serve food on banana leaves that consist of four to five vegetables. This tradition is called Onasadya. Various physical activities are also a part of the day. Men indulge themselves in the game of balls and archery whereas women perform traditional dances like Mummatti Kali (The Mask Dance), Pulikali, Thumbi Thullal etc. This tradition is called Onakalikal. Another striking feature of the event is the elephant procession in which elephants are majestically decorated and brought in front of people. A traditional event of snake boat race, also known as Vallamkali Boat race also takes place in which about 100 boatmen compete in a boat riding competition.

The Legend of Boat Race

Giving alms to the poor is one of the traditions of Onam, and even this action has a valid reasoning. Several years ago, a boat loaded with food got stuck in a narrow curve of a river. Every effort made to free it was futile. Bhattathiripad – the head of the boat’s crew – then decided to seek help from the inhabitants of a hut near the shore.

As he came close to the hut, he heard a widow crying. When asked the reason of her tears, she pointed towards her children who slept hungry as she had nothing to feed them with. Bhattathiripad went back to a boat to bring food and fed the miserable family... Read More

Hariyali Teej

Hariyali Teej on 

27^th July 2025 (Sunday)

Hariyali Teej - The Day for Women

Hariyali Teej is celebrated in the month of Bhadrapada Month (August-September), according to Hindu calendar, on the third day of the bright half of the lunar month. The day is dedicated to Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati. People celebrate this day in order to celebrate the union of Shiva and Parvati in the bond of marriage.

Parvati was deeply in love with Shiva but he was not ready to take anyone as his wife, after the death of his first wife Sati. Parvati then performed severe penance and so pure was her love and such strong dedication she had in her heart that Shiva finally accepted her as his consort. It is believed that she took 108 births to gain the companionship of Shiva. Thus Parvati is also known as Teej Mata (the mother of this festival). Women pray to Goddess Parvati and sing songs in her praise. They ask her to bless them with utmost devotion for their husband and also give them strength to fulfill all their duties as wives.

This festival comes in the rainy season when everything around is green and refreshing. Nature is at its best and greenery fills the arena thus the name ‘Haryali’ is bestowed upon the day, meaning green. The day is also known as Teejen.

Ways of Celebrating Hariyali Teej

The day is majorly celebrated by the women of North India... Read More

Nasik Kumbh Mela

Nasik Kumbh Mela on

14^th July to 25^th September 2015

The term ‘Kumbh Mela’ is a compound word, in which ‘Kumbh’ means pitcher and ‘Mela’ means fair. Kumbh Mela is thus the largest peaceful fair in the world in remembrance of the event when the demons and gods were fighting over the kumb (pitcher of nectar) for their immorality.

It is one of the biggest event of Hindu community where people come together to take a dip in holy rivers. It is held at four places which are Haridwar, Allahabad, Nasik and Ujjain in every three years in rotation. These are pilgrimage places and home to sacred rivers. Ganges River flows in Haridwar, Godavari is in Nashik, the Shipra is in Ujjain and at Allahabad, the confluence of three rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati takes place.

Variations in Kumbh Mela

Despite of the regular fairs that take place in every three auspicious years at the above-mentioned places, Kumbh Mela is also divided in further categories. Ardh (Half) Kumbh Mela takes place in Haridwar and Allahabad in every six years, in rotation of the venue. Purna (full, in terms of a complete year) Kumbh Mela takes place only in Allahabad in every 12 years. The most auspicious and grand fair is Maha (Great) Kumbh Mela that takes places only in Allahabad in every 144 years.

Deciding Location

Every third year, the site for the celebration is decided after a deep study of astrological positions of the Sun, the Moon, and the Jupiter. When the Sun and Jupiter are in the Zodiac sign Leo then the event takes place in Nashik. Haridwar is chosen when the Sun is in Aries and Jupiter in Aquarius. Ujjain becomes the destination when the Sun is in Aries and Jupiter in Leo and when the Sun and Jupiter are in Capricorn and Taurus respectively then the fair takes place in Allahabad.

History

According to legends, when Samudra Manthan took place, various kinds of things came out of the milky ocean. Gods and demons churned the ocean for thousand years and finally the elixir of immortality came out in a Kumbh (pitcher). The demi gods were scared of the results if the nectar would have been consumed by demons therefore they entrusted its safety to four gods named Brihaspati (Jupiter), Surya (Sun), Shani and Chandra (Moon).

Demons were furious and wanted the nectar for themselves. They decided to chase gods and snatch it from them. It is believed that they followed Gods for 12 days and 12 nights which are equivalent to 12 human years. While the gods were protecting the elixir and running away with it, drops of the nectar fell at four places and these were the places mentioned above. Since then it is believed that these four places have mystical qualities and people from all around the globe come together to celebrate the big event.

Celebrations

People in large number get collected at the venue and take bath in the holy rivers to cleanse their past evil deeds. They pray to the Sun god in the early morning by offering water and flowers to him and ask for the welfare of themselves and their families. They also believe that by taking a dip in the sacred rivers, they will be able to attain salvation. People sing and dance in the name of gods... Read More

Ashadh Gupt Navratri

Ashadh Gupt Navratri on

26^th June to 4^th July 2025

Navratri is a festival of nine days which is dedicated to Goddess Durga.  Each day is dedicated to one of the forms of Durga. This festival is celebrated four times in a year, according to Hindu calendar. It is mostly celebrated by the women of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. This Navratri is specifically dedicated to Goddess Varahi.

How to Celebrate each Day?

True devotees keep fast on all the nine days, though they consume fruits and milk in intervals. Also chanting the mantra, ‘Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundayai Vichche’ proves very beneficial for the distressed.

On the first day Ghatasthapana ritual takes place which marks the beginning of this festival. It is an invocation to Goddess Shakti. The Ghatasthapana ritual is performed on the auspicious time. Goddess Shailputri is worshipped on this day. She is the governing body of all the fortunes.

On the second day, Brahmacharini is worshipped on the second day. She also provides good luck to her devotees.

On the third day, Chandraghanta is worshipped. She is the married form of Goddess Parvati

On the fourth day, Kushmanda is offered prayers to gain right direction in life. Sun is governed by her and she provides direction and energy to Sun too. When Parvati started living inside the center of the Sun so that it could illuminate the universe, she came to be known as Kushmanda.

On the fifth day, prayers are offered to Skandamata, who is the mother of Lord Skanda. She governs the planet Mercury.

On the sixth day, the sixth day is dedicated to Katyayani. She is the violent form of Parvati, who came into existence to kill demon Mahishasur. She governs the planet Jupiter and provides protection to her devotees.

On the seventh day, Kalaratri is prayed to who came on earth to kill a demon named Shumbha. She is the most ferocious form of Parvati who is worshipped on the seventh day. She dispels fear and insecurities from the heart of her devotees.

On the eight day, Maha Gauri is worshipped who is a calm and composed form of Parvati. She is extremely white in complexion, hence the name. She bestows happiness and peace on her devotees.

On the ninth day, Siddhidatri is prayed to who bestows all kinds of graces. She is worshipped by humans, gods and demons alike. Earlier there was no physical form of Shakti.

It was in the form of Siddhidatri that Shakti appeared from the left side of Shiva.

Lastly on the tenth day, people complete their series of fasts.

List of Mantras for Gupt Navratri

It is believed that Gupt Navaratri is very powerful and yields quick results. These days are highly auspicious for tantriks and sadhaks. Materialistic problems are also easily solved during these days. Goddess Durga is worshipped to attain wealth and prosperity and remove fear, vices and hindrances from one’s life... Read More

Jagannath Rath Yatra

Jagannath Rath Yatra on 

18^th July 2025 (Saturday)

Jagannath Rath Yatra

Jagannath Rath Yatra is referred by Gundicha Yatra, Ghosa Yatra, Navadina Yatra, Dasavatara and Chariot festival is the world famous Hindu festival held at Puri in India. The revered deity of this festival is Lord Jagannath, His elder brother Lord Balabhadra and their sister Subhadra. He is considered as a manifestation of Lord Vishnu. This festival is usually commemorated during the months of June or July.

This Chariot festival is being attended by millions of pilgrims not only from India but also from the different parts of the world.

During this festival the three deities, Jagannath Balabhadra and their sister Subhadra are worshiped within the Jagannath temple, and then they are taken to the streets of Puri in their individual chariot.

The chariot of Jagannath, Nandighosa, has a wooden temple like structure and runs on 18 wheels and is 45.6 feet high. The chariot of Balabhadra, Taladhwaja also has a wooden temple like structure runs on 16 wheels and is 45 feet high. The chariot of Subhadra, Devadalana again has the wooden temple like structure runs on 14 wheels and is 44.6 ft high. Wooden idol of Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra ornamented with the gold are placed in their chariots with great devotion. Jagannath believed to be the manifestation of Vishnu. Many Hindu epics mentioned Jagannath is referred to be the form, Krishna. Every year new wooden temples like chariots are constructed. The idols of these three deities are also made of wood, and they are religiously replaced by new ones in every 12 years.

There is an interesting legend behind Jagannath Yatra:

According to Hindu epics such as Utkala-khanda and Skanda Purana. Once during a solar eclipse, Krishna, Balarama, Subhadra, people of Dwarka, went to take a bathe in the holy pond of Kurukshetra. 

Radha Rani, Krishna’s beloved along with Krishna’s parents Nanda and Yashoda, and other residents of Vrindavana, came to know that Krishna would be there, they went to meet him there.

Dwarka residents and other pilgrims placed tents around the pond. In one of the tent Rohini, who was Balarama’s mother Rohini, was narrating Krishna’s childhood pastimes in the Vrindavan to the Queens of Dwaraka and others. Rohini’s narration was confidential, so she posted Subhadra at the door to prevent anyone from entering.

After some time, Krishna and Balarama came to the door and stood on Subhadra’s left and right sides. They started listening to Rohini’s narration of Krishna’s intimate Vrindavana pastimes.

Interestingly, when Krishna and Balarama listened to the feelings became ecstatic, and their internal feelings were exhibited externally. Their heads compressed into their bodies, their eyes became dilated, and their limbs retracted. Seeing these transformations in Krishna and Balarama, Subhadra also became ecstatic and assumed a similar form. This way Krishna and Balarama, with Subhadra assumed their ecstatic forms of Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra.

Most Significant rituals during Rath Yatra

Pahandi

Pahandi is the ritual to take deities from Sanctum of Jagannath temple to the Chariot for the royal journey towards Gundicha Temple. This temple is just two kilometers away from Jagannath Temple. Gundicha was a true devotee of Krishna. The three deities visit her to honor her devotion.

First the idol of Balabhadra than Subhadra and at the end idol of Jagannath were taken out to their respective chariot. All the three deities assemble at a seven-stairs northern exit and receive giant floral crowns, called Tahias. There all the three deities are led to their respective chariots.

Chhera Pahara

On the first day of Journey, One of the most significant rituals is performed, and that is Chhera Pahara (sweeping with water and sandalwood water). This ritual gives the lesson that everyone is equal in the eyes of the Lord. For performing chhera pahara ritual, the Gajapati King wears the uniform of a sweeper and clean the area around the deities and chariots with a gold-handled broom, sandalwood water with utmost devotion. This ritual is performed on two days. The first time is on the first day of the Yatra, when the deities are taken to Gundicha Temple and the second time, when deities return to the Jagannath Temple.

When three deities settled in their respective chariots, Lakhs of devotees are eagerly waiting to touch the 250 feet holy cables to pull the chariots along the 3km. Long Grand road to the destination point at the Gundicha temple. The professional chariot pullers also assist the devotees.

Upon arrival to Gudicha temple, all the three deities are given ceremonial bath and dressed in... Read Mote