Listen, O Devi, I will speak concisely of the essence of yoga. The body resembles a tree, with the root above and the branches below. In the macrocosm there are tirthas (bathing places) which also exist in the body. The macrocosm is like the microcosm. ~ Todala Tantra, II Liberation comes from knowledge of self. ~ Kaula Upanishad Within…
Category: travel stories
Sri Someswara temple in Kolanupaka near Warangal (Telengana)
The beautifully sculpted Kakatiyan temples seen in Telengana are predominantly dedicated to Shiva, and they generally follow the Ekakuta, Trikuta, or Panchakuta plan. The sculptural art of this time gives us an idea of the socio-religious atmosphere of that era. A favourite theme in Kakatiyan temple sculptures were stories from various epics, such as the…
A Photographic Journey of Hardwar
Scenes from Har ki Pauri ghat: the melting point of India where one gets to see people from all states The main bazaar area bordering the ghats: The Temples of Hardwar near Har ki Pauri To read on the history and other details on Haridwar please check this link : Haridwar
From Jara, Hariti, Jyestha/Alakshmi, to Sitala – an interesting study of the worship of folk devis
Interestingly India has seen many folk or tribal deities from ancient and medieval eras being worshipped from time to time, especially during the time of epidemics, and other physical and natural calamities. Some of these deities, which retain their primitive aspects, are still venerated by many, and temples dedicated to them are seen spread across…
Kurmachal or Kumaun – The land of Vishnu
माटू हमरू, पाणी हमरू, हमरा ही छन यी बौण भी… पितरों न लगाई बौण, हमुनही त बचौण भी। (Soil ours, water ours, ours are these forests. Our forefathers raised them, it’s we who must protect them —Old Chipko Song ) The state of Uttarakhand, earlier referred to as Uttaranchal, is located in the northern part of India….
Exploring the lanes of ancient Indian city architecture
After reading some of the heated debates on different Facebook forums centering on the term ‘Vedic architecture,’ I thought of exploring this subject a bit. This entailed I pull out books written by well known historians who had read and translated the original texts that dealt with topics related to ancient Indian architecture. Thanks to…
Rabindranath Tagore and a glimpse into some of his paintings
“From our very childhood habits are formed and knowledge is imparted in such a manner that our life is weaned away from nature and our mind and the world are set in opposition from the beginning of our days. Thus the greatest of educations for which we came prepared is neglected, and we are made…
Few Artefacts from the National Museum, Delhi
The National Museum in Delhi is a treasure trove, and anyone who loves history need just take a look around to vouch for this sentiment. The Museum houses almost 2,00,000 artifacts of various kinds, that cover a time span of more than five thousand years in the context of Indian heritage, both archaeological and cultural. The…
Vishnu temples in Kanchipuram- A Photo journey
The temples in Kanchipuram are numerous, and it’s not surprising that the place is known as ‘the city of temples’. A walk through the roads spring up temples at all possible nooks and corners. Pretty colourful temples, some appear quite old, while some look newer possibly renovated, and they give a very unique look to…
Brihadesvara Gangaikondacholisvarar temple at Gangaikondacholapuram- proclaiming the might of the Chola army
The Lost Glory of the city of Gangaikondacholapuram The beautiful temple known as Brihadisvara Gangaikondacholesvara in Gangaikondacholapuram stands tall, proudly proclaiming the 11th century victorious march of the Chola army up to the banks of the Ganga, where they defeated king Mahipala of the Pala dynasty. While the city and the mighty emperor’s palace are now…
Moni Gāthā 