Kumbh Mela | At Prayagraj, an encounter with naga sadhus and tent stays

Kumbh Mela | At Prayagraj, an encounter with naga sadhus and tent stays

The Ganga is everything in Prayagraj. She flows quietly, but the banks are bustling with excitement. Here, water from the river is packed in customised bottles, ready for devotees to take back to their hometowns. Priests perform pujas with reverential devotees, all set to take a holy dip, with cries of ‘Ganga mata ki jai’ […]

Continue Reading
Column | In the lion’s royal shadow

Column | In the lion’s royal shadow

Lions have long been symbols of royalty across the world. In India, kings sat on lion thrones (simha-asana), and Durga, the patron goddess of royal households, is shown riding into battle on a lion. Uniquely, in our country, lions are also linked with ascetics and their guardian goddesses. Both kings and ascetic were called shardula, a […]

Continue Reading
For the departed: thousands offer Karkidaka Vavu bali across Kerala

For the departed: thousands offer Karkidaka Vavu bali across Kerala

Thousands take part in bali tarpan rituals conducted at sacred temples, beaches and river banks of the State Thousands take part in bali tarpan rituals conducted at sacred temples, beaches and river banks of the State Karkidaka Vavu (the new moon in the Malayalam month of Karkidakam) bali rituals were conducted on a large scale […]

Continue Reading
UGC pulls up Sharda University over question on Fascism, Hindutva ‘similarities’

UGC pulls up Sharda University over question on Fascism, Hindutva ‘similarities’

The exam question asking students to share their observations on parallels between “Fascism/Nazism and Hindutva” was against the “spirit and ethos of our country which is known for its inclusivity and homogeneity”, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has told the Sharda University. The Greater Noida-based private university last week suspended a faculty member in connection […]

Continue Reading