Friday, 14 December 2007

Badrinath - A Pilgrimage Centre of Hindus
Altitude : 3,133mTemperature : Max: 17.9°C, Min : 5.6°CDistance : 296km from Rishikesh. 301km from Haridwar
¤ Most Sacred RegionBesides being an ancient religious centre, Badrinath also attracts tourists because of its natural beauty. founded by Shankaracharya in the four quarters of India. The place derives its name from the word ‘badri’, meaning berries that once grew here abundantly.It is situated on the confluence of the Alaknanda and the Rishi Ganga.Ancient Hindu texts categorically state that a visit to Badrinath is something of an absolute must to complete a pilgrimage. The importance of the place is evident from the space scribes of the Mahabharata and the Puranas (ancient Hindu texts) had dedicated to it. The shrine of Badrinath in this city attracts thousands of pilgrims from all over India.¤ Badrinath TempleThe Badrinath Temple is dedicated to Vishnu (Preserver in the Hindu Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer). The presiding deity of the temple is Badrinath (another form of Vishnu), also called Badri Vishal or Badrinarayan. Shankaracharya is believed to have installed the deity inside the shrine after it was thrown into the Narada Kunda (a hot water spring near the temple) in the days of Buddhist ascendancy.Badrinath is depicted sitting in the padmasana (‘lotus posture’), in which the feet are placed on opposite thighs. He is surrounded by a host of gods.The most important ones amongst these are Kubera, the God of Wealth, and Ganesha, the God of Wisdom and Prosperity.Within the temple complex is an another shrine dedicated to Laksmi, the Goddess of Fortune. This shrine is situated to the left of the main temple building. The front portion is painted in red. Outside the exit door of the Badrinath Temple is the seating place of Shankaracharya, who meditated here. The temple remains closed during winter.¤ Attractions of Hot SpringsAdjacent to the Badrinath Temple are some medicinal sulphurous hot springs. The temperatures of these springs often vary. The Tapt Kund and Narada Kunda are some of the important springs. The temperature of the former is about 45°C.Among other places of interest in the town are Nilkantha, Managram and Bhi
Janmashtami Festival
¤ The Holy Birth of Lord KrishnaJanmashtami is celebrated every year on the 8th day of the dark fortnight that is also known as the Krishna Paksh, in the Hindu month of bhadon (around July-August). The period usually coincides with the rainy season.The festival celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna – the black God. Krishna is the eighth and most important incarnation of Vishnu (Preserver in the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer of the Universe). However the avatar of Krishna that perhaps overrides the sum total of his other manifestations is that of the omniscient charioteer who delivers the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita to Arjun before the great war of Mahabharata – a Hindu epic. Therefore Krishna is also known as Parthasarathi, or Arjun's/Partha's charioteer. The discourse is also telling of his consummate wit, intelligence and acumen as a statesman. ¤ According To Hindu Mythology Hindu mythology presents a fascinating chain of events that were to unfold around the time of Krishna’s birth.Krishna's parents Deviki and Vasudev were thrown into prison by his maternal uncle Kans – the tyrant King of Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), as it had been prophesied by Naradmuni that Kans would be annihilated by the eighth child born of his cousin sister Deviki. Not wanting to leave anything to chance, Kans killed each of the seven children immediately after their birth in prison. Finally the eighth child was born – a beautiful dark baby boy. Legend has it that miraculously all the guards of the prison fell into deep sleep, the prison gates opened, and Deviki and Vasudev became unfettered. An akashvani, or heavenly voice ordained Vasudev to take his newborn son, destined to rid the world of evil, to his friend Nand and his wife Yashoda in Gokul, a city that lay across the River Yamuna. Fearing for the life of his son, Vasudev readied himself for a journey wrought with perils. Yamuna in spate parted its waters to make way for the father and son as soon as infant Krishna touched the swelling waters with his tiny foot, and the Shaeshnag (the many-headed serpent king) emerged from the deluge to shield the two from the tumultuous downpour. Across the Yamuna, Yashoda had recently given birth to a daughter who was sleeping soundly besides her parents. Vasudev quietly left his son besides the sleeping and unsuspecting Nand and Yashoda, and returned to his wife in Mathura with Nand and Yashoda's daughter.¤ The Legendary Tale ContinuesIn keeping with the nature of legends, as soon as Vasudev was back in the prison cell, the gates clamped shut and the guards woke up to resume their duty. The birth of the child was brought to the notice of Kans who immediately came to repeat the infernal ritual with the supposed eighth child of Deviki.The heartless king threw the girl child against the wall. But instead of being killed, she rose to the skies and soon the heavens resounded with a celestial voice informing Kans that his destroyer had already been born and was safe! With this, the girl child vanished amidst thunderclap and lightning. It is believed that the child, referred to as Deviji, was actually the embodiment of the Goddess Durga (the Goddess of War and Power) and was later to be worshipped under other names such as Tara, Mandakini, Ishani.Janmashtami is therefore actually celebrated twice, the occasions coinciding with Krishna's birth in captivity in Mathura, and the discovery of the newborn Krishna in Nand and Yashoda's house in Gokul.¤ The CelebrationsThis tale is fondly remembered on the day of Janmashtami as temples and homes light up for the joyous occasion. Especially cities like Mumbai, Agra, Mathura and Vrindavan come alive during the festival. Cribs and other displays with dolls in traditional costumes depict the life and times of Krishna. Raas Leelas (dance dramas) enact incidents from Krishna’s life amidst much pomp and show. People fast till midnight, the time of Krishna’s birth. Elaborate pujas, or prayer ceremonies are held in temples and homes to welcome the lord at midnight amongst joyous singing of hymns. Prasad (sweetmeat offered to the lord and later eaten by devotees) is distributed to everyone. The lord having arrived, it is time for everyone to settle down to a hearty vegetarian meal.
Basant Panchami Festival
Basant Panchami has a specific meaning, Basant means Spring, whereas Panchami means the fifth day of the spring.
It falls on Panchami - on the Waxing Moon.
The festival lies in the month of January-February.T
he young girls dressed in the diverse shades of yellow magnify the splendor of nature.
Kite flying, a popular sport in India, is associated with the Basant Panchami day.
It is a day for young crowd - no routine work, no studies, only merry making.¤ The CelebrationsThe festival is celebrated with full vivacity and festivity to mark the end of the winters.
It is one of the first festivals of the Year and is celebrated all over India.
The yellow color has great significance, people wear yellow clothes, offer yellow flowers in worship and put a yellow, turmeric tilak on their forehead. They visit temples and offer prayers to various gods.
At home, kesar halva, also yellow in color, is prepared.
The yellow flowers of mustard crop covers the entire field in such a way that it seems as if gold is spread over the land glittering with the rays of the sun.¤ Worship Goddess-Sarasvati
The day of Basant Panchami is dedicated to Goddess Sarasvati. Sarasvati is the goddess of learning who bequeaths the greatest wealth to humanity, the wealth of knowledge.
Hindu mythology depicts Sarasvati as a pristine lady bedecked with white attire, white flowers and white pearls, sitting on a white lotus, which blooms in a wide stretch of water. The Goddess also holds Veena, a string-instrument, like Sitar, for playing music.
The prayer of Sarasvati finally concludes as, "Oh Mother Sarasvati remove the darkness (ignorance) of my mind and bless me with the eternal knowledge."¤ PrasadamThe "Prasadam" for the Goddess at the time of Basant Panchami celebrations varies from community to community. Some offers "Ber"/- a fruit, that is found in abundance in Northern and Eastern India, or "Sangari"- a kind of bean that grows on the roots of the radish plant. ¤ The Rituals PerformedThe mythological history of Sarasvati associates her with the holy rituals performed on the banks of the river Sarasvati. She is worshipped as a goddess of speech, attributed to the formation of (words), invention of Sanskrit language and composition of hymns.
¤ Sarasvati --A Water DeityThe Vedas also describes Sarasvati as a water deity. The River Goddess --Sarasvat, according to popular belief originated from the Himalayas, Goddess in the form of river meander towards southeast of India, finally rendezvous with the River Ganges at Prayag and River Yamuna. Hence the place is called Triveni.
In due time this course of water petered away.
The Grand Celebration
Durga Puja is celebrated on a mass scale with puja pandals (marquees) dotting nearly every nook and corner of West Bengal. Thanks to a migrant Bengali population, the past few years have seen a rise in the number of Durga Pujas in other parts of the country and abroad as well. Preparations for the Puja begin long before the actual day arrives. If you are looking for bargains, you won’t find a better time. Publishing houses come out with puja editions of magazines, and craftsmen and artisans do brisk business at this time of the year.During the four days of Durga Puja, Bengalis really let their hair down. Beside the actual Puja, most pandals organise different kinds of competition to regale the local people. It’s party time for both children and adults alike as they participate wholeheartedly in the fun and frolic. Local talent gets a chance to share the stage (a makeshift one more often than not) with more illustrious artists.The festivities begin from maha shashthi (the sixth day from the day after mahalaya) when the priest unveils the deity during a puja known as bodhan. On this day the women of the house fast for the well-being of the family. The fast is broken in the evening with fruits and luchis (a kind of bread made of flour), usually eaten with sabzi (vegetables). It is normal for the whole family to participate in these rituals, especially when it comes to partaking of the yummy luchis and sabzi. A trip to the local pandal is also a must.The morning of maha saptami (seventh day) is taken up with the worship of the deity, followed by anjali when a devotee offers prayers and flowers on an empty stomach, amidst the chanting of mantras to the Goddess. Only then can one make a beeline for the prasad (sweetmeat offered to the deity). Bhog (meal provided to all and sundry after the Goddess has partaken of it) at lunchtime is a welcome break for those who gather in the pandals. But come evening, and the pandal becomes a dazzling array of new clothes, shiny faces of children running helter-skelter and a spectacular display of lights. The rhythmic beat of the dhak (drums) adds to the mood of Bengal’s most popular festival.The maha ashtami (eighth day) is an especially significant day. The priest breathes life into the idol of Durga as he performs the sandhi puja (worship in the evening) to the chanting of shlokas (religious couplets). The reflection of the idol has to be observed in a bowl of water as this gives an impression of movement. This part of the puja is known as pranpratishtha (breathing life into the idol). Kumari puja (worship of young girls) is an old custom still carried out in certain temples.All these special ceremonies are interspersed with the usual rounds of anjali, prasad and bhog. Merry-making reaches fever pitch by the evening on this day. of course, amongst the highlights of the evenings are the gastronomical treats that can be bought from the stalls abounding in the pandals. Pandal-hopping is also a favourite pastime.One cannot talk about maha navmi (ninth day), without laying emphasis on the fact that meat is served in many pandals as part of the bhog, but never in the temples. This being the penultimate day of the Puja, one can feel that it is soon going to be over.
¤ Bijoya Dashami
Coinciding with Dussehra is bijoya dashami, the last day of the Pujas. Married women bid farewell to the Mother Goddess through various rituals, entreating her to come back every year. The playful ritual called sindoor khela during which women smear each other’s hair, faces and bangles with vermilion powder, breaks the solemnity of the occasion. Later, all the idols are taken to nearby rivers or ponds to be immersed. To an outsider, this might seem like a colossal waste, but don’t forget, this also ensures idol makers never go out of business. Festivals in India are occasions to catch up with friends and relatives, and this festival is no different. The evening of bijoya dashami is reserved for spending time with friends and family, with youngsters touching the feet of the elders as a mark of respect. A description of bijoya dashami is incomplete without mentioning the mouth-watering delicacies like sweets and nimkis (a crispy treat made of flour) that are prepared by the women of the house

Vedic Astrology & Horoscope-Indian Astrology

Vaastu Tips for Drawing Room
Hang a painting of the rising sun or of natural beauty on the wall
Furniture should not be kept touching the east or north sidewall
East north corner should be kept empty
The head of the family should face east or north
Round shaped furniture should not be used
Any heavy Elmira or bookrack should be in the south or west wall
A/C or room heater should be fixed in the southeast wall
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Clocks should not be hung on the south wall
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