Durga Puja सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके ।शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ Most auspicious of all auspicious, Parvati, Who fulfills all desires|Refuge of everything, Three-eyed, Devi(Parvati), Lakshmi, We salute you || This shloka describes the powers of Great Mother Durga. Shri Devi Durga is the mother of all powers and represents the oneness of Lakshmi
Pandit for Last Rites / Antim Sanskar Last Rites / Antim Sanskar or Antyesti (Hindu funeral rites) are performed according to the caste and sect of the deceased involving cremation followed by disposal of the ashes in a sacred river. Antyesti rites are the final sacraments (samskaras) in a series that ideally begins at the
Dhanteras is the first day of celebration of the five-day long festival of Diwali. On Dhanteras Puja, Lakshmi – the Goddess of wealth, is worshipped to provide prosperity and well-being. It is also the day for celebrating wealth, as the word ‘Dhan’ literally means wealth, and ‘Tera’ comes from the date 13th. The festival of
Ayudha Puja is integral to the Navratri festival (festival of triumph). It is also known as Astra Puja. In simple terms, it means “Worship of Implements”. Ayudha Puja is celebrated on the 9th day of the Navratri festival. This Puja is performed to worship the Almighty present in the tools used in our daily and
Bhoomi Puja is performed before constructing on a Piece of Land or tilling the land. Bhoomi or Earth is considered as the Mother of all that exists. By doing this puja we are seeking permission for our actions and forgiveness for disturbing the balance and equilibrium of Mother Earth. During the Puja, we chant special
Karwa Chauth is a ritual of fasting observed by married Hindu women seeking the long life, well-being, and prosperity of their husbands. The festival and fast of Karwa Chauth are celebrated with much exuberance and fanfare mostly in the states of North and North-West of India. It is considered an important and auspicious day for
Namakaran Puja Namakaran Puja or Naming ceremony is a highly propitious occasion of utmost importance for Hindus. This is one of first religious ceremony that one participates as a child. This ceremony is conducted not just for formally naming the child but also to seek blessings from various Gods and to initiate the child into
Gand Mool Nakshatra Shanti Puja / Sataisa Puja There are 27 Nakshatras in Vedic Astrology. The Nakshatras that Ketu and Mercury rule are known as Gand Mool Nakshatra. These are namely Ashwini, Ashlesha, Magha, Jyestha, Moola, and Revati nakshatra. When a baby is born in any one of these nakshatras, he or she is said
Maha Ganapati Homa Lord Ganesha is the most venerated God across the world. Ganesha is also known by the name Siddhi Vinayak which means the God of Success. It is commonly accepted that for any venture to be successful, one must seek the blessings of this deity and perform the Maha Ganapati Homa without fail.
Hartalika Teej is celebrated on the Tritiya or 3rd day of the Shukla Paksha. This festival is mainly celebrated by married women in honor of Goddess Parvati. The word Hartalika is made by joining the words ‘harat’ meaning abduction, and ‘Aalika’ means one who is a good female friend. According to Hindu mythology, on this