watchings of idle hours #4 : God’s east India abode

India is full of places of pilgrimages. Each state and each district can boast of thousands of places of pilgrimage, each associated with a puranic legend or some form of divinity. After all, according to Hindu belief, even though the ultimate reality is only one, it manifests in 3.3 bn different divine forms. But, the … Continue reading watchings of idle hours #4 : God’s east India abode →

even for gods one life is not enough – the ritual of nabakalebara

There are hundreds of festivals and rituals associated with the Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri, the annual car festival, which falls on 25th June this year, being the most prominent one. There is one ritual that is unique to this temple. The presiding deities of the temple - Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra … Continue reading even for gods one life is not enough – the ritual of nabakalebara →