A VISIT TO THE HISTORICALLY MOST IMPORTANT MOUNTAIN IN THE EASTERN GHATS WHERE LORD PARSHURAM THE IMMORTAL BEING IS SAID TO BE IN MEDITATION. Recently, I had been to Mahendra Giri, which has the second most highest mountain peak of Odisha. Mahendra Giri is part of the Eastern Ghats, which is the second oldest mountain … Continue reading Guest Post : Closely Guarded History and Beauty of Mahendra Giri
Tag: Odisha
August Contemplations
I: Spirituality and Freedom August here in India is the rainiest month. In spite of that we have celebrations galore. Most of our religious festivals follow the lunar calendar. There are two types of lunar months in India. Some states, especially those in South India follow a system where in the month ends on the … Continue reading August Contemplations
With Deepavali a few Days Away
Diwali is a time for revamp. People usually do the annual facelift of their house just before Diwali. In India we follow the Gregorian calendars for weekly holidays, where as for festival holidays we follow numerous Indian calendars. Similarly businessmen in India follow the official financial year (Apr to Mar) for tax and audit purpose, … Continue reading With Deepavali a few Days Away
Deva Snana Poornima – the ritual and its significance
Deva Snana Poornima is an important ritual in the build up to the Annual Car festival of Lord Jagannath. For the un-initiate, on this day the idols of Sudarshana, Ma Subhadra, Lord Balabhadra and Lord Jagannatha are taken out to the 'Altar of Bathing' inside the temple premises. An elaborate bath is given which can … Continue reading Deva Snana Poornima – the ritual and its significance
Gita Govindam – the ultimate romance
As I do a little research now to refresh my knowledge about Jayadeva and his Gita Govindam it comes as a pleasant surprise to know that Guru Granth Sahib has some of his verses even though these are not from Gita Govindam for which he is primarily known. There is no dispute over the facts … Continue reading Gita Govindam – the ultimate romance
My Village My Country – the book
After being a part of Blogchatter e- book carnival 2020, 'My Village My Country' has been shifted to Amazon. This book is a compilation of all the articles I wrote for the Blogchatter A to Z blogging challenge. April is the month when Indian blog aggregator site Blogchatter organizes AtoZ blogging challenge. Barring the Sundays, … Continue reading My Village My Country – the book
Sri Jagannath: beyond myths and miracles
No religion or spiritual sect is complete without myths and miracles. Stories of miracles abound around Lord Jagannath. Being the Kaliyuga form of Lord Krishna even though he is primarily a Vaishnav God, his devotees have come from diverse sects and religions over the past millennium. After all, the deity is none other than Jagannath … Continue reading Sri Jagannath: beyond myths and miracles
A Crusade against Wrong Attribution
You say what is in a name? Whether that spongy syrupy round sweet that you ate was r-a-s-a-g-o-l-a or r-o-s-o-g-o-l-l-a will depend upon where you ate it. It was not so until 29.07.2019 when 'Odishara Rasagola' got the GI tag to end the century long war between Odisha and West Bengal over the origin of … Continue reading A Crusade against Wrong Attribution
Odisha and its People : the Unknown, the Unique and the Ugly
Where is Odisha? To write about unknown Odisha is a difficult proposition because, for someone not from Odisha everything about Odisha may be unknown. In my interactions with common men during my travels in India I have found that the North Indians think it is somewhere in South India and the South Indians think it … Continue reading Odisha and its People : the Unknown, the Unique and the Ugly
Nua Mahulia
Nua Mahulia - this word which has strange rhyming resemblance with the word Oumuamua* is not any interstellar object. Nor is it any Greek or Latin word for a legal term. It is the name of my native village. The theme of this present series of blogs being mera gaon mera desh, a post about … Continue reading Nua Mahulia