Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2022 i A TO Z INDIA

email.id: dr.rajvgp@gmail.com Manly effort is the physical or mental energy of a human being. It is an attempt to do something when it is difficult to do. The effort includes perseverance with deep involvement. One should not feel disheartened saying, “This is too difficult for me to do”. Effort will bring the greatness of mind. If one abandons any work unfinished, the world would abandon him. On the contrary, if one strives untiringly, he can beat and see the back of fate in retreat. Besides, the good luck of lotus deity, Laxmi, dwells in the persistent efforts of such a man. But, only the goddess of ill-luck (moodevi) resides in one’s laziness. Even though something many not be attained by mercy of God, one’s strenuous effort will pay the wages…

In Rajasthan, there is a rich tradition of making chhatris (memorials) in the memory of their ancestors. Jaswant Thada, located in the foothills of Mehrangarh, the historical fort of Jodhpur, revered as the city of Surya, reflects the ancient culture of Rajasthan, which inspires to pay homage to the legendary Rathore Rajputs. Known as the Taj Mahal of Rajasthan, Jaswant Thada was built by Maharaja Sardar Singh of Jodhpur in the memory of his father, Jaswant Singh Il, in 1899 AD. Undoubtedly, the craft beauty of Jaswant Thada is unmatched, leaving the visitors mesmerized.…

At a distance of 80 km from Madurai and 100 km from Tirunelveli, Srivilliputhur Andal Temple is an ancient Hindu temple situated at Srivilliputhur in Virudhunagar district of Tamilnadu. This is one of the popular temples in Tamilnadu and also one of the 108 divya desams of Lord Vishnu. The 11 tier Raja gopuram is the tallest in Tamilnadu and is also the Emblem of Tamil Nadu Government. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, who is worshipped as Vatapatrasayi and his consort Lakshmi as Andal. It is believed to be the birthplace of two of the Alwars, namely Periazhwar and his foster daughter Andal. The Alwars lived in 8th century, so that the existence of the temple can be traced even before. Vatapatra Sayanar Temple was constructed by the…

Nabanna, the harvest festival that falls in the month of Agrahayan (Margasirsa). It is a popular ceremony among the rice growers of WB, Bihar, Tripura, & Assam, & the Bangladeshi Hindus. Devi Lakshmi is worshipped at this time, who stands for wealth & fertility. According to traditional beliefs, a community cannot enjoy the new rice harvest until devi Lakshmi is first offered the new crop or Nabanna. So the farmers will cut and husk a special variety of rice, and offer it first to the Devi as payesh or paramanno. In some cases, ancestors and local deities are also offered the payesh cooked with nobanno. Other rituals followed today will include greeting the moon with diyas, distributing gifts and kheer to children, and offering rice and other food to the…

'Loyalty’ is a term that is both a positive and a difficult one at the same time. Positive because it makes loyal persons loved by people and, difficult because always maintaining loyalty in various situations can be a real challenge for them. But it is possible to overcome any situation if a person has loyalty along with ultimate devotion, love and fondness for another. The character with all these aspects reminds us of Nandi, known as the vehicle of Lord Shiva. Yes, it is true that Nandi is the vehicle of Lord Shiva and is also known as the gatekeeper of Kailash, but this is not the only definition by which the Nandi should be remembered. The way he devoted his life in serving Lord Shiva and his family, he…

M.L. Vasanthakumari (1928-1990) redefined the way Carnatic music was presented. MS, DKP and MLV — they formed a triumvirate. But MLV’s penchant for innovation made her a class apart. A disciple of legend G.N. Balasubramaniam, she followed his quicksilver style of rendition but brought to it her own charm and individuality creating a whole new bani. Madras Lalithangi Vasanthakumari was a prodigy, giving a public performance when she was all of 13. Trained by mother Lalithangi, an accomplished vocalist, Vasanthi accompanied her mother in concerts from the age of 11. Her father Koothanur Ayyasamy Iyer was a musician too. MLV stepped in to present a concert in Bangalore when her mother had to withdraw on health grounds. There was no looking back, as MLV grew in stature, her vidwat gaining…

1600 years old Mandpesvar Buddhist caves, Borivali, Mumbai, Maharashtra state of India. The caves are believed to have been built approximately 1500 to 1600 years ago, nearly around the same time as Jogeshwari caves (which were built between 520-550 CE). The caves were originally cut by Buddhist monks. Most of the early rock-cut temples and rock-art in India was created by Buddhist monks. The monks were the missionaries of the revolutionary message of the Buddha and the best places to spread the new message where the nodes of trade routes. Maharashtra and many of its hills in the Western Ghats fit their purpose. The monks would dig out prayer halls or chaitya-grihas in the caves, while building votive stupas and dwelling places for themselves. Here they would meditate and influence…