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Indian languages, festivals, food, art, religion, and social life.

Vedanta

Overview Vedanta (Sanskrit: वेदान्त, IAST: Vedānta), also known as Uttara Mīmāṃsā, is one of the six orthodox (āstika) schools of Hindu philosophy and textual exegesis. The term literally means "conclusion of the Veda...

Agni

Overview Agni (Sanskrit: अग्नि, meaning 'Fire') is the Hindu god of fire and one of the most prominent deities of the Vedic pantheon. He is regarded as the guardian deity of the southeast direction, and consequently i...

Varaha

Overview Varaha (Sanskrit: वराह, Varāha, meaning "boar") is an avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu, manifesting in the form of a boar. Within the framework of the Dashavatara, the ten principal incarnations of Vishnu enu...

Somnath

Overview The Somnath Temple, known in Sanskrit as Somanātha (from Soma, the moon, and nātha, lord or master), is a Hindu temple situated at Prabhas Patan near Veraval in the state of Gujarat, India. It is regarded as ...

Mahakaleshwar

Overview Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga (IAST: mahākāleśvara) is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located in the ancient city of Ujjain in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is regarded within Shaiva tradit...

Maha Kumbh

Overview The Maha Kumbh, also widely referred to as the Kumbh Mela (Sanskrit: Kumbha Mēlā, literally "festival of the Sacred Pitcher"), is a major Hindu pilgrimage and festival celebrated in India. It is observed at f...

Garbhagriha

Overview The garbhagriha (Sanskrit: गर्भगृह, romanised: Garbhagṛha), also known in Tamil as moolathana, is the innermost sanctuary of Hindu and Jain temples. It is often referred to in English as the "Holy of Holies" ...

Prasad

Overview Prasāda (Sanskrit: प्रसाद), commonly transliterated as prasad or prasadam, is a religious offering associated primarily with Hinduism. The term refers, in most contexts, to a material substance — most often f...

Ladoo

Overview Laddu, also spelt laddoo or ladoo, is a spherical sweet originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is prepared from a wide range of ingredients bound together with sugar syrup or jaggery, and shaped by hand...

Ashram

Overview An ashram (Sanskrit: आश्रम, āśrama) is a spiritual hermitage or a monastery traditionally associated with Hinduism. The institution has historically served as a residence for sages, ascetics, students and see...

Homa

Overview A homa (Sanskrit: होम), also rendered as homam (plural: homams) or havan, is a fire ritual practised in the Indian religious traditions. In Hinduism it is typically conducted by a priest, often on behalf of a...

Durga Puja

Overview Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava or Sharadotsava, is a major Hindu festival honouring the goddess Durga. The celebration commemorates the goddess's victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura, an episode d...

Guru Purnima

Overview Guru Purnima (Sanskrit: गुरुपूर्णिमा, romanised: Gurupūrṇimā) is a religious and cultural festival dedicated to offering respect and gratitude to spiritual and academic gurus. The observance is shared across ...

Kali Puja

Overview Kali Puja (ISO: Kālī Pūjā), also known as Shyama Puja or Mahanisha Puja, is a Hindu festival of the Indian subcontinent dedicated to the goddess Kali. The festival is observed on the new moon day (Dipannita A...

Religious Observance

Overview Religious observance refers to the overt forms of religious behaviour practised by individuals and communities. It encompasses the visible expressions of faith, including participation in rituals, attendance ...

Mukti

Overview Mukti (Devanagari: मुक्ति) is a term used in the Indian religious traditions to denote spiritual liberation. It is broadly synonymous with the concepts of moksha in Hindu thought and nirvana in Buddhist and J...

Kumkum Archana

Overview Kumkum Archana is a devotional practice within Hindu tradition that involves the offering of kumkuma, a sacred red powder, to a deity, most commonly to forms of the Goddess (Devi). The word archana denotes a ...

Paksha

Overview Paksha (Sanskrit: पक्ष, romanised: pakṣa) refers to a fortnight period consisting of various lunar phases within a month of the Hindu lunar calendar. The term literally means "side" in Sanskrit, and denotes t...

Tithi

Overview In Vedic timekeeping, a tithi is a lunar day, defined as the duration during which the longitudinal angle between the Moon and the Sun increases by 12°. In other words, a tithi is the time interval between co...

Vikram Samvat

Overview Vikram Samvat (ISO: Vikrama Saṁvata; abbreviated VS; Hindi: विक्रम संवत), also known as the Vikrami or Bikrami calendar, is a Hindu calendar historically used across the Indian subcontinent. It continues to b...