River Souparnika
River Souparnika figures prominently among the holy rivers of India. It flows through the Kundapur Taluk in the South Indian state of Karnataka. For millions of devotees of Maa Durga, Souparnika is a holy...
Category: Religious tourism
Kottiyoor Vysakha Mahotsavam
Every year, the Shiva Temple at Kottiyoor sees an influx of pilgrims in June. The Kottiyoor Vysakha Mahotsavam, the annual festival of the temple, is held on the banks of River Baveli. The lush...
Serpent worship in Kerala
Serpent worship is common among Hindus. It is particularly common among the Hindus of Kerala. According to legends, it was Parashurama (Rama with an axe – the 6th incarnation of Lord Vishnu) who started...
How to reach the temple of Lord Ayyappan from Erumeli
Sabarimala is one of the most popular pilgrimage centers in the whole world. The annual pilgrimage season lasts less than 60 days (mid-November to mid-January) and during this period millions of devotees trek the...
Guruvayoor Ekadasi 2016
The month long Ekadasi celebrations have begun at the Sree Krishna Temple at Guruvayoor. The celebrations started with the ceremonial lighting of Ekadasi Vilakku on November 10, 2016. This year Guruvayoor Ekadasi will be...
Sabarimala Pilgrimage | The austerities that pilgrims observe
Hindus believe that periodic Vrithams (austerities observed for a certain period of time) have the power to purify one’s mind and body. A Sabarimala pilgrim is required to observe strict austerities for 41 days...
Who is Darma Sastha?
Of all the Sastha temples in South India, the Sree Dharma Sastha Temple at Sabarimala is the most famous. The deity of this temple is popularly called Swami Ayyappan. The word Sastha simply means...
Shani Shinganapur
The Shani Temple at Shinganapur became famous all over India when Gulshan Kumar produced his epic movie ‘Suryaputra Shanidev’. Shani is unlikely to figure among the most popular Hindu deities. He is, nonetheless, revered...
Road trip to Shirdi
Last week, we visited Shirdi. It was my first ever visit to the Holy shrine of Shirdi Sai Baba. Although I am not a staunch devotee of Baba, I have been wanting to visit...
Most popular Hindu deities
Hinduism is essentially a monotheistic religion. Still, Hindus worship numerous gods and goddesses. All of these gods and goddesses are thought to be the manifestations of the Supreme Being or Brahman. The most...