A blog about India, its culture, tourist places, festivals and people
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...
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...
It is festival season at Kalpathi. The annual chariot festival (ratholsavam) at the Sree Viswanatha Swamy Temple attracts tens of thousands of devotees and tourists to this small town near Palakkad district. This traditional...
Lakshmana Perumal Temple at Thirumoozhikkulam is one of the four temples that devotees visit in the month of Karkidakam as part of the sacred Nalambalam Thozhal pilgrimage. Since Lakshmana is the third of the...
Situated on the banks of River Nila (Bharatapuzha), Nhanghattiri Bhagavathi Temple is one of the 108 Durga Temples consecrated by Parasuram. It is also one of the most famous temples dedicated to the Goddess...
If you are looking to experience India at its exotic and colorful best, the state of Rajasthan is the best option. The state has numerous palaces, forts, a vast desert and plenty of camels...
The Annual Pushkar Fair has everything you can expect from a traditional Indian festival. It is colorful, vibrant, chaotic and astonishing. The biggest attractions of this fair are the decorated camels. As many as...
The Sastha temple is one of the ancient temples in Kerala and it is widely believed that the deity of this temple was installed by Parasurama. According to another very popular legend, it was...
Sabarimala follows several unique traditions. Before visiting the temple, pilgrims are required to observe austerities for 41 days. They are required to take two baths a day (in the morning and in the evening...
Another Mandalam season is here. Starting November 16, devotees will start flocking to Sabarimala seeking the darshan of their favorite deity Ayyappan. Ayyappan is a unique deity in many aspects; so is his temple...