Indian Culture Values and Traditions Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Sanskriti.live

Sharad Purnima: The Ancient Full Moon Festival, Lakshmi’s Visit, and a Divine Dance

Shh! Let us tell you a secret about the moon! No. Not the one we all learned in school about the moon affecting the tides. This secret is way older. This is about one night of the year, when the moonlight is so bright, so full of ancient energy, that it is believed the Goddess […]

Rangoli: Why It Matters in Indian Festivals

We live in a world that keeps rushing on like a high-speed train, but every year, as the festive season approaches, millions of us Indians take some time out to get down on our knees and pour coloured powder onto the floor of our houses. We call it Rangoli, or Kolam, or Alpana, according to […]

Yoga: India’s Gift to the World

Picture this: it’s 1883. A young Swami Vivekananda gets off a ship in the United States of America, armed with only wisdom. He speaks about culture and faith at a convention, getting applause and praise alike. He then calls yoga a “science of the mind.” To a world that was, at the time, focused on […]

Papankusha Ekadashi: Story, Fasting Rules, and Why It Matters

We’re all running a relentless marathon today, one where every step is shadowed by stress, anxiety, and comparison. Scrolling through perfectly curated social media feeds often leads to a silent form of suffering: the mental noise we call ‘Overthinking’. Our minds constantly chatter, replaying past mistakes and catastrophizing future fears. Have you ever considered that […]

Dussehra: When Good Triumphs Over Evil

Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, is upon us—a time when we celebrate the resounding victory of Durga over Mahishasura, the mighty Asura King who was not ready to give due respect to women. He asked for the boon where only a woman can kill him. As he was thinking that a woman will never be able to […]

Kanya Pujan: A Festival of Gratitude and Honor

Navratri. The nine nights of the Goddess. We fast, we pray, we celebrate the divine feminine in all her forms—Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati. But the culmination of this spiritual marathon, especially in North India, is an event that holds a profound, yet often overlooked, social significance: Kanya Pujan (or Kanjak). It’s the beautiful practice of revering […]

Siddhidatri: The Bestower of Divine Blessings

Today is the ninth and final day of Navratri, and the celebrations have reached a crescendo. It is also a day where we should acknowledge the old saying; “Behind every successful man, there is a woman”, by remembering, praying to Siddhidatri, the final Navdurga. When the Gods Bowed Down As it happened, once, the Trinity […]

Mahagauri: The Goddess of Purity and Renewal

We’ve all had those moments. A deadline looms, a presentation flops, a relationship hits a snag. Our frustration boils over, and we feel a surge of rage. We become the very embodiment of the uncontrollable Kali, wild and untamed. We think that this rage will fuel our fight, that our anger will be the hammer […]

Kaalratri: The Dark Mother Who Destroys Fear and Negativity

It is the seventh day of Navratri, and this night belongs to the Goddess Kaalratri, considered by many to be the fiercest of the Navadurgas. If the earlier forms of the Goddess were about light and growth, this form is of fire, shadow, and courage. You may have heard the saying “Hell hath no fury […]

Skandamata: The Nurturing Mother of Courage and Compassion

The demon Tarakasura was clever. He got a special boon from the gods. Only Shiva’s son could kill him. Since Shiva had no children, Tarakasura thought he was safe forever. The demon’s rule brought darkness to all three worlds. People suffered. The gods were helpless. But there was hope. Parvati saw the world’s pain. She […]