Culture & Tradition of India

History of Durga Puja: Durga Puja also known as Durgotsab is an annual Hindu festival which celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess of power, Durga or Shakti. It is a nine days affair in which last six days are observed with complex rituals and intricate ceremonies as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami and Bijoya Dashami. The dates …

Durga Puja Customs: Durga Puja is celebrated with pomp and geity in West Bengal state of India and among the Bengalis all around the world. People enjoy all the ten days of the festival with a lot of fun and religious observance. In fact, Durga Puja is the most important festival for Bengalis. Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal, …

With catchy themes and concepts often reaching great artistic heights and big corporate involvement adding to the glitter, fun and fiesta, the contemporary Durga puja in Kolkata has evolved from what it was decades back. It now embraces those on the margins, and has truly become “glocal” – with both local and global elements – but at the same time …

Decked up in their best, residents of West Bengal state of India plunged into festivities and merriment on Monday marking the first day of Durga Puja – the biggest festival in this part of the world. Chants of ‘Jai Durga’ and ‘Bolo Durga Mai Ki Jai’ reverberated across the state with every city, small town and village joining in the …

Navratri is one of the important Hindu festivals of India, commemorated with fun, fervor and enthusiasm. People across the country celebrate the festival by worshiping Goddess Durga, the Deity of Power. The air is filled with festivity all through the nine days of the festival. People exchange greetings, sweets, prepare lip smacking recipes for Navratri fast and indulge themselves in …

Navratri Date: Navratri is an important Hindu festival, celebrated with religious fervor and great enthusiasm by the Hindus in different parts of the country. It is celebrated twice a year – in March-April (as Chaitra Navratri) and in October-November. While the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri is celebrated as Rama Navami, the festival celebrated in September-October (Sharad Navratri) commemorates the …

Poets and authors have tried to define it for centuries, whereas scientists have only recently started. Many of us know intuitively that love is a major purpose for living; that connection is inherent in all that we do, and without it, we cannot survive as a species. But what is love, and how do we know when we’re in it? …

Muharram Fasting: It is the first month of the Islamic calendar, hence, marking the Islamic New Year. It is an occasion of mourning that commemorates the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hazrat Imam Hussain, along with his family and followers. It is one of the most sacred months of the year, where fighting is strictly prohibited. The other three months …

Muharram is one of the most auspicious occasions in the Islamic history and calendar. Firstly, the occasion commemorates the brutal assassination of Hazrat Imam Hussain Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, and his entire family at the battle of Karbala (City near Baghdad, Iraq). Secondly, Muharram is also observed as the first month in the Islamic calendar. Hence, Muslims begin …

Muharram is one of the holiest occasions in the Islamic calendar. Muharram is the first month of the lunar Hijri calendar, which marks the start of the Islamic New Year. It was during this month that Imam Hussain Ali, grandson of Prophet Muhammad, was brutally assassinated together with his family and supporters thousands years back at the Battle of Karbala. …