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"Where the black antelope ranges by nature, that should be known as the country fit for sacrifices; and beyond it is the country of the barbarians."                                                                                                 Manu Smriti  As per Hindu mythology, the antelope became the first creature to be wounded and the first one to be hunted and sacrificed in order to please the gods. According to the Rig Veda , the universe was created by Prajapati, the Progenitor. He was swayambhu or the "self-existing". As the first self-made divinity, without having any progenitor, he emerged from a golden egg. He, through the means of tapas (spiritual meditational practice), created 33 Rig Vedic gods such as Indra (king of gods), Agn...

The tree of life or Kalpavriksha in Hinduism holds a very significant position among the adherents. Various cultures across the world such as the Sumerian, Slavic, Nordic, Chinese cultures, etc. have different interpretations of it. In the Quran, it   appears as Shajarat al-Kholoud  which represents immortality. In Hindu, Jain and Buddhist mythology,  Kalpavriksha is believed to be a divine tree that grants wishes. It is also known as Kalpataru , Kalpadruma , Kalpapadapa , etc. The tribal communities of India too revere it and it has been depicted in their art and culture. The first reference to Kalpavriksha is found in the Rigveda . As per the Hindu mythology, it was one of the products that emerged out of samudra-manthan (churning of the cosmic ocean). Indra, the king of the devas (gods) and swarga (heaven) took it to the indralok or heaven and planted in his celestial garden. It can bear any kind of fruit, grant material prosperity and can also be instrumental in...

Bihar in the ancient period of India witnessed the rise and fall of janapadas and mahajanapadas of the 6th c. BCE, great empires, cities, rulers and statesmen, literary figures and courtesans. The term Bihar is derived from the Sanskrit word Vihara, meaning Buddhist monastery. It had been the epicentre of shramanic movement of the 6th c. BCE when Buddhism, Jainism, lokayatism, the ajivika sect and other such sects (which disputed the authority of the Vedas) emerged. The earliest empire of India erupted here viz. the Magadha Empire which constituted the rule of three successive dynasties: the Haryanka dynasty, the Shishunaga dynasty and the Nanda dynasty. The Mauryan empire was the first pan-India empire that was founded in c. 322 BCE. Let’s have a look at some of the historically noteworthy locations in Bihar.  Bhagalpur Bhagalpur is known as the Silk City of India.  The Vikramashila Maha Vishwavidyalaya was a significant university during the Pala dynasty and had more than 10...

Gandhi's Arrival in Ahmedabad and His Reception at Mansukhbhai's Wadi, 1915   Sabarmati Ashram, Sabarmati, Ahmedabad, Gujarat Source: Dr. Richa Singh Gandhi returned to India from South Africa on 9 January 1915. The day he returned has been celebrated as the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas or Non-Resident Indian Day in India since 2003. On his return, he spent the initial phase in understanding the situation of the country on the advice of his political Guru, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and organizing his ashram in Ahmedabad, living a community life with his wife, Kasturba Gandhi and followers from South Africa. One of the reasons he opted for distancing himself from politics or joining any of the current political trends such the Home Rule Movement (founded by Annie Besant in 1916) because in his opinion the time for agitating for Home Rule was not appropriate when the British were in trouble owing to the First World War. Also, he believed that none of the existing different methods of pol...

Durga Puja, London, United Kingdom Source: Moushumi Chakraborty Durga Puja is a Hindu festival which honours Goddess Durga.  Durga, a slayer of demons, is considered to be a form of   shakti   of Shiva.   Originally a tribal deity, over time she was adopted into the broader Brahamanical fold.  The name of the goddess means "Inaccessible" or "She Who is Difficult to Approach".   As per mythology, she was created by gods (the trimurti or trinity gods - Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva and the lesser gods of the Puranic Hinduism), fully formed as a warrior to fight against a demon named Mahishasura who threatened the power of the gods and the order of creation. She killed the demon after fighting a fierce battle. She is depicted with eight or ten arms, carrying weapons provided to her by the gods. It is to mark this significant victory over evil, the festival of Durga Puja is celebrated. I t is primarily celebrated in the eastern part of India in West Bengal, Bihar,...

The term Ramayana , meaning the journey of Rama is a compound word, formed by the combination of Rama and ayana. The latter means journey.  There are numerous different kinds of Ramayana plays, mask dances, puppet displays, and dances in India and outside India.  T he Ramayana has been the source of inspiration for several art forms and traditions. It, along with the Mahabharata , continues to impact Indian society in a major way. Ramayana (the journey of Rama) =  Rama + Ayana (journey)  Dance Forms: The Ramayana is portrayed in well-known classical art forms such as Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Manipuri, Kathak, and Kathakali, etc.  Kathakali emerged from Koodiyattam (literally translates to "dancing together"), Krishnattam, Koothu, etc. Kathakali acquired popularity with the masses by prioritizing dance and music over sophisticated acting, incorporating more movement and drama, and using the vernacular language, Malayalam as opposed to Sanskrit....