𝑨𝒎𝒎𝒖'𝒔 𝑴𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔!

Every home in India from time immemorial has a tradition of lighting an oil lamp at dawn and at dusk known as Deepaaradhana. At homes some people burned lamps in front of God, while others lit lamps in front of Tulasi plant, in front of great rivers like River ganges and in some homes, individuals light the lamps either at dawn or at dusk. The majority of people view performing Deepaaradhana as an everyday routine that is passed through generations, yet like with everything else in Sanatana Dharma, there is a strong reason behind it. The most significant celebration that takes place in every temple is also the Deeparadhana.   Before the idol, modest lamps with a single flame to pyramidal towers with seven levels are waved, followed by the waving of camphor. Conches are blown and all of the bells sound when the deepam is presented to the idol, drawing everyone's attention to it. One light is typically lit in the sanctum sanctorum during the day, making it completely dark. How...

𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐢 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦 On Karkidaka Vavu Bali Day yesterday, we performed the Bali tarpanam ritual for all of our ancestors. It's been an annual tradition for more than 10 years. 'Tarpanam' is a traditional yearly ritual where oblations are offered to departed ancestors. It's usually a sad day as you reflect on your entire life, starting when you were a tiny infant. Each time you are asked to honor a deceased relative during the ceremony, memories of them and your interactions with them come to mind. Most of the time good, yet occasionally bad. I've learned how to use it as a lesson. Every time a relative comes to mind, I consider both their positive and negative traits, asking myself what I can take away from it to become a better person? As a result, even paying respect to my ancestors serves as a constant spiritual reminder. This is the wonderful part of Sanatana dharma, which holds that everything you do has a lesson to teach you if you are seeking one. The m...

  The most ancient percussion instrument in India is a Mizhavu. 𝐀 𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐡𝐚𝐯 𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐮 (Malayalam: മിഴാവ് ) is a big copper drum played as an accompanying percussion instrument by hand. Since it is used in temples or Koothambalams, mizhavu is considered sacred. It is perhaps the oldest musical instrument still used today in the Indian subcontinent. It was initially constructed of mud and was the simplest instrument to make by placing wet calf leather over a mud pot. However, it eventually changed into pure copper. According to ancient mythology, Mizhavu was the musical instrument used when Lord Shiva danced (Shiva Thandava), and Nandikeswaran played the Mizhavu. Tradition says playing a mizhavu creates a spiritual bond between the hand and the skin. Your hand's skin and the skin of the mizhavu. The Mizhavu is referred to as Muzhavu in the ancient literature Silappadikaram, an epic poem written in Tamil Nadu between the fifth and sixth centuries AD by Prince Ilang...

Recently, a dentist remarked to me, "Your daughter has such good teeth, no cavities even though she's in her twenties. What's the formula? You must have done something when she was a baby for her teeth to be that perfect even now! That made me wonder: Did I do anything? Yes, until they were around 4, I didn't give them any candy, cake, or fruit juice.  And yes, they never ever had any illnesses, ear infections, or trips to the emergency room. B ut other than that? Then I remembered my mother exclaiming "It is excellent for teeth! If you drink this, the baby will have healthy bones and teeth. Don't you want that?” She was talking about the extremely bitter beverage that she used to give me while I was pregnant, which was made from Kadukka or Haritaki-infused water. She ritualistically fed my children a tiny bit of a concoction every day soon after bathing them since the twenty-eight day following their birth. She would bathe them with such care after giving th...

  Viva Kashmir! Scores of tourists are flocking to its beautiful destinations. Srinagar, Gulmarg, Mughal Gardens, Tulip Farms, Pahalgam, mustard seed patches, etc. So beautiful to see all the photographs people are posting on their timelines! That prompted me to reminisce about a childhood trip to Kashmir. My first visit was in the winter of 1975 during a family vacation with my parents and my brother. It was not only the location of Kashmir but also the adventure of getting there which has left me with priceless memories. If there was a competition for being on time or early, hands-down, my father would win first place! He was lucky to have a patient wife who played along to his tunes. The first demand on the trip? To reach the station an hour before the train arrives. Mind you, this was a narrow-gauge Nilgiri railway line – a small little train that took forever to reach anywhere. Well, try saying that to my father! There he was with his wife, two kids, and tons of large leather ...

  In  Gandhiji's presence To be able to spend time with a great man is a privilege but getting a chance to spend three days in the presence of one of the greatest men? That was what my grandfather did on May 15, 16, and 17 of 1924. He spent three days with Mahatma Gandhi and wrote about it (below). My grandfather K. Madhavan Nair had a long-standing relationship with Gandhiji and all the other national leaders as a member of the All India congress committee and as the primary leader of the Kerala Provincial congress committee. They communicated with each other regularly through telegrams and letters and he used to translate Gandhiji's speeches at all gatherings instantaneously to Malayalam when Gandhiji visited Kerala. Gandhiji came to Calicut after my grandfather passed away in 1933 and gave a very touching, heartwarming speech about him. K. Madhavan Nair along with other leaders sought Gandhiji’s help to eradicate caste division plaguing the Hindu community from the rest of ...