HISTORY • HERITAGE
INDIA: Mythology and Diwali rituals of Narakasur in Goa
Narak Chaturdasi is celebrated for Diwali in Goa. Huge effigies of Narkasur, made of grass and hay, dressed in colorful paper clothes and armed with swords and other armaments, are erected in the days preceding Diwali. Narkasur is paraded in the neighborhood accompanied by drums and songs. After dawn with taunts and insults, Narkasur is…
INDIA | GOA: Mythology, rituals and history of Ganesh Chaturthi
Traveling and discovering is sometimes about being in the right place on the right day, for us that day was today, when India celebrates Ganesha Chaturthi. This festival is also popularly called Vinayaka Cavithi or Vinayaka Chaturthi. It’s celebrated in honor of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed god, remover of obstacles, the god of beginnings and…
INDIA: Thaipusam – Lord Murugan festival at Palani
Discover Myths and Legends of the Thaipusam – Tamil Nadu’s Lord Murugan festival. Where Devotees carry the kavadi and pierce their backs, cheeks and mouths.
INDIA: Kanwar Yatra – History and Mythology of the pilgrimage of Lord Shiva’s Kanwariyas
In the month of Shravan, cities and towns of the Gangetic plains are inundated with people, dressed in orange, bearing saffron flags, marching to loud music, and carrying a stick sling with pots or bottles tied to either end. They are fetching Ganga water and bringing to the local Shiva temple, a ritual that marks…
INDIA | Uttarakhand : Harela or day of green – Festival of the Kumaoni people
Discover Myths and Folklore of Harela or day of green – Festival of the Kumaoni people of Uttarakhand. Harela is celebrated for welcoming the rainy season, the new harvest and to commemorate the wedding anniversary of goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva.
NEPAL: Lumbini Buddhas birthplace
Discover Myths and Legends of Lumbini Buddhas birthplace, the birthstory of Gotama Buddha and Lumbini in historical travel accounts.
SRI LANKA: Myth and Folklore of Buddhas Tooth Relic and the Kandy Esala Perahera Festival
Discover Myth and Folklore of Buddhas Tooth Relic and the Kandy Esala Perahera Festival in Sri Lanka. Legend of Princess Hemamali bringing the sacred tooth relic to Sri Lanka from India.
INDIA: Thaipusam – Tamil Nadu’s Lord Murugan festival
Discover Myths and Legends of the Thaipusam – Tamil Nadu’s Lord Murugan festival. Where Devotees carry the kavadi and pierce their backs, cheeks and mouths.
INDIA: On the Coconut palm
Discover legends, myths and folklore of the coconut palm tree and its use in traditional Indian culture. Oral literature abounds with proverbs, fables, myths, and legends associated with this special nut and have been associated with the origin of the plant in India, Malaysia, Hawaii, Myanmar, Maldives, Philippines, Indonesia, and Polynesian countries.
INDIA: On the Banana
Discover legends, myths and folklore of the banana tree in India- its use in traditional Indian culture.