Mahashivratri

The most feared God of all the Hindu deities is Lord Shiva. He is known in his various forms as Neelkanth, Bholenath, Shankar,

The 108 names of Lord Shiva and their meanings. Ashtottar-shata-naam stotra

Aashutosh	One who fulfils wishes instantly
Aja	Unborn
Akshayaguna	God with Limitless Attributes
Anagha	Without any faults
Anantadrishti	Of Infinite Vision
Augadh	One who revels all the time
Avyayaprabhu	Imperishable Lord
Bhairav	Lord of terror
Bhalnetra	One who has an eye in the forehead
Bholenath	Kind Hearted Soul
Bhooteshwara	Lord of ghosts and evil beings
Bhudeva	Lord of the earth
Bhutapala	Protector of the ghosts
Chandrapal	Master of the moon
Chandraprakash	One who has a moon as a crest
Dayalu	Compassionate
Devadeva	Lord of the lords
Dhanadeepa	Lord of wealth
Dhyanadeep	Icon of meditation and concentration
Dhyutidhara	Lord of brilliance
Digambara	Ascetic without clothes
Durjaneeya	Difficult to be known
Durjaya	Unvanquished
Gangadhara	Lord of the River  ( One who upholds ganga)
Girijapati	Consort of Girija
Gunagrahin	Acceptor of Gunas
Gurudev	Master of All
Hara	Remover of Sins
Jagadish	Master of Universe
Jaradhishamana	Redeemer from afflictions
Jatin	One who has matted hair
Kailas	One who bestows peace
Kailashadhipati	Lord of mount Kailash
Kailashnath	Master of mount Kailash
Kamalakshana	Lotus eyed Lord
Kantha	Ever radiant
Kapalin	One wears a necklace of skulls
Khatvangin	One who has the missile in his hand
Kundalin	One who wears earrings
Lalataksha	One who has an eye in the forehead
Lingadhyaksh	Lord of the Lingas
Lingaraja	Lord of the Lingas
Lokankara	Creator of the three Worlds
Lokapal	One who takes care of the world
Mahabuddhi	Extremely intelligent
Mahadeva	Greatest God
Mahakala	Lord of all times
Mahamaya	Of great illusions
Mahamrityunjay	Great one who has victory over death
Mahanidhi	Great Storehouse
Mahashaktimaya	One who has boundless energies
Mahayogi	Greatest ascetic
Mahesha	Supreme Lord
Maheshwara	Lord of Gods
Nagabhushana	One who has serpents as ornaments
Nataraja	King of the art of Dancing
Nilkantha	Blue necked Lord
Nityasundar	Ever Beautiful
Nrityapriya	Lover of Dance
Omkara	Creator of OM
Palanhaar	One who protects everyone
Parameshwara	First among all Gods
Paramjyoti	Greatest Splendour
Pashupati	Lord of all living beings
Pinakin	One who has a bow in his hand
Pranava	Originator of the syllable of OM
Priyabhakta	Favourite of the devotees
Priyadarshana	Of loving vision
Pushkara	One who gives nourishment
Pushpalochana	One who has eyes like flowers
Ravilochana	Having Sun as the eye
Rudra	The terrible
Rudraksha	One who has eyes like Rudra
Sadashiv	Eternal Lord
Sanatana	Eternal Lord
Sarvacharya	Perceptor of all
Sarvashiva	Always pure
Sarvatapana	Scorcher of all
Sarvayoni	Source of everything
Sarveshwara	Lord of all Gods
Shambhu	One who bestows prosperity
Shankara	One who gives happiness
Shiva	Always pure
Shoolin	One who has a trident
Shrikantha	Of glorious neck
Shrutiprakasha	Illuminator of the vedas
Shuddhavigraha	One who has a pure body
Skandaguru	Preceptor of Skanda
Someshwara	Lord of all Gods
Sukhada	Bestower of Happiness
Suprita	Well pleased
Suragana	Having Gods as attendents
Sureshwara	Lord of all Gods
Swayambhu	Self Manifested
Tejaswani	One who spreads Illumination
Trilochana	Three eyed Lord
Trilokpati	Master of all the three worlds
Tripurari	Enemy of Tripura
Trishoolin	One who has a  trident in his hands
Umapati	Consort of Uma
Vachaspati	Lord of Speech
Vajrahasta	One who has a thunderbolt
Varada	Granter of Boons
Vedakarta	Originatore of the Vedas
Veerbhadra	Supreme Lord of the Nether world
Visalaksha	Wide Eyed Lord
Vishveshwara	Lord of the Universe
Vrishavahana	One who has a bull as his vehicle

Mahashivratri is celebrated on the 13th night/ 14th day of the Phalgun / Maagh month of the Hindu calender. It is celebrated in honour of Lord Shiva.
Devout Hindus fast on the day of Shivratri and continue fasting till the next day. The night is spent in worshiping Shiva and singing his bhajans, chanting of strotras, aaratis and bhajans. The main items for worshipping are Bael leaves , Ber fruits, raw milk, vermillion, incense sticks, dhoop etc.

 A shivling is first washed by pouring water over it , followed by raw milk, vermillion is applied, bael leaves are offered, fruit is offered, and finally incense sticks / dhoop is burned. A small lamp is lighetd and placed near the shivling.  A devotee takes 3 or 7 rounds around the shivling and prays to it. Some temples have a provision of a large pot placed high above the shivling , in which devotees pour water and / or milk. This pot has a hole in the bottom , through which a constant drip performs abhishekh  ( or offers water) to the shivling.

Once upon a time King Chitrabhanu of the Ikshvaku dynasty, who ruled over the whole of Jambudvipa (India), was observing a fast with his wife, it being the day of Maha Shivaratri. The sage Ashtavakracame on a visit to the court of the king.

The sage asked the king the purpose of his observing the fast. King Chitrabhanu explained that he had a gift of remembering the incidents of his past birth, and in his previous life he had been a hunter in Varanasi and his name was Suswara. His only livelihood was to kill and sell birds and animals. The day before the new moon, while roaming through forests in search of animals, he saw a deer, but before his arrow flew he noticed the deer's family and their sadness at its impending death. So he let it live. He had still not caught anything when he was overtaken by nightfall and climbed a tree for shelter. It happened to be a Bael tree. He did not realize that his water holder had a leak. The water was steadily falling down in drops from the tree, till all the water ran out. Eventually he was both hungry and thirsty. These two torments kept him awake throughout the night, thinking of his poor wife and children who were starving and anxiously waiting for his return. To keep himself awake and safe on the tree he started plucking one leaf at a time and throwing it down from the tree.

The next day he returned home and bought some food for himself and his family. The moment he was about to break his fast a stranger came to him, begging for food. He served the food first to stranger and then had his own.

At the time of his death, he saw two messengers of Lord Shiva, sent to conduct his soul to the abode of Lord Shiva. He learnt then for the first time of the great merit he had earned by unconscious worship of Lord Shiva during the night of Shivaratri. The messengers told him that there had been a Lingam (a symbol for the worship of Shiva) at the bottom of the tree. The leaves he dropped had fallen on the Lingam, in imitation of its ritual worship. The water from his leaky canteen had washed the Lingam (also a ritual action), and he had fasted all day and all night. Thus, he unconsciously had worshipped the Lord. As the conclusion of the tale the King said that he had lived in the abode of the Lord and enjoyed divine bliss for a long time before being reborn as Chitrabhanu. This story is narrated in the Garuda Purana

It is a day of fasting. Some devotees however eat a special meal made with ingredients allowed during fasting days. This is known as a Falahaar meal. It includes fruits, milk and milk products like cream, youghurt, and some special grains and vegetables like raw bananas, sweet potatoes, potatoes, cucumber, groundnuts , coconuts, sago, samaa rice, kuttu flour, singhada flour, rajgira flour.

Some recipes for a falahaari meal  

http://foodlooseandfancyfree.blogspot.in/2010/09/kuttu-khichadi.html

http://foodlooseandfancyfree.blogspot.in/2010/08/sweet-potato-kheer.html

Janmashtami - 2nd September 2010

Shree Krishna is one of the most adored of all Hindu deities. He was closest to humans , as he was born and lived as one. He played, toddled, made mischief and performed miracles. Krishna devotees have followed each and every incident in his life. He was a saviour, teacher, guide and philisopher. Shree Krishna was the protagonist of the grand epic , the 'Mahabharata'.
The birth of Lord Shree Krishna is celebrated with pomp and show throughout India. The actual birth had taken place at midnight between the 7th and 8th day of the first fortnight of the month of Bhadrapad.The 7th day is marked by fasting and praying, while the 8th day ( the day after the birth of Krishna) is marked by celebrations and feasting.

At midnight of the 7th day, A gong is sounded at the stroke of midnight to announce the birth of Krishna.An idol of Balkrishna or Ladoo Gopal is [placed in a copper plate bathed  first with Gangaajal ( water from the ganges) and then with the 5 elements that form the panchamrit , the five elixirs, Milk, ghee, yoghurt, honey and sugar.The liquid thus mixed and collected is then distributed as prasad. Various sweets are cooked and offered to the newborn Krishna. An offering of sooji halwa is made , offered to Krishna and distribute it to all assembled.The next day is a day of feasting. An Vaishnav feast of 56 dishes is prepared, it is known as Chappan Bhog.The food prepared on this day includes dairy products like milk, ghee, yoghurt, cottage cheese, butter, cream. Onions , garlic , eggs or non vegetarian food is not used in the Chappan Bhog. Little kids are dressed up as Krishna, wearing bright kurtas and dhotis with the symbolic peacock feather tucked in their hair.

Dahi Handi

Pots filled with milk, butter are tied high up on streets and gangs of boys make human pyramids to reach upto the pots and break them. There are fruits, vegetables , gifts and even cash prizes to be won by the gang that breaks the pots.
For more information on Janmashtami : Click Here

Raksha Bandhan- 24th August 2010

Raksha Bandhan is the day to honour the loving bond between brothers and sisters. A day dedicated to brothers and sisters, their naughty banter and bullying revived long after they have grown up. A day to reinforce the loving relationship , to forget rivalries and to bask in the warmth of sibling love.On this day sisters seek their brothers undying love and support and brothers pledge to protect and standby by them through thick and thin.

Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon day ( Poornima) , of the 2nd half of the auspicious month of Shravan , according to the Hindu Calender. Sisters usually visit their brothers on this day. The brother usually present to  their sisters gifts of  cash ,sweets, clothes, jewellery etc.It is a day for nostalgia with good humoured bickering and feasting. Usually sisters in law cook up a feast for their husbands sisters. many communities also honour the extention of the brother sister bond to the brothers wife and children. The sisters tie fancy rakhis to their sisters in law, these rakhis called Loomba, are entwined in their bangles. The nephews too are given gifts and rakhis tied on their wrists.

Loomba

Rakhi

The rakhi tying is usually done as a complete ritual. The sisters prepare a thaali which contains vermilion (kumkum/roli)  paste , which is prepared by adding a little water or oil to vermillion powder, few grains of rice, sweets, rakhis, a small lamp filled with ghee and a wick. The lamp is lit and the sister first applies the vermillion markl on the brothers forehead, then places a few grains of rice on the mark and throws some over on head. She then ties the rakhi on his right wrist and feeds him a sweet. After this the thaali with the lit lamp is circulated thrice in clockwise direction . After this the sister ( if younger) touches the brothers feet and he then presents her with a gift .If the sister is older, the brother touches her feet and seeks blessings. He offers her a small gift as a token of his love and the sister in turns presents him with a gift and sweets. Then the sister in law's rakhi is tied and then the nephews'.
Then the feast begins. Typical sweets made during Rakhi are Jalebi , Imartis , Ghevar,

Jalebi

Imarti

Ghevar

How to make a Rakhi

Silk threads of any bright colour like red, orange, yellow, pink.
Golden/ silver bead/ rudraksh bead
silver/ gold thread
glue

Cut the coloured thread into 4 inch length, prepare 4-5 such lengths. String the bead or multiple beads through this bunch of beads. Towards mid-length tie a knot with the threads, so as to stop the bead/s from falling out.Apply glue to the space next to the knot towards the bead.Push the bead/s into the glued part of the threads.Make a knot on the other side after the beads.This will secure the bead/s .wind a bit of gold/ silver thread next to the knots. Glue the ends and ct off excess gold/ silver thread. Your Rakhi is ready.

4-5 inch length of satin ribbon of any bright colour
small embroidered motifs
small fabric swatch slightly smaller than the motif
glue
candle & matchbox

Using a lit candle, carefully seal the edges of the satin ribbon . Right at the centre of the ribbon, place the fabric swatch under the ribbon. Attach with glue. Once dried, place the motif on the top of the ribbon accurately over the swatch, so that the ribbon is firmly secured between the swatch and motif.
A simple and easy Rakhi.
For more info on Raksha Bandhan Rituals and info: Click Here.

Pooja Thali

The Pooja Thali is a completre set of auspicious items used for worship, celebrations , rituals in a Hindu home. Be it a Pooja, welcoming a new born baby, a Birthday or Raksha Bandhan, the pooja thali is polished and arranged. It has the regular Kumkum ( Roli, vermillion) , haldi ( turmeric) , Chawal ( rice), Mouli Dhaga ( red & yellow thread), Diya ( lamp). For other elaborate worship , other items added to the thaali are supari ( beetlenut), laung elaichi ( cloves and cardamom) , dried fruits, misri / batassa ( cane sugar candy), kapoor (Camphor), taal makhana (lotus seed), mithai (sweets) , agarbatti ( incense sticks), chandan powder ( sandalwood) and a gold coin.

Marriage ceremony

A scene of a hindu wedding, recreated using the auspicious beetle nuts and dessicated coconut. The scene depicts the priest ( one each from the brides and grooms side ) , facing each other and the bride and groom. The sacred fire ( Agni) is in the middle. Other items placed are the sacred water pot with mango leaves and coconut ( kalash) on the right of the bride ( she is on the left , wearing a green saree) , a plate of laddoos on the grooms left, a pot of Ghee ( clarified butter) which the priest on the left is pouring into the fire and a stack of wood, placed next to the priest on the right. The Hindu marriage is performed over a period of many days. The pre and post marriage rituals are spread out accortding to the convenience of the bride and grooms families and visiting relatives.