Roots and Reflections - Exploring Ideas, Experiences and Wisdom

Kashmir has given birth to a number of Sages, seers, Rish’s and Sufi’s in both the forms of male and females. It has seen lean periods of economics, social and spiritual downfalls but nature has not failed to throw up at times one great personality of Godhead to take the fallen humanity back from the abyss of degradation and misery. His Holiness Swami Kral Babji Maharaj was born in 1928 on Phagun Purnima in a very humble agriculture family at Kralgund village in tehsil Handwara J&K. The name Kralbub was assigned to him by his Guru Maharaj Nand lal ji (Kaul). His parental name was Sh Bhagwan Dass ji. The name of his parents was Sh. Samsar Chand and Kudmali.From his childhood days he had a penchant for Godhead. While others of his age used to play with toys, he would make toys with ashes,cow dung and smear such dirt on his body.  From his childhood it was seen that he was not interested in materialistic things. As a child he was always inclined to have the company of his Kul Puro...

Gulchain Singh Charak was a reputed Dogra leader, politician, social worker, philanthropist and above all a good and gentle human being who was always fighting for the cause of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in general and Dogra community in particular. He was a former minister and president of Dogra Sadhar Sabha and throughout his long life he worked for the Dogra and Dogra cause and he was proud of belonging to Dogra community and served the community till his last breath. Charak, was associated with the Congress party for a long time and was a cabinet minister in the Congress-PDP coalition headed by G.N Azad. Charak Sahib was a household name in the Jammu region and he was a respectable leader and politician and his honesty, selfless service and contribution to society cannot be exaggerated. He always cared and fought for the rights of the poor people and Dogra community.  Gulchain Charak was the chairman of Dogra Group of Educational Institutions such as Dogra Bed Collage, Dog...

  Dr. Ved Kumari Gai was a scholar, professor, intellectual, social activist and was held in high esteem in Jammu. She was a reputed Sanskrit professor and great scholar. She was also well versed in Hindi as well as Dogri languages. Ved Kumari Gai was a literary figure of Jammu and Kashmir & his contribution to Sanskrit language, literature and society was well recognised. Ghai was born on 16th December 1931, in Partap Garh Mohallah, Jammu. She completed her school education in Jammu and passed Masters degree in Sanskrit from Punjab university in 1953 and MA in Ancient History and Culture in 1958 & then PhD in Sanskrit from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1960.  Dr. Ved Kumari Gai was an acclaimed professor and scholar of Sanskrit and she had the distinction of having been the privilege of presiding the literary, social and religious functions. She was involved in literary and social services throughout his life. Basically she was appointed as a professor of Sanskrit...

  Raksha Bandhan is a popular and traditionally Hindu annual rite or ceremony that is central to a festival of the same name celebrated in South Asia. It is also celebrated in other parts of the world significantly influenced by Hindu culture. It is one of the important festival of Hindus and in Santan Dharma its significance cannot be exaggerated. On this day, sisters of all ages tie a talisman or amulet called Rakhi around the wrists of their brothers. They symbolically protect them, receive a gift in return and traditionally invest the brothers with a share of the responsibility of their potential care. Raksha Bandhan is observed on the last day of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Shraavana, which typically falls in August. The expression Raksha Bandhan (Sanskrit, literally ‘the bond of protection, obligation and care) is now principally applied to this ritual. So this festival is the bond of love, affection and protection between the brothers and sisters and has an important p...

                 (Image Courtesy: Internet) Kashmir is the land of saints, seers, faquirs, godly men and has been the place where there are shrines, mosques, temples and Gurudwras in plenitude. It has been a place where religion and spirituality flourished from time to time. The people of Kashmir are mostly of religious bent of mind and there have been the shrines housing saints and Faquirs. One of the reputed and famous shrines is Syed Simaan in Kulgam and it is said that the name Kulgam has been invented and given by Syed Simnan and before this name Kulgam was known as Shampora. Syed Simnani came from place known as Simnan in Iran and Syed Simnan came to Kashmir along with many Syeds who came with the arrival of world famous saint Shah Hamdan who is credited with the spread of Islam in Kashmir. Syed Simnan was an 6th century sufi saint who blended Islamic tenets with, sufi traditions and it was he who emphasized the unity of man and gave st...

In good old days the Kashmiri society was familiar and accustomed to traditional fire stove called in Kashmiri parlance as Daan.It was then found in every kashmiri household and the womenfolk generally used to cooking on the dan and Kashmiris' were familiar with the Daan. Firstly Daan was used to cook variety of foods and cuisines and it also was used for the purpose of warmth and thus the secondary use of the Daan was providing heat during the severe and harsh winters.In Kashmiri households members of the household and especially the children used to assemble near Dan and enjoyed sipping nun chai and it was an everyday experience. But with the advancement in science and technology new and ever new tools for cooking food were invented and Kashmiri's like other people of other parts of India used stove, and then gas stove to cook food and with the advent of moder means of cooking ,the traditional Daan has almost disappeared from Kashmiri society and milieu and it is a matter of ...