Roots and Reflections - Exploring Ideas, Experiences and Wisdom

                                                                                                                                          This year 2026, both Durga Ashtami and Ramnamvi falls on 26th of March Thursday. Durga Ashtami is the most important day of the Navratri festival and it occupies an important place in the order of significance of the nine days of Navratri .It is the eight day of Navratri and is dedicated to Maa Durga and everyone is celebrating the nine day long festival with pomp and show as well as with devotion to propitiate Maa Durga. Durgaashtami is the Ashtami in Navratri is the eight day of the festival. As we celebrate C...

Easter is one of the most significant and sacred festivals celebrated by Christians around the world. It marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, a cornerstone of the Christian faith that symbolizes hope, renewal, and victory over sin and death. According to the New Testament of the Bible, Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and rose from dead on the third day Easter Sunday. His resurrection fulfilled the prophecy of the Messiah and confirmed the belief in eternal life for all who follow His teachings. Easter therefore, is not only a celebration of Jesus return to life but also a message of spiritual rebirth and triumph of good over evil. Easter is preceded by ‘’Holy Week’,’ which recounts the final days of Jesus earthly life. It begins with ‘’Palm Sunday’’ commemorating His entry into Jerusalem. ’’Maundy, Thursday’ ’honors the Last Supper, while ‘’Good Friday’ ’solemnly reflects on the crucifixion. Finally, Easter Sunday arrives with joyous celebrations of the resurrection...

The word "Sharda" in Sanskrit denotes both Goddess "Saraswati", and Goddess "Durga". The Kashmiri Pundits, all of whom are Saraswat Brahmins, revere this Goddess Sharda as a symbol of their wisdom and strength. Hence also the name of the village "Shardi" situated at a height of about 3400 metres from the sea level and that lies in between Gurej and Karnah: the two places in what has now been named as Neelam valley in the Pakistan Occupied part of Kashmir. One can reach "Shardi" in about four hours from Muzaffarbad. Since old times, the village "Shardi" was renowned for the temple of Goddess Sharda, and Sharda Peetham or the Centre for Advanced Learning, in modern parlance. At Shardi, the remains of the temple and the University (if one may call it so) can still be seen. In fact, it is stated that just before the partition, an annual fair used to be held at village Shardi on the eighth day of the Shukla Paksha, of Bhadrapada, w...

Shri Bhat was a legendry Kashmiri Pandit,a capable, able Hakim, a great statesman and above all the saviour of Kashmiri Pandits. Kashmiri Pandits are indebted to this great man for having ensured their saving and for having made Budsha to cease persecution of Kashmiri Pandits. Not only he persuaded King Zanul-ab-Din to end the persecution of Kashmiri Hindus but also ensured the communities return and rehabilitation. For all this the Kashmiri Pandits are remembering and commemorating the birth anniversary of Shri Bhat. So long as there is sun in this universe,the name of Shriya Bhat will remain etched deeply in the memory of the Kashmiri Pandits.Shriya Bhat also spelled as Shri Bhat was a 15th century Kashmiri Pandit Physician ,surgeon,and advisor to the Kashmiri sultan Zain-ul-Abdin (1420-1470), widely revered for reviving Hindu culture after persecution by Muslim rulers He treated Sultan, and in gratitude ,used his influence to abolish the Zazia tax and restored temples. Shriya Bhat w...

Moti Lal Kemmu was born in Fateh Kadal, Srinagar, in 1933, and he started dancing at a very young age. He used to say, "Dancing came to me naturally." As a result of his love for dance, he was introduced to a stage very early on, where he first performed as a dancer and then eventually earned small acting roles. He cites Gopi Nath from Anantnag (also known as "Gopi Bache") as an inspirational figure for him during his childhood. At that time, Parsi Theatre was involved in the productions and performances of the local theatre. Kaziran drama (Folk Drama of Kashmir) beautiful traditional & cultural based genres of drama. Akanandan (Tarachand Bismil) produces the predominant performances of the Parsi Theatre. In 1953, there was a significant movement in Kashmir called the "Cultural Congress." Even though he was very interested in painting, many of the young people in Kashmir were also interested in Dance and Drama. Therefore, after completing his undergrad...

The three towering peaks of the Trikuta Hills are a well known, worldwide pilgrimage to Mataa Vaishno Devi’s shrine. The shrine itself is situated in a beautiful setting among pine trees, so we get many thousands of devotees from many miles away, both in and outside of India; who all pay their respects to the Goddess Vaishno Devi, asking for spiritual blessings and for peace and harmony throughout all humanity. The trek to the holy shrine starts at the Banganga river and continues through beautiful areas such as Charan Paduka, Adh Kuwari and Bhairo Ghati until you finally arrive at the sacred shrine in Vaishno Devi Bhawan. As you walk along the trek, you get to see an abundance of stunning flowers that adorn the area within the beautiful hilly landscape that you are walking through. Holy shrine is celebrated through numerous phases (i.e., Autumn, Winter, etc.) based on their characteristics as they relate to the pilgrim's journey. Autumn is characterised by hues of falling foliage ...