Roots and Reflections - Exploring Ideas, Experiences and Wisdom

Adi Shankaracharaya Jayanti in 2026 falls as per Gregorian calendar on 22th April Wednesday but as per Indian Calendar it falls on Panchmi tithi which coincides on 21st April and thus it will be celebrated on 21st April this year as  in Hindu calendar it falls on the Shisti Tithi in the Skulpaksh of Vaishak month which coincides with 21th April Tuesday as this year chutrithi titi and thrithi both fall on thrithi tithi and in this way Shankaracharya Jayanti will be celebrated on Panchami thithi that is 21st April and his devotees in particular and the other people in general celebrate his Jayanti with gaiety. Adi Shankaracharya is also known by the name of Jagat Guru Shankaracharya.  Om 21st April, 2026 his 1238 birth anniversary was celebrated in the country. Adi Shankaracharya’s contribution in the propagation of Hindu / Sanatan Dharma cannot be exaggerated. He has in fact revolutionized the Hinduism at a time when this great and immortal religion was on decline .The credit f...

                                                                                                                                          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...

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 ...

Captain Vikram Batra is remembered as one of the bravest soldiers of india.He was born on 9 September 1974 in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh. He belonged to a simple and loving family. His parents were Girdhari Lal Batra and Kamal Kanta Batra. He had a twin brother, Vishal and both of them were lovingly called “Luv and Kush” at home. Vikram completed his schooling from D.A.V Public School and Kendriya Vidyalaya in Palampur. Later, he joined D.A.V College in Chandigarh. During college, he became an active member of NCC (Air Wing) and was awarded the Best NCC Cadet of the North Zone. He once got a good job offer in the Merchant Navy in Hong Kong. But he did not accept it because he wanted to join the indian Army. He believed serving the country was more important than earning money. He cleared the Combined Defence Services Examination and joined the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun. In December 1997, he became a Lieutenant in 13th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (13 JAK Rif). Hi...

The mountains, lakes, fields, and snow can inspire poets, painters, and thinkers to create beautiful works of art. The drive from Manali on the way to Leh and back through the high terrain of the Lahaul Spiti region in Himachal Pradesh has everything, and this unique drive will provide a new experience for poets and photographers alike. Although winter conditions and hazardous roads are present on parts of this drive, anyone who is passionate about discovering this challenging road will appreciate how breathtaking the view from there is. It is best to carry heavy winter clothing when traveling throughout the year, however, you will first have contact with the unpredictable weather at Solang Valley, which is located only 10 km from Manali. You will go from being on a beautiful sunny day to being engulfed in pitch darkness within minutes after arriving at Solang Valley. The primary stop-over for many travelers on their trip between Pahalgam and Manali is at Marhi, which is home to both a...

Early Dogri Poetry and Royal Patronage under Maharaja Ranvir Singh The earliest examples of Dogri Poetry are found in the work of Rama Datta Bhadwal (Dattu), a poet from the late-18th century who essentially wrote in Braj Bhaskari (language), as well as in the Poetry of Lal Ram Dhan, Ganga Ram Mathara Das and Kanshi Ram (known as Pahari Gandhi), with respect to Dogri Poetry - again, none of which can be considered a systematic Body of Poetry or Prose before the arrival of Dogri as an Official Language, with a Royal Patronage, under Maharaja Ranvir Singh's reign; when Maharaja also ordered that the then-current Dogri script be modified and improved. In fact, the Government issued all official notices and orders in both languages - Dogri and Persian - and Dogri was also used on Revenue Stamps, Postage Stamps, and Currency Notes. Additionally, a number of important works in other languages have been translated into Dogri, with Adam's Mathematical book, Lilakriti, being the first o...

Sheikh Muhammad Sultan: The Qalandar Saint of Hakura Badasgam A 20th century Sufi known as Sheikh Muhammad Sultan used to live in a small village in Anantnag, the Kashmir valley called Hakura Badasgam. He has achieved miraculous status throughout the Kashmir area as well as outside of it as one of its prophets. Baba Sultan is classified as a Qalandar (one of 4 categories of Sufis). The Qalandars lived their lives wholly devoted to God by following Him alone and not following social customs (that is, the accepted rules of society) as a matter of course, except where doing so might violate the Shari'ah (that is, the universal law of God). (The differences in behaviour, dress, and objects carried by Qalandars has been used as an excuse to consider Qalandars to be separate from others.) There exists a considerable amount of literature concerning Qalandars in languages other than English such as Urdu (the principal native language of Pakistan), Persian (the principal native language of ...

Scholars from all parts of the world have taken note, while myriad individuals have also become admirers of Lalleshuri (Lal Ded) of Kashmir for her poetic works referred to as Vaakhs. These works are spontaneity expressed by an awakened Yogi, who produced exceptional works of poetry with a considerable philosophical depth, while at the same time sharing her insights into her own spiritual path with the reader. Many of her poems express her direct spiritual experiences through simple and easy-to-understand formats, as well as giving concise examples of Yoga principles that can be related to in day-to-day life. Lalleshuri provided access to her timeless spiritual wisdom in the language of everyday people through oral speaking; the impact of her oral expression carried on through the ages and was transmitted orally to future generations with virtually no change in the language or meaning of her works. Lalleshuri's Vaakhs are a comprehensive representation of the literary talent of a h...

Kimb: A Traditional Citrus Treasure of Jammu Kimb is basically a citrus fruit, it is also a medicinal treasure and an important food. For many generations, Kimb has been integral to the daily lifestyles of many of Jammu's citizens. The wide range of health benefits associated with Kimb, combined with its unique taste and fragrance, give this fruit local and global significance. Citrus medica (citron) is one of the oldest citrus trees that originated in the world; it is known as Kimb in Jammu and is considered to be one of the most ancient and traditional valued oranges in the world. Kimb is known for its distinctive scent, thick rind and different historical medicinal uses. Kimb (Citrus medica) is part of the Rutaceae Family and is considered by many to be one of the root species that gave rise to other modern day varieties of citrus fruit. The tree originally grew naturally at the base of the Himalayan Mountains, where it continues to play an important role in food, cooking, relig...

                       (Photo Source: Internet) Manasbal Lake is a picturesque freshwater body located to North of the beautiful Sind Valley of Kashmir and is surrounded by majestic hills and scenic beauty. It is the deepest of all freshwater lakes located in Safapora village in the Ganderbal District of Jammu and Kashmir. Often referred to as the "Supreme gem of all the lakes of Kashmir", this Lake is an oasis of tranquillity for those who appreciate bird watching and have a great love for nature while visiting Manasbal Lake during the summertime when the lotuses bloom. The best time to visit Manasbal Lake is between May-October because the weather during this period is most favourable for outdoor activities and sightseeing. Manasbal Lake can be reached easily by vehicle and is approximately 30 km from Srinagar city. The road leading to Manasbal Lake - the largest freshwater lake in Kashmir - passes directly through Wular Lake...