Roots and Reflections - Exploring Ideas, Experiences and Wisdom

The Spiritual/Religious Significance of Chanting Om Namah Shivaya                                                                         The spiritual and religious importance of the cosmic mantra Om Namah Shivaya cannot be exaggerated as this mahamantra forms the core of Hinduism which sanatan Dharma is referred .It is the mantra recited at the birth and death of an individual and it is rightly called Aadi  ta Annt. Every Sanatan ritual begins and ends with the chanting of Aum Namah Shivaya or Hari Om and it clearly shows the significance of this great and miraculous mantra. Chanting of Aum Namah Shivaya in fact leads to the salvation of the human beings and it is believed that this mantra liberates the man/women and one is destined to navigate the ocean of samsara and reach the safe and divine destinat...

The grateful nation India every year celebrates the birth anniversary of the Dr B.R Ambedkar on 14th April and the best way of paying tribute to this great man is  to remember him and make serious and honest efforts to make India of his dreams which is free from the untouchability. Dr Bhimrao Ambedker was the embodiment and epitome of multifaceted personality and will be remembered for his unmatched and unparalleled taints of head and heart. He was the doyen of social change, harbinger and advocate of classless and casteless Indian society where people belonging to various castes will get equal opportunity for development. He is remembered for his selfless crusade for social change ,social reform and unity in the society. The contribution of Ambedker in the social and political life of India cannot be exaggerated. He had done much for the cause of the Dalits, under privileged and downtrodden sections of the society .He was born as Hindu but he embraced Buddhism because he felt unea...

                                                                                                      (Image source: Internet) Professor V.N Pandit was born at Kulgam Kashmir to a well read and respectable family of Pandits on 01-04-1939. His father Shamboo Nath Pandit was a well known advocate of his time and was the president of Bar Association of Kulgam & his mother was a simple household and loving lady. Hailing from crest jewel of India ,Kashmir, Prof. Dr V.N. Pandit was a well known economist and he had a great knowledge of macro –economics and was a reputed authority on economics. His was a multifaceted personality and was simple and honest to the core and was loved by his students and commanded much respect and veneration fr...

Nethar in Kashmiri is nothing but nakshatra in Sanskrit. So kah nethar would be the ceremony celebrating the constellation (nakshatra) on the eleventh day. Likewise, nethar for marriage is again an indirect word representing the corresponding astral sign, an auspicious beginning. The correct name for marriage is vivaha. The commonly used Hindi term shadi is totally incorrect because it is a Persian word that means happiness or celebration. Any celebration is shadi.  Kah-naether is known as Jatakaram Samskar and is one of such vedic samskaras as Namkaran Samskar or Mundan Samskar. This samskara is held on the eleventh day or, as you have said, on the eleventh nakshatra from the nakshtra of a child's birth, hence the name kah-naether. It is akin to baptism - a ritualistic propitiation of deities and the acceptance of a new-born child into the family fold or gotra. It is considered to be a very important samskara because no hom, havan, yagnya, shradha or pind-dana can be performed by ...

Samovar is a cultural icon tracing its roots back to nineteenth century Russia; it has seen a long passage through history to become a vital part of many cultures. Samovar is derived from two Russian words:"sama" meaning "self" and "varit" meaning "to boil"; thus, in essence, Samovar is a self-boiling pot. This traditionally was a household item in Russia but its history stretches far beyond. This renowned item, closely related to copper material, is now part of several cultures, each appealing with unique identity on it. It tells the story of togetherness, warm hospitality, and the art of tea-making; Samovar thus has become a symbol of interwoven threads of tradition and innovation. Kashmiri tradition is distinct from that of others since it fashionably decorates its samovars, often with fancy engravings. Design and Structure  The elegant silhouette of Samovar is complemented by ornate handles and embellishments, thus making it a prized possessi...

Tulmulla is rightly an abode or dwelling place of Mata Kheer Bhawani and the feminine power resides in this picturesque village. The legend is it,that Mata Ragnya Bhagwati which Kheer Bhawani is also called was pleased on the penance of Ravana the then king of Shri Lanka and he took her to Lanka. But she was dismayed by the demonic works of Ravana and told Hanuman to lift her to Kashmir ,where she permanently resides at village Tulmul. Kheer Bhawani, Ksheer Bhawani or Ragnya Devi shrine is a Hindu temple situated at a distance of 25 Kms north-east of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir’s Tulmulla village in Ganderbal district. It is dedicated to Hindu goddess Kheer Bhawani whose temple stands in the middle of a scared spring and it is believed that the color of this spring changes and generally it is milky, but it turns red when some big misfortune falls and thus it has been seen that on the onset of militancy in Kashmir and the resultant exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits, the color of this hol...

                                  There is no denying the fact that home is the first school of citizenship and the mother is the first teacher and educator. Before the child is admitted in the school to get formal education, he is educated by the mother in the family. The interactions of the child with the mother at the home are very important and form the base of the child’s personality. A child learns from womb to tomb. The habits are formed in the home which forms the personality of the individual in the later years through the proper modification of the behaviour of the child in the school. The first impressions and the interaction between the mother and the child are of paramount importance which helps the child in his formative years in home and later in the school. The first impressions are lifelong and cannot be erased from the child’s personality. The qualities of the citizenship are imparted ...