Roots and Reflections - Exploring Ideas, Experiences and Wisdom

              One of the most common and irritating problem that one faces in the Jammu city is getting caught in traffic jams. The daily commuting on the roads of Jammu is becoming worrisome and more grueling day by day, depicting the failure of the public transportation infrastructure to keep pace with the growing developing activities in the Jammu city. Traffic congestion is a burning issue in our city now a days’.  Due to burgeoning traffic congestion the life becomes totally out of gear and has come to stand still. Traffic rules, lane driving, red lights are not being followed honestly which lead to traffic congestion in our city. It has also led to the increase in the number accidents and fatalities on the roads. The irony is that everyone is in hurry but nobody reaches on time. The system of traffic in our city is worsening and deteriorating with each passing day. Now a day’s Jammu city is witnessing the worst traffic congestion problem and...

Hanuman Janmotsav, known as Hanuman Jayanti, is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Hanuman (a Hindu deity and one of the protagonists of the Ramayana). Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated at different times and festivals in each state in India. In most northern states, Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated on the full moon day of Chaitra (Chaitra Purnima). Hanuman is believed to be one of the most worshipped and powerful deities of Hinduism, and is considered the patron God in wrestling. This time usually corresponds with March or April in the English calendar. In Tamil Nadu and Kerala, it is on the Margashirsha Amavasya, or new moon day of Margashirsha month, while in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, it is celebrated on the 10th, in Krishna Paksha of Vaihakha. Karnataka celebrates this occasion on the Shukla Paksha Trayodashi 13th of Margashirsha month and Odisha, the eastern state of India, celebrates Hanuman Jayanti on the first of the month Vaishaka which typically falls in April. In mytholo...

                          Ram Navami is one of the important festivals of Hindus and it is celebrated in honor of Lord Ram with great devotion and much pomp and show in various parts of India. On this festival , we celebrates the birth of Lord Rama who is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This festival is celebrated during the time of March-April - the 9th day of  first month of Hindu calendar that is in the second fortnight of the month of Chaitra  after the culmination of Chaitra Navratri. Lord Rama who became the king of Ayodhya, was known for his exemplary qualities.          He was popular, brave, patient, kind, just, intelligent, loving, obedient and dutiful - an epitome of all good qualities on the planet. Lord Rama is always worshipped with his concert Sita, brother Laxamana and devotee Hunuman. The worship of Lord Ram is accompanied with by worship of sun god since Ram is belived t...

                                                                     With the scientific innovations and new and newer devices and with the new technology and technological boom, the society has been caught in the quagmire of digital addiction. Digital addiction especially in the younger generation and in very small children has become a growing menace affecting the health of those addicted and affecting the family relations. Small children and the youth are so  addicted that they are lost in using mobiles and are engrossed with the mobile phoning that their attention seems to be attracted towards the mobile phones unmindful of their surrounding environment and even calling them physically does get no response from those who are engrossed with the excessive use of mobiles. As they say excesses of everything is...

  Halflong is a mountainous and beautiful place in Assam and is rightly called as the mini-Switzerland of India for its scenic beauty, mountain peaks, streams, pastures and greenery. Its view is mesmerizing and a feat to eye. It is most wonderful landlocked place and is not only the epitome of natural beauty but symbolizes the cultural diversity for which not only Halflong is famous but cultural diversity is the hallmark of whole India. In Halflong seven diverse communities and their cultures flourish side by side and their festivals, traditions and customs are celebrated jointly with great reverence and respect. This place is mesmerizing and soothing to ones eye as there are beautiful mountains, streams, and greenery which catches and attracts the attention of visitors. Its culture is as beautiful as its natural beauty. The culture of Halflong symbolizes diversity which is the chief characteristic of this beautiful place. The communities such as Demasa, Naga, Kuki, Khasi, Bangali,...

The Maratha New Year Festival, Gudi Padwa, which is observed in Maharashtra and Goa, and the Kashmiri Pandits' New Year festival, Navreh, both demonstrate, honor, and symbolize India's rich cultural diversity and serve as a litmus test for the idea of India's unity and diversity. It was on Chaitra Shuklapaksha, Kashmiri Pandit community and Marathas of Maharashtra both celebrate the day with pomp and show. These communities both celebrate the new year day with zeal and jubilation, and it also shows how the Indian ethnicity or communities diversity on their New Year day celebrations in multiple ways which says volume about the significant and rich cultural diversity of India.  That the Marahtas and Kashmiri Pandits celebrate their new year on the first day of Chaitra month of the Hindu Calendar is no accident. Gudi Padwa and Nevrah are spring festivals, and both communities will celebrate them joyously, flaring the gaiety of their spring. We should be proud of our manifold c...

Since ancient times, Lord Shiva has enchanted the people of this nation. Representations of Lord Shiva have been found on the carved seals discovered in Mohenjo-Daro and are among the oldest Gods of the Indian civilization. Jammu has several Lord Shiva cave shrines and one such natural cave is exists in a delightful natural setting in Jakhole Panchayat of Kathua District. To reach the cave shrine, you leave the National Highway (Jammu–Pathankot) at Rajbagh (Ujh) and approximately 12 Km north eastern drive away, crossing Jasrota, Dhanni and Bakhta villages, you arrive at Jakhole village after which it is approximately 5 km on foot along a scenic pathway to reach the famous natural Shiva cave shrine, known as Mahanal, which is 150 years old. It is approximately a fifty min journey from Lakhanpur and thirty five mins from Rajbagh to Jakhole village. Shiva is recognized for truth (satyam), goodness (shivam) and beauty (sundaram), who has his supernatural determination-abode in a cave at Ma...