Roots and Reflections - Exploring Ideas, Experiences and Wisdom

  The month of sawan is considered and regarded as the holy month in Hinduism. This month is dedicated to Lord Shiva who is also called Neelkanth and lord of destruction. In this month Hindus particularly worship lord Shiva and seek his blessings. Hindus also pray to lord Shiva for world peace and happiness. We generally witness huge inflow of Shiv devotees in Jammu and Kashmir's famous Amarnath cave. While at the same time, the huge rush of devotees can be seen at Haridwar which is the most pious and sacred religious place of Hindus. The devotees of Shiva are thronging and pouring from all directions and in fact it can be said that a sea of humanity has descended in the holy city of Haridwar. Just like Shri Amarnath Yatra, there is a Kawad Yatra in which thousands of yatris visit the Holy place of Haridwar. In 2025, the Kawad yatra will begin around July 11th, 2025, and culminate on July 23rd, 2025, or with the last Shravan Somvar (Monday). The primary ritual involves fetching hol...

We are living in a digital age and this era of digitization has touched almost every spheres of life. The integration of digitization into our daily lives can be seen in modern times and things that seems to be far from reality become a reality now. People are always busy and engrossed with mobiles by scrolling and watching short videos, youtube reels, facebook reels, Instagram reels etc. The reel and scrolling culture have become an indispensable part of human lives and thus it is to be seen that be it kids, youths or adults, all utilize their precious time on mobiles by scrolling reels of 30 seconds.  Reel Obsession is a very disturbing issue and the young generation is falling under the prey of it. It is an addiction that is affecting the young minds because the childrens are using too much mobiles these days and spend countless hours on watching unnecessary Instagram reels. Some reels are unproductive and violent, such short videos are badly affecting the child's mind and they ...

Kashmir Valley: A Cradle of Ancient Faiths and Sacred Traditions The valley of Kashmir is a prominent location for temples, shrines and other places of worship, showcasing a long and varied tradition of rich religious history and spiritual value. These religious locations vary from Hindu temples to Muslim shrines and both appeal to a number of religious pilgrims and tourists alike. The religious experiences of the Kashmir Valley have a tremendous story to tell about its own rich cultural and spiritual legacy and intriguing history for those who visited looking for both. Carrying an overwhelming presence through a magical landscape in South Kashmir, the Katyayani Temple at Kakran in the Kulgam district is an oasis of devotion, heritage and cultural memory for the Kashmiri Pandit community. Once hailed as one of the most sacred and oldest temples sacred to the native people of the valley, this holy shrine has been a part of the spiritual life for all previous generations of Kashmiri Pand...

The Durga Nag Temple in Srinagar functions encompassing more than simply a place Movies, it reinforces Kashmir’s ancient and current religious and scholarly traditions. Often, today's wahrscheinlich history is overlooked by modern developments, this temple was once the well-known Sharada Math of Kashmir, with a rich learning and devotion history. It’s origins extend into the past when religion, academia, and princely prestige fused a period of intellectual and spiritual vitality. The hill which hail in today's environment is the Durga Carrier temple, was once referred to as either Gopadri or Gopa Hill as it was named after a highly admired king, Gopaditya. Historical texts, and more specifically one of the most famous, Kalhana's Rajatarangini, gives narration about the sacred geography relating to this study. In the Rajatarangini, being the most authoritative depth that we have, Kalhana wrote that King Gopaditya, who we must assume lived ca. 4th century BCE, constructed a s...

In our fast-changing world, shaped by technology, culture, and lifestyles that keep changing there is one disturbing trend among children today: children are neglecting their elderly parents. Parents who once represented knowledge, experience, and love are now considered lonely, isolated, and forgotten members of their own family. The respect and reverence we once had for our elders has lessened with each addition to our modern and unique lives. It was not long ago that families were typically together in joint family structures raising children and eventually raising their grandchildren. In joint family systems, the elderly were inherently the heads of the family unit; they were involved in all the big decisions made by the family and provided caring companionship to their children and grandchildren. They were thought of as gifts, blessings, and included aspects of your life that were necessary. Parents of today live an independent life in a nuclear family structure. In our world toda...

Author :- Prof. Rattan Lal Hangloo Publishers:- Francis & Taylor in London / Manohar Publishers in India Price:- 146 USD The book "The state in Medieval Kashmir" is an honest effort by Mr Hangloo into the The state in medieval Kashmir is a book that is an honest attempt by Mr Hangloo into the thin veneer of state in medieval Kashmir and it is a threadbare effort of the author to lay open all the factors, processes, and interplay of forces, rituals, traditions and religious implications related, if at all, to the process of state formation in Medieval Kashmir. In the field of Indian historiography, which is expanding rapidly, regional studies are finally getting grasp the emphasis they long desired. One of the real contributions to this new fold is the latest presentation of Professor Rattan Lal Hangloo, an eminent historian of medieval India. His book on the political processes and power structures of medieval Kashmir is notable for being a sincere, theoretically expansiv...

I had the opportunity to visit the ancient temple of Kulwagishuri in Kulgam District of South Kashmir, which is not only important spiritually, but it is also renowned for its ancient heritage, four years back. It is a holy temple full of natural beauty and it is an important place for the Kashmiri Pandits. I spent a week in the temple premises and my relative, Rahul Koul, who lives in the temple complex, welcomed me warmly and made my visit personally special. Rahul not only allow me appreciate History and sanctity of Kulwagishuri but also accompany me to several other shrines across Kulgam helping me value this unique pilgrimage experience. The tranquility, divine vibe and natural nag (spring) in the premises made the visit poignant and amazing.  Kashmir, or the land of spirituality, is famous for its venerable temples and sacred shrines that symbolize the cultural and religious syncretism of generations. From the revered Shankaracharya Temple standing above Srinagar, to the Khee...