Roots and Reflections - Exploring Ideas, Experiences and Wisdom

  Bhagwan Gopinath Ji's Mahotsav is one of the most revered spiritual celebrations for devotees of the great saint and mystic of Kashmir. Observed every year with profound devotion and spiritual fervour, the Mahotsav commemorates the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Gopinath Ji, whose life and teachings continue to inspire thousands of seekers across India and beyond. More than a religious gathering, the Mahotsav represents a celebration of timeless spiritual wisdom, self-realisation, compassion, and the eternal quest for truth. It provides devotees with an opportunity to reconnect with the ideals of inner purity, selfless service, and unwavering faith that Bhagwan Gopinath Ji embodied throughout his extraordinary life. Born on 3 July 1898 in Srinagar, Bhagwan Gopinath Ji emerged as one of the greatest saints produced by the spiritual heritage of Kashmir. He belonged to the rich tradition of Kashmir Shaivism, yet his teachings transcended sectarian boundaries and appealed to people fro...

                             Book Review          Name of the Book - Hues of Kashmir                (Perspectives on Cultural History)             Perspectives on Cultural History                     By Prof Rattan Lal Hangloo                              Pages - 418                             Price - Rs. 1750 Kashmir Hues is a remarkable scholarly work by eminent historian Prof. Rattan Lal Hangloo that presents Kashmir not merely as a geographical entity but as a vibrant civilizational space shaped by spirituality, philosophy, history, literature, and above all cultural pluralism. Through four well-crafted essays, the aut...

                                      (Image courtesy: Internet)                                                         Culture, craft,  roots heritage and religion does not die as these re-merge after a long or short gap.The same is true of the conventional and traditional matting which had been lost in oblivion but has re-emerged on the horizon of Kashmir and it is a matter of satisfaction that old things re-surface and Vagu is one among them. The revival of Kashmir’s Vagu, the traditional handwoven reed mat, is much more than the return of a household item.It represents the revival of an indigenous craft ,a sustainable lifestyle  and a cultural tradition  that had almost disappeared  under the pressure of modern synthetic products o...

The thing to do in Achabal is to retreat to the Mughal Garden, dip your feet in the cool spring around whose waters the garden is laid out, and roll some Persian words on your tongue. Nashiman: the platforms to sit on in the water’s company. Jadwal or juyee: the canals that carry water from the main spring. Persian is called for because the art of gardening among many other customs and cultures was brought to Kashmir by the Shah Miri Sultanate, many members of which were immigrants from Persia. The pattern of the garden that you see around you  terraces and fountains and trees set around a central water channel - is that of the Persian pleasure gardens. Later, Mughal royalty refined this art and took it to greater heights. Mughals themselves were of Turko-Mongol origins but Humayun had spent the years of his exile from India in Persia, and he and his successors carried the imprint of that culture throughout their rule.  Achabal itself is a small town, just a short drive from t...

                                                                           It is very unfortunate,ironic and disturbing that people in Jammu and Kashmir have been spending lavishly and extravaganza in marriages is a social,cultural and economic malady through which J&K is passing from the last few decades and it points towards the sad state of affairs in marriages in this region which had been famous for simplicity and penny -fisted and they were spending on the marriages of their sons and doctors wisely and judiciously and never did make a show of the marriages.But from some years the situation is significantly different as people are seen spending lavishly without thinking about those people in the society who eat from hand to mouth and so they are forced to imitate the affluent members of the ...

                                    With the phenomenal increase in two wheelers as well as the four wheelers in India, the parking quarrels are not only taking place but are increasing day by day. It is very unfortunate that people engage into quarrels over parking of their vehicles and two wheelers. It is very disturbing that people driving vehicles are becoming impatient and every driver of the vehicle wants to out- number the others and they drive with great speed which is a cause of many accidents and fatalities. People driving four wheelers and especially two wheelers are becoming restive and impatient while driving their vehicle and it is very unfortunate. Moreover, there are quarrels over the parking of vehicles even for very short durations of the time. Parking quarrels in India are a common and escalating problem, often leading to disputes, conflicts, and even violence due to inadequate p...

                                                                                    Maa Sharika is the most revered deity of the Kashmiri Pandits. She is worshipped as the eternal protector of Kashmir, the embodiment of divine wisdom (Shakti) and the presiding goddess of the Kashmir valley. Devotion to Maa Sharika forms one of the oldest and most enduring spiritual traditions of Kashmir. The patron goddess of the Kashmiri Pandit (KP) community is Maa Sharika Devi, one of the most revered manifestations of the Divine Mother. She is regarded as the spiritual guardian [Kuladevi] of the Kashmiri Pandits and has been worshipped in Kashmir for centuries. Her, principal shrine is situated on the sacred Hari Parbat hill in Srinagar. Maa Sharika is believed to be an incarnation of th...