Ravana – Itisaras

Remembering Shankaracharya: Lessons from the Jagadguru’s life and work

September 5, 2020September 5, 2020 Editor 0 Comments acharya, adharma, Adi Shankaracharya, ascetic, asura, avatara, Bhakti, bhoga, brahmin, Buddhist, Caste, charvakas, debate, didactic, disciple, Discrimination, education, evil, guru, hermit, heterodox, Hindu mythology, Hinduism, History, hostility, householder, humanity, interpretation, Jagadguru, kamashastara, kapilakas, knowledge, learning, legend, legitimacy, madhyamika, materialist, memory, Mythology, Namboori, opponent, philosophy, proliferation, proponents, Rama, Ravana, Religion, Sanskrit, sanyasi, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, scholar, scholarship, school, scripts, scriptures, shaktas, Shastrath, spirit, story, tantric, teachers’ day, thinking, Tradition, tribute, Vedas, vedic texts

In Shankara’s age, the threat to Vedic dharma was from the evil within and he had to tackle it through intellectual debate or shastrarth. Evil therefore had to be fought with the weapon of jnana or true knowledge.

Culture

An Indian Lunisolar New Year

August 3, 2020August 3, 2020 Shriya Tandon 0 Comments Ayodhya, Bihu, Calender, Chaitra, Chaitra Navratri, Culture, Dance, Dhanteras, diversity, family, festival, festival of harvest, festivities, food, Gudi, Gudi Padva, heterogeneity, hindu, Hindu calendar, india, language, Lord Brahma, Lord Rama, lunisolar, Maharashtra, Makar Sankranti, Makar Sankrati, Maratha, Music, New Year, orissa, Panchanga, Pongal, Puran Poli, Puri, Ram Navmi, rangolis, Ravana, Religion, Sakkar Bhaat, Sanskrit, sari, season, Shrikhand, sindh, Ugadi, Worship, Yugadi

Owing to its unique and vast cultural diversity, India has many festivals and celebrations specific to certain areas and regions. Since Hindus form the majority, a Hindu calender is followed to keep track of the festivities throughout the year. This calender holds great importance for a lot of people, and with good cause.

Culture

The Richness of the Ramayana tradition

October 27, 2019January 26, 2020 Editor 3 Comments Culture, diversity, Doordarshan, Hindu consciousness, interpretations, Lakshmana, original version, Ram, Ramanand Sagar, Ravana, retelling, television, The Ramayana, Valmiki, versions

As the festival of Diwali is approaching, the good olden days of televised-based series of Ramayana on Doordarshan immediately comes to our mind. However, what becomes important is to acknowledge the existence of multiple interpretations of the original as well as the regional versions of the epic which provide an alternative to Valmiki’s version which is seen as giving rise to “a patriarchal, literate and pan-Indian elitism.”