Shiva meaning “The Auspicious One” is one of the three major deities of Hinduism. He is worshiped as the Supreme God within Shaivism, one of the three most influential denominations in contemporary Hinduism and is also called “the Creator, the Preserver, the Transformer and the Destroyer”. At the highest level, Shiva is regarded as formless, limitless, transcendent, and unchanging. Shiva […]
Devi is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘goddess’; male status is deva. Devi and deva mean ‘heaven, God, whatever is good’, and they are the personal names of the goddess in Hinduism. The idea and reverence for the goddess comes from the Vedas, dated to about 3rd century BC. However, they did not play a significant […]
Introduction A Hindu temple, often mandir in India, is a symbolic house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together, using symbolism to express the ideas and beliefs of Hinduism. The symbolism and structure of a Hindu temple are rooted in Vedic traditions, deploying […]
Temples are an integral part of Hindu way of life, and with majority of population being that of Hindu in India, there are on a rough estimate more than 13 lakhs small or big temples in India. This is besides the “Pooja room” (room for offering prayers with idols or photos of deities installed) in […]
We all have been to temples numerous times, but have you ever tried to understand the significance of going to temples? Some of the basic rules and norms that has been embedded in our minds right from childhood include dress modestly, remove your shoes before entering the temple, bring all your problems but leave food […]
