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This handy guide of eleven Sikhism matrimonial dos and don’ts provides a basic overview of Sikh wedding customs at a glance. 

The Family Festival of Giving in Five Days

Think of Pancha Ganapati as the Hindu Christmas, a modern winter holiday full of family-centered happenings, but with five days of gifts for the kids, not just one. 

Join us for a month-long celebration of sadhana in Nepalís Kathmandu Valley (continue)

Join us for a month-long celebration of sadhana in Nepalís Kathmandu Valley

As crises proliferate and conflicts drag on, more women and girls are telling UNFPA that violence against them is becoming “normalized”

Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music, art, wisdom, and nature, represents the free flow of wisdom and consciousness. She is the mother of the Vedas, and chants directed to her, called the 'Saraswati Vandana' often begin and end Vedic lessons.

The annual ancestor-worship or 'Pitri-Paksha' is a period that is observed during the dark half of the Hindu month of 'Ashwin.' This period of 15 days is set aside by the Hindus for the remembrance of their ancestors. 

Hinduism is a unique faith, and not really a religion at all--at least not in the same way as other religions. To be precise, Hinduism is a way of life, a dharma. Dharma does not mean religion, but rather it is the law that governs all action. Thus, contrary to popular perception, Hinduism is not a religion in the traditional sense of the term. 

The Himalayan kingdom of Nepal is not only the land of many mountain peaks but also many Gods and Goddess, unique among all of them being the living, breathing goddess – Kumari Devi, a deified young girl. 

Like a network of rivers nourishing a landscape, the meridians are the channels through which qi (chi) flows, to nourish and energize the human body. These channels exist within the subtle body. 

Most of us sustain ourselves by working at a job and earning a paycheck. Your job may be something you love doing, or not. You may see yourself as serving humanity, or not. People may admire you for your profession. 

How much of our lives do we waste stewing about things we can't change? Or fuming, worrying, regretting, ruminating or sometimes avoiding? How much happier would we be if we could just learn to let go? Does Buddhist practice help us learn to let go?

 If you aren’t already aware that the modern university originated in India, Sahana Singh’s book Revisiting the Educational Heritage of India will be an eye-opener. She explores this idea and more in great depth with a plethora of evidence, so elegantly composed as to be, as they say, “unputdownable.”

Latkes are potato pancakes that are perhaps best known as traditional Hanukkah food. Made with potatoes, onion and matzah or breadcrumbs, these crispy treats symbolize the miracle of Hanukkah because they are fried in oil. 

Come autumn and Hindus all over the world get infused with festive fervor. For Bengalis, Mahalaya is the signal to make final preparations for their greatest festival called Durga Puja.

Are you looking for ways to enrich your time together as a family this Thanksgiving holiday? Here are a few simple ideas to express thanks to God as a family in unique and creative ways on Thanksgiving Day.

Every hindu temple is a home of its deities, where they live just like we live in our homes, following a set routine through the day and celebrating special occasions around the year.

Fasting in Hinduism indicates the denial of the physical needs of the body for the sake of spiritual gains. According to the scriptures, fasting helps create an attunement with the Absolute by establishing a harmonious relationship between the body and the soul. This is thought to be imperative for the well-being of a human being as it nourishes both his/her physical and spiritual demands.

Hindu wedding rituals may vary in detail depending on which part of India the bride and the groom come from. Notwithstanding regional variations and diversity of languages, culture, and customs, the basic tenets of a Hindu marriage are common throughout the Indian subcontinent. 

A sari (sometimes called a saree) is a traditional garme

According to Hindu scriptures and mythology, the current universe is destined to pass through four great epochs, each of which is a complete cycle of cosmic creation and destruction. Hindu mythology deals with numbers large enough to be nearly impossible to imagine.

The annual ancestor-worship or 'Pitri-Paksha' is a period that is observed during the dark half of the Hindu month of 'Ashwin.' This period of 15 days is set aside by the Hindus for the remembrance of their ancestors.

Onam is a traditional Hindu harvest festival celebrated in the Indian state of Kerala and other places where the Malayalam language is spoken. It is celebrated with numerous festivities, such as boat races, tiger dances, and flower arranging.

"Paath" sounds like pot with the tongue curled back to touch the roof of the mouth while aspirating the th.

Many religions have a lot to say about love and marriage. Christianity even speaks of "holy matrimony," and Catholicism regards marriage as a sacrament. What does Buddhism say about love and marriage?

Amrit, the Sikh ceremony of rebirth takes place in a clean and secluded location at any chosen time. To begin the Khalsa initiation ceremony, a Sikh attendant carries the Guru Granth to a low draped platform.

I was fortunate to be born in an Indian Hindu family that is proud of its culture and religion. 

The hijab is a veil worn by some Muslim women in Muslim countries where the main religion is Islam, but also in the Muslim diaspora, countries where Muslim people are minority populations. Wearing or not wearing a hijab is part religion, part culture, part political statement, even part fashion, and most of the time it is a personal choice made by a woman based on the intersection of all four.

If you’ve ever been to Israel or spotted a Kabbalah-loving celebrity, chances are you’ve seen the ever-popular red thread or kabbalah bracelet. Dangling from a stroller or tied around the wrist, adorned with charms or simply plain, the red string has many origin points and mysterious meanings.