Kumbh Mela -considered to be the largest peaceful gathering in the world

Kumbh Mela is a mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred river. It is considered to be the largest peaceful gathering in the world where around 100 million people were expected to visit during the Maha Kumbh Mela in 2013 in Allahabad. It is held every third year…

India – Religion and Expressive Culture

Sadhus are almost totally dependent on the alms of others for subsistence. In addition, they may also support themselves by engaging in any of the following activities: begging, serving as spiritual mentors to personal disciples, interpreting dreams, telling fortunes, reading palms, astrology, manufacturing amulets, performing exorcisms, casting spells, singing, conjuring, juggling, tattooing, or selling medicinal…

A yogi – someone who practices yoga & Veda

         A yogi is someone who practices yoga, a traditional Indian spiritual discipline which includes meditation and spiritual exercises. The female equivalent of this term is yogini. Generally, these terms are only used to describe masters and teachers of this discipline, and they are certainly not appropriate for people who only practice one aspect of…

Sanyasi – In the search of Truth

THE renowned Vedic scholar, Rajbali Pandey, in his outstanding work, “HINDU SAMSKARAS—Socio-Religious Study of the Hindu Sacraments”, while discussing the funeral Samskaras of the ascetics, makes a significant remark, “But after the transition of Hinduism from Vedism or Brahmanism to Puranism and Tantraism, Sanyasa came to be regarded as Kalivarjya. Though Shankaracharya broke this prohibition…