The festival of Diwali is actually comprised of five days of rituals in India. Given the varying time zones and the solar eclipse, there has been some confusion about what is happening and when. We begin the celebration of Diwali 2014 with the festival of Dhanteras. According to mypanchang.com, Dhanteras 2014 is on October 20 […]
Diwali 2013
One of the biggest holidays in the Vedic calendar is the festival of Diwali (dee-vaah-lee) or Deepavali (deep-uh-vaah-lee) – the Indian festival of lights. “Deepa” means light and “avali” means a continuous line. Diwali occurs the day before the Indian New Year. This year, Diwali will be celebrated on different days in various parts […]
Navratri Festival 2013
In the Vedic calendar, immediately following Pitru Paksha, the time for honoring our ancestors, comes a much more joyous celebration. Tomorrow (October 5, 2013) marks the beginning of the month of Ashwina in Vedic astrology and the first of nine nights of the Indian holiday of Navratri (also spelled Navaratri). The prefix nav- means nine and the […]
Diwali 2012
Today is the festival of Diwali 2012 (dee-vaah-lee) or Deepavali (deep-uh-vaah-lee) – the Indian festival of lights. Deepa means light and avali means a continuous line. Diwali celebrates the return of Lord Rama back home after a 14 year period of exile. The residents of Ayodhya (I-yo-the-yah) celebrated his homecoming by lighting rows and rows […]
Happy Diwali 2011
May your inner light shine forth radiantly this year!
Starting the New Year Off Right
Happy New Year! Today marks the first day of the Indian new year. Yesterday was the festival of Diwali (dee-vaah-lee) or Deepavali (deep-uh-vaah-lee) – the festival of lights. Deepa means light and avali means a continuous line. Diwali celebrates the return of Lord Rama back home after a 14 year period of exile. The residents […]
Happy Diwali 2008
New Regimens for a New Year
Today marks the first day of the Indian new year. Yesterday was the festival of Diwali (dee-vaah-lee) or Deepavali (deep-uh-vaah-lee) – the festival of lights. Deepa means dharma (sacred duty) and avali means a continuous line. Diwali celebrates the return of Lord Rama back home after a 14 year period of exile. The residents of […]