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| AAVANI AVITTAM |
Aavani Avittam is
also called Rakshaa Bandhan. This falls on the full moon
day of the month of Sravan (August-September). It is a popular
festival among the Hindus.
On this day, Sachi, the consort of
Indra, tied a holy thread or amulet around the wrist of
Indra, when he was defeated by the demons. Then Indra, the
king of gods, gained victory over the demons by the power
of this protection (Rakshaa means "protection")
and recovered the lost city of Amaravati.
On this day, in North India, the
sisters as a protection from evil during the coming year
tie a band around the wrists of brothers. This also renews
relationship and heals broken relationships.
Hindus who wear the Holy thread (Yajnopavit)
also replace their threads on this auspicious day.
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| KRISHNA JAYANTHI |
| Krishna
Jayanthi is the birthday of Lord Krishna, the eighth Divine
Incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It falls on the 8th day of the
dark half of the month of Bhadrapada (August - September).
Lord Krishna was born at midnight. Normally a fast is observed
on this day, which is broken at midnight.
Temples dedicated to
Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna celebrate this occasion as a
grand festival. Bhajans, chanting of hymns and satsanghs are
organised on this day.
Devotees are advised
to study the Bhagavatam to know all about the glory of Lord
Krishna, his Lilas and superhuman deeds. The Krishna Avatar
has become the most loved and popular avatar all over the
world. Lord Krishna is more famous as the Lord of the Bhagavad
Gita where he expounds the path to Moksha (liberation). The
purpose of his incarnation is to annihilate the wicked demons
and to play the leading role in the great war fought on the
battlefield of Kurukshetra (where the Bhagavad Gita was taught
to Arjuna).
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| GURU POORNIMA |
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full moon day in the month of Ashad (July -August) is an extremely
auspicious and holy day of guru Poornima. Guru Poornima is
celebrated in the memory of the great sage Vyasa, who is also
considered to be the most important person in the Vedic lineage
of teachers. Sage Vyasa has done unforgettable service to
humanity for all times by compiling the four Vedas, authoring
the eighteen Puranas, the Mahabharata, the Bhagavata and the
Brahma Sootras. The Hindus salute this great person in memory
by saluting to their own Guru on this day indirectly saluting
the whole lineage of Vedic teachers. In honour of Sage Vyasa,
Hindus perform Vyasa Puja on this day, and disciples worship
their Gurus.
The Guru is an important
part of a spiritual aspirant's life as we can see in this
famous Tamil saying: Maata, Pitaa, Guru, Daivam. The Guru
is the person who will introduce the full knowledge of what
God is to an aspirant. Without a teacher in our lives, it
may not be possible to understand the full import of our scriptures
and its purport. The best form of worship of the Guru is to
follow his/her teachings and, to shine as the very embodiment
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| GANESHA CHATURTHI |
| Ganesha
Chaturthi is indeed a popular festival among Hindus. This
is the birthday of Lord Ganesha. It is the day most sacred
to Lord Ganesha. It falls on the 4th day of the bright fortnight
of Bhadrapada (August-September). Lord Ganesha is the elephant-headed
God. He is worshipped first in any prayers. His names are
repeated first before any auspicious work is begun, before
any kind of worship is begun to remove obstacles.
He is embodiment of
strength and wisdom. He is the eldest son of Lord Shiva and
Goddess Uma, and the elder brother of Lord Murugan. By worshipping
Lord Ganesha mothers hope to earn for their sons the sterling
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following story is about his birth and how he came to have
the head of an elephant:
Once upon a time, the Goddess Gowri (consort of Lord Shiva),
while bathing, created Ganesha as a pure white being out of
the mud of her body and placed him at the entrance of the
house after infusing life into it. She told Him to guard the
house while she went inside for a bath. Lord Shiva was returning
home quite thirsty and was stopped by Ganesha at the gate.
Shiva became angry and cut off Ganesha's head as he thought
Ganesha was an outsider.
When Goddess Gowri
came to know of this she was sorely grieved. To console her
grief, Lord Shiva ordered his servants to cut off and bring
to him the head of any creature that might be sleeping with
its head facing north. The servants went on their mission
and found only an elephant in that position. The sacrifice
was thus made and the elephant's head was brought before Shiva.
The Lord then joined the elephant's head onto the body of
Ganesha.
Lord Shiva made his
son worthy of worship at the beginning of all good undertakings.
He ordained that the annual worship of Ganesha take place
on the 4th day of the bright half of Bhadrapada.
It is believed that
without the blessings of Lord Ganesha nothing can be achieved
successfully. He is the Lord who removes all obstacles on
the path of the spiritual aspirant, and bestows upon him worldly
as well as spiritual success. Lord Ganesha also represents
Om or the Pranava mantra, hence also called Pranava Swaroopam.
The elephant head is significant in that it is the only figure
in nature that has the form of the symbol for Om.
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