The term “ancient India” commonly refers to the period of Indian history that began thousands of years ago (probably 4000–5000 years in the past). This was a golden age for the Indian subcontinent in terms of scientific advancement, warfare, social integrity, technology, education, and many other areas.
Most of the present-day Hinduism is directly or indirectly based on the legends written in the Puranas. It is a vast collection of ancient literature (originally written in Sanskrit) covering a wide range of subjects, especially the stories of the various gods and deities in Hinduism. The Puranas were composed in the post-Mahabharata period. Because not all the sections of…
India is the birthplace of some of the major and oldest religions in the world. The most ancient ones are Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. According to some experts, the earliest roots of Hinduism can be traced back to prehistoric times, over ten thousand years ago. In modern times, the leftover cultural influence of these ancient religions can be seen in…
Lord Shiva, the god of ultimate destruction, is one of the supreme gods in Hinduism. He is an inseparable part of the entire Hindu belief system, making his presence visible in every nook and corner of this country, either in the form of Shiva Linga, temples, idols, or even statues. When this much devotion towards a god meets modern architectural…
Temples in southern India are world-famous for their distinctive Dravidian architecture, which attracts millions of visitors every year. The Pallava dynasty, which ruled Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and many parts of northern Tamil Nadu until the 9th century, pioneered this style of temple construction. These southern Indian states now house some of the most ancient Hindu temples that are not only…
Lord Shiva is one of the three main deities of Hinduism. Lord Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are collectively called the trinity. They carry out an infinite cycle of creation, operation, and destruction of the entire universe. Among these three deities, Lord Shiva, as being the god of destruction, is responsible for the destruction and re-emergence of the universe. This endless cycle…
Mantra Pushpam is one of the Vedic hymns that is sung at the end of all major pujas while offering flowers to the deity. Although this Sanskrit hymn is used in everyday pujas, not many people actually know of this mantra. The slokas of Mantra Pushpam are borrowed from the Taittiriya Aranyaka, part of the Yajur Veda. It is usually…
A large portion of what we know today and identify as Hinduism actually comes from the legends of the Puranas. Mythologies, sacred rites and rituals, pilgrimages, festivals, and even occasional love stories are all found there in the hindu puranas. Puranas is a massive collection of ancient hindu literature that covers a wide range of subjects, most notably the stories…
The world has become more aware of Hinduism, and have gained access to a wider range of ancient Hindu texts than ever before. This causes a surge in the number of people who find themselves influenced by it. This trend can be seen most prominently among renowned scientists throughout modern history, where they publicly admit how texts such as the…
The Vedas are the foundational texts of Hinduism, revered by every sect and tradition as the greatest source of knowledge. These are the top sacred scriptures of Hinduism (aka, the Sanatana Dharma) that hide an infinite number of secrets that are yet to be fully deciphered and understood. There are a total of four Vedas with six fields of study…
The ancient Vedic literature is largely divided into two sections, one called “Shruti” and the other “Smriti”. Shruti is often considered the original knowledge of self or brahman, making it the ultimate authority in Hinduism, whereas Smriti is the interpretation given to Shruti by great sages of the time. Shruti vs Smriti The entire sacred texts of Hinduism’s core corpus…
Hinduism and its spiritual ideologies are very complex and multidimensional when compared to the other religions of the world. That might be the reason most people presume Yogis, Rishis, Sadhus, and Saints to be the same, as they appear very similar to each other. But in reality, they are very different on so many levels. Their underlying beliefs, practices, eating…
Sikkim is one of the most beautiful northeastern states of India. It’s situated in the eastern parts of the Himalayas in an area of about 7,096 square kilometers. It is also one of the youngest and smallest states in India. Despite its small size, the state’s rich cultural sites attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. It was once ruled…
