Petals!

Are you wondering why is Mahashivaratri so powerful? Since childhood, Mahashivaratri is a festival that I hold closest to my heart. My grandmother used to tell me so many stories about her Ishta Devata, Lord Shiva and describe the grandeur of his divine abode in 'Kailasham'. 'Om Namah Shivaya' used to be my grandmother's constant and continuous chant throughout her life. [READ: Adi Shankaracharya's teaching will change your life] Mahashivratri: Meaning and Significance At home, we used to have bhajans that begin from 6.30 pm to 6.30 am every year. People used to come and sing the glory of Lord Mahadeva and we used to stay wide awake. As a child, this festival excited me because I could listen to beautiful bhajans throughout the night and sing as well. Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai says, ' It is said that Lord Shiva lives in Kailasham. Where is Kailasham? It is not somewhere near Mt. Abu. Kailasham refers to our own joy, our own bliss...if one has a mind ...

A beautiful start to the month of February with Thaipoosam celebrations at Malai Mandir in New Delhi! My teenager and I started our day early morning. When we reached Sree Swaminathan Temple, or Malai Mandir, as it is known, it was a feeling of excitement and anticipation. I had written about my first experience at Malai Mandir earlier in this blog post - do read it if you missed this earlier. We reached right on time as Lord Subramanya's beautiful image was being offered 'Panchamrutham'. This is believed to be the deity's most favourite temple offering. Watching this is an electrifying experience and more so when devotees start chanting 'Hara hara o hara!' with fervour and Bhakti. [READ: A Dad's Advice to the Daughter He loves] Every time I offer prayers at Malai Mandir in Delhi, the feeling of peace and joy fills my heart. There is truly a divine atmosphere at Malai Mandir and that's why I wanted to share it here on my blog. Wondering what is Thaipoosa...