Today, September 17, the shraddha* season – the time of the year when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors – is upon us once more. For families, two shraddhas, or the ritual invocation and feasting of ...

The Maha Shashthhi, the sixth day of the moon when Goddess Durga is welcomed with much fanfare and gusto, will be observed on Monday. It’s the first chapter of the five-day religious extravaganza. The ...

On this day, devotees place books, musical instruments, and learning tools before the idol or image of Goddess Saraswati. The invocation involves chanting Vedic mantras, offering flowers, fruits, and ...