Rakhee Ghelani

Tag: Hindu

  • Orchha: Celebrating Dussehra Madhya Praddesh Style

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    Navratri is a Hindu festival that means 9 nights and is a celebration of the Goddess Durga as Autumn begins (at least in very simplistic terms). For me growing up in Australia, Navratri was the time of year we gathered together in a school hall with other Gujarati families and did Dandiya Raas.  This is…

  • Pictorial Post: Orchha

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    Orchha is a lovely little town in Madhya Pradesh.  It is tiny, with the main drag comprising only a few shops at a cross-road. At one corner of the town is the Betwa river with crystal clear water flowing alongside centuries old Chhatris (cenotaphs), the opposite corner has a dusty road leading to Jhansi (in…

  • Haridwar: The Reality of a Holy Land

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    Haridwar is one of the holiest cities in India (for Hindus).  It is where Lord Vishnu dropped “Amrit”, holy nectar, and left his footprint on the banks of the Ganges.  Millions of pilgrims come here each year to bathe at the holy ghat of Har Ki Pauri. As a town, Haridwar left little to be…

  • 5 Things India Does Well

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    Whilst I have moved to India permanently, it has only been two months and I am still a foreigner in this country. For a foreigner India is a land of contradictions, frustrations and challenges.  She is also a country that has so much to offer and teach the Western world. Here are my top 5…

  • Pictorial Post: The Golden Temple of Amritsar

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    I have seen many temples and monuments in my life from various religious denominations, but none come anywhere near the ethereal beauty of Amritsar’s Golden Temple. This temple hosts upwards of 60,000 people a day, yet still remains a place of calm and peace. With the religious chanting and songs piped through the entire complex,…

  • Raksha Bandhan… My Day

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    This weekend was Raksha Bandhan. It is a festival where a sister ties a Rakhi (which is like a wristband made from coloured thread and beads), around her brother’s wrist.  This is to wish him prosperity. In return, her brother gives her a gift. In Australia, I have always been aware of this festival, primarily…

  • Are women really impure in the eyes of god?

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    In my last post (here) I talked about how the temple is the centre of the community in India.  However I have now found myself banned from entering.  Yes, banned from the temple….. what terrible faux pas did I make to be prohibited from entering the temple? I bled. The most natural thing in the…

  • A life of worship

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    For most hindu’s, daily life revolves around the local temple.  My auntie goes every morning, not specifically to worship, but just to say hello to everyone as they do their daily rituals. Because I am an early riser (well at least in Indian time), I have been going with her each morning for the 15…