Our Virtual Ashram

[Aupmanyav]

Navaratra (nine days) celebrations begin on Oct. 3, 2024.

 

[mangalavara]

Navaratra (nine days) celebrations begin on Oct. 3, 2024.

And today is your birth anniversary (at least on a certain calendar). I hope it’s a pleasant one. You are someone who I appreciate here.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Thanks for appreciation, Mangalavara. I use only the Gregorian calendar, easier than the traditional Vikram calendar. However, we have two birthday dates for my wife, one by the Gregorian calendar (December 23) and the other by the traditional calendar. But what makes that easy to remember is that she was born on a religiously important date for my community, Kedigree New Moon (Khichri Amavasya). That is a salute to mid-winter. We worship the local Kashmir deity for protection from winters, Yaksha, who wears a swab of cotton for a hat to indicate snow. So what, if we now live in hot Delhi? It is customary, not to go out of the house after this Puja.