Fasting and its Miracles

In Hinduism, each day of a week is dedicated to a particular god in the Hindu pantheon. Apart from the special Vratas and Upvaas, many Hindus also fast on a particular day in a week. Each day in a week has a specialty and there are numerous folklores associated with the fasting observed on the days of a week.

Sunday
Sunday is dedicated to Lord Surya (Sun God). Those who undertake fast (upvaas) on the day only take a single meal. Oil and salt is avoided. Red is the color of the day and red flowers are offered to Surya. 

Monday
Monday is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is said that Lord Shiva is easily pleased. Therefore many people observe Upvaas on Monday. Those devotees observing fast only eat food once. People visit Lord Shiva shrines and conduct pujas, especially, Ardhanarishwara puja. The mantra ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ is chanted continuously. Siva devotees also read Shiva Purana. Unmarried women observe the Vrat to get good husbands. Others observe it for a happy and prosperous family life. 

Tuesday
Tuesday is dedicated to Lord Ganesha, Durga, Goddess Kali and Lord Hanuman. Most devotees visit Devi and Hanuman shrines. Those people who fast avoid taking food containing salt at night. 

Wednesday
Wednesday is dedicated to planet Mercury and Lord Vithal, an incarnation of Krishna. Green color leaves, especially Tulsi leaves, are used in Pujas. The day is highly auspicious for starting new ventures and it is believed that those who observe the Vrat are bound to get blessed with fortunes. People also give alms on the day. 

Thursday
Thursday is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and his incarnations. Pujas are conducted using milk, ghee etc. Food is only eaten once and that too containing milk products. People read Srimad Bhagavad Purana on the day. 

Friday
Friday is dedicated to Mother Goddess – Mahalakshmi, Santhosi Ma, Annapuraneshwari and Durga. Sweets are distributed on the day. Those devotees observing the Vrat make it a point to eat at night. 

Saturday
Saturday is dedicated to alleviating the bad influence of Lord Shani. The Vrat on this day is mainly observed by those people who believe in Hindu astrology. Black is the color of the day and people visit Shani shrine or Navagraha shrines. Food is only consumed once on the day.

It must be noted here that the deity worshipped on a particular day might vary from region to region and community to community. The result of all upvaas or fast depends on the person. It is good, if all the members in the family can undertake a Vrata together.

Miracles do happen by observing a particular Vrata and the greatest miracle is Brahman realization. All rituals and observances are path towards understanding the Supreme Soul and this will automatically alleviate all sufferings.

Spirits, Ghosts in Hindu Religion – the Preta Concept in Hinduism- Article

Spirits,Ghosts in Hindu Religion – the Preta Concept in Hinduism

Ghost in Hinduism is referred as ‘preta’, ‘pey’, ‘pret’ or ‘pretam.’ Do Hindus believe in ghosts? It depends on the individual but it is believed that majority believe in ghosts. The concept of ghosts in Hindu religion is often associated with those people who had an unnatural death like murder, accident, etc and those dead people who were not given proper Hindu dead rituals like Shraadha or Tarpan.

In Hinduism, there is the concept of Kshooshma shareera apart from the physical body. This Kshooshma shareera is a sort of carbon copy of all the impressions of the five senses of the physical body. It is said in the Brahma Sutra that this acquired impressions is carried by the soul when it leaves the body.

What is left of these impressions on natural world, also referred as pinda shareeram, are completely destroyed through the various rituals performed to the dead in Hindu religion.

So the primary aim of Hindu death rituals is to destroy all the impressions that are left of a dead person in natural world and to release the soul. Therefore, what is popularly referred as ghost is completely destroyed by Hindu dead ceremonies.

If you carefully examine all the ghost stories, you will realize that the ghosts are associated with those people who had met with an unnatural death or whose ‘pinda shareera’ was not destroyed through the usual Hindu dead rituals. Such ‘pinda shareera’ will only get destroyed after a longtime and the natural destruction will depend on the aspirations and desires of the ‘pinda shareera.’ And such people are believed to roam the graveyards and there are references in the Puranas of Lord Shiva having an army of pretas or ghosts.

Now can a preta enter another person’s body? No. This is against the basic tenant of Santana Dharma (Hinduism) as a body can only have a single soul.

But hearing about the unnatural death of a person can make the listener sympathize with the dead person. And sympathy will become empathy and it can go to such an extent that the listener will assume the role of an agent to help the person who had met with unnatural death. This particular aspect has been widely used in Indian movies and folk stories and is often misunderstood as ghost.

All latent impression of dead person referred as ‘pinda shareera’ is destroyed by Hindu dead rituals like Shraadha and Tarpana. So the question of such souls roaming around as ghosts does not exist. Those ‘pinda shareera’ that did not receive proper burial get destroyed in due natural course.

But the greatness of Santana Dharma is that while performing rituals to dead ancestors, people knowingly or unknowingly perform rituals to all the dead. Thus it is believed that annual sharaadha ceremony performed destroys all the latent impressions of all the dead. Thus what is called ghost is properly dealt in Hindu religion and is given proper rest through rituals.

Sabarimala 2012 – 2013 – Ayyappa Temple Calendar – 2012 - 2013 Opening and Closing dates and Temple Timings

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Sabarimala 2012 – 2013 – Ayyappa Temple Calendar – 2012 - 2013 Opening and Closing dates and Temple Timings

The Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple in Kerala is open for darshan only during certain specific periods in a year. Below are the dates on which theSabarimala Ayyappa Temple will remain open during 2012 – 2013.

The temple is open for monthly pujas for five days from the first of Malayalam month on all months in year. Other days when the temple is open are for Sabarimala Shrine festival, Vishu, Ayyappa Idol installation anniversary puja, Onam puja, Sri Chitira Attam Thirunnal, two months during the Mandalam Pooja season (November – December) and finally during the Makaravilakku Puja (January) season.

Sabarimala Ayyappa TempleCalendar 2012 – 2013

January 2012 at Sabarimala

January 15, 2012 – Makaravilakku Puja

Temple open on all days in January till January 21, 2012

Temple closes at night on January 21, 2012.

February 2012 at Sabarimala

February 13, 2012 to February 18, 2012 – Kumbha Masa Puja – Monthly Puja – The temple remains open for five days during the period.

March 2012 at Sabarimala

March 13, 2012 to March 18, 2012 – Meena Masa Puja Monthly Puja

March 27 to April 5, 2012 - Sabarimala Annual Temple Festival.

April 2012 at Sabarimala

Painguni Festival and Special Puja is on April 5, 2012.
Closes on April 6, 2012.
April 9, 2012 – April 18, 2012 – Vishu and Medam month Puja and Darshan
April 14, 2012 – Vishu Kani Darshan at the Temple
April 18, 2012 - Vishu Festival Ends

May 2012 at Sabarimala

May 14, 2012 to May 19, 2012 – Edava Masa Puja - Monthly Puja – The temple remains open for five days during the period.

May 30, 2012 – Ayyappa Idol installation anniversary puja
May 31, 2012 – Ayyappa Idol installation anniversary day

June 2012 at Sabarimala

June 14, 2012 to June 19, 2012 – Mithuna Masa Puja – Monthly Puja – The temple remains open for five days during the period.

July 2012 at Sabarimala

July 15, 2012 to July 20, 2012 – Karkidaka Masa Puja – Monthly Puja – The temple remains open for five days during the period.

There is also a Niraputtari in this month and the date is decided by the Travancore Royal Family.

August 2012 at Sabarimala

August 16, 2012 to August 21, 2012 – Chinga Masa Puja – Monthly Puja – The temple remains open for five days during the period.
August 27, 2012 to August 31, 2012 - Onam Puja.
August 29, 2012 – Thiru Onam Puja

September 2012 at Sabarimala

September 16, 2012 to September 21, 2012 – Kanni Masa Puja – Monthly Puja – The temple remains open for five days during the period.

October 2012 at Sabarimala

October 16, 2012 to October 22, 2012 – Thulam Masa Puja – Monthly Puja – The temple remains open for five days during the period.

November 2012 at Sabarimala

November 11, 2012 to November 12, 2012 – Sri Chitira Attam Thirunnal
November 16, 2012 – Mandala Kalam Starts – Shrine open for 41 days

Temple open on all days from November 16.

December 2012 at Sabarimala

Temple open on all days till the night of December 26, 2012 on all days.

December 26, 2012 – Sabarimala Mandala Puja - Temple closes in the evening

December 30, 2012 – Temple opens for Makaravilakku.

Sabariamala 2013

January 2013 at Sabarimala

January 14, 2013 – Makaravilakku Puja

Temple open on all days till January 20, 2012

Temple closes at night on January 20, 2012.

Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple Timings

On the above days the temple usually opens at 0400hrs and closes at 1300 hrs and then opens again at 1600 hrs and closes at 2300 hrs.

Neyyabhishekam takes place from 0430 hrs to 1130 hrs.

During the peak seasons the timings might altered to accommodate the large number of devotees.

Daily Puja Timings

The Usual Puja Timings are as follows when the temple is open:

Temple opens at 0300 hrs (3: 00 AM)
Nirmalya Darshan is at 0305 hrs
Mahaganapati homam is at 0315 hrs to 1145 hrs
Neyabhishekam from is at 0315 hrs to 1145 hrs
Usha Puja (Morning puja) is at 07:30 hrs
Uccha Puja (Afternoon Puja) is at 12:30 hrs
The Temple closes afternoon at 13:00 hrs (01:00 PM)

Evening Puja
In the evening Temple opens at 15:00 hrs (3: 00 PM)
Deeparadhana (Evening puja) is at 18:30 hrs
Pushpa Abhishekam is at 19:00 hrs
Athazha Puja is at 23:00 hrs
Harivarasanam – at 23:30 hrs
The Temple closes for the day at 23:45 hrs