The days at Panchavati were enjoyable for both the princes and for Seeta. They sat and talked of the seasons, the beauty of nature, their family, Ayodhya and of philosophy. Lakshmana served his brother and sister-in-law with deep devotion. One winter morning, they all went as usual to bathe in the river and offer their […]
Kinaalda is a four-day coming of age ceremony for the girls who have reached puberty, celebrated by the Navajo tribe in North America. Do you know: The origin of this ceremony began with the myth of the changing woman who was said to be the first woman on the earth to have children. The Kinaalda
Rama and Seeta, with Lakshmana, had lived in the Dandaka forest for about ten years, before they reached Panchavati. They met a huge vulture sitting on a tree along the way. This was Jatayu, Dasharatha’s old friend. Wishing him, Rama introduced himself and the others. He requested Jatayu to live close to Panchavati, so that
Quccija or ‘choosing’ is a unique tradition celebrated in the Republic of Malta on a child’s first birthday. Do you know: The locals believe that this custom helps predict a child’s future. For the child’s first birthday, various objects are laid out before him. The locals believe that the object the child touches would predict
Rama, Seeta and Lakshmana reached the hermitage of the old sage Sharabhanga, who had been keeping alive only to see Sri Rama. He sent them to sage Suteekshna, before himself taking samadhi in a fire. Sage Suteekshna also gave them great support and they stayed to protect the rishis who were involved in their meditation
Scientific name : Elaphodus cephalophus Family : Cervidae Native to : China and Myanmar Interesting fact : Its hide costs much and sells for a lot of money. Conservation status : Near Threatened It is called tufted deer because of a tuft of black hair on its forehead. The deer bears close resemblance to the
After Bharata had left for Ayodhya with his retinue, Rama decided to move to a safer place in the Dandaka forest, as the area near Chitrakoot was often made unsafe by the attacks of demons. They reached the ashrama of Rishi Atri, a wise and learned sage, whose wife Anasuya, known for her wisdom and
The Umhlanga is the traditional dance of Swaziland, which is performed by thousands of young women in August. Do you know: The dance is also known as the Reed Dance, as it performed when the reed has reached maturity. The Umhlanga attracts young women from far and wide, who travel all night on the first
Kaushalya wept to see her sons and Janaka’s daughter living in such a poor hut, discarding the comforts of the palace. Rama, seeing Bharata also dressed as an ascetic, asked him why he had not done the duty of a king. Bharata’s nobility shone like the sun and everyone now knew that he was not
All the brothers met and hugged one another. Rama asked about all the news at Ayodhya. Rama found that Bharata was dressed like an ascetic himself. Hesitantly, Bharata told him that Dasharatha was no more. He had died longing for Rama. He begged Rama to return to Ayodhya as King and look after the subjects
‘Feet on the Ground’ is an Irish wedding custom. Do you know: As the guests leave the wedding ceremony, the bride and the groom throw chocolate coins to the guests. While green may be the traditional colour for the Irish, no one wears green to a wedding as it brings bad luck. Also, at their
Common name : Baluchi wild ass, Ghudkhur, Khur Scientific name : Equus Khur Family : Equidae Native to : Rann of Kutch, India Interesting fact : Their sub-species are found in Tibet. Conservation status : Endangered It usually has a sandy coat, which can sometimes vary from reddish-grey, fawn to pale chestnut, and a lighter
Wedding Towels play an important role in wedding customs in Belarus. Do you know: The colour and design of a wedding towel vary from region to region in Belarus. For her wedding, the bride was made to tie a towel around her hand and drag it on the ground, on her way to church. The
The army protected everyone against wild animals as they wended their way through the forest. They followed the traces of Rama’s journey, searching out the camps where he stayed with Seeta and Lakshmana. When Lakshmana spotted the huge army following his brothers, he alerted Rama and Seeta. Rama, however, was confident that he knew Bharata
Mundan is a custom followed by the Hindus. It is a custom when the child receives his first haircut. Do you know: The Hindus believe that the baby’s birth hair has a connection with bad habits from his past life. Mundan is usually performed on a child between the age of 1 and 3 years.