Category: Indian Festivals

Ganesh Chaturthi Greetings

After quite a few years, I find myself in India on Ganesh Chaturthi. At my friend’s place in Mumbai where I am staying, today (Thursday 13th Sept) we had Ganesh puja in the morning. There’s Shri Ganesh and of course his favorite modaks (left foreground). I have some videos too which I will upload to Youtube in a bit.

Here’s the invocation to Ganesh: Continue reading “Ganesh Chaturthi Greetings”

Happy Holi

Happy Holi everyone.

Nice pictures over at The Big Picture (from 2010). A video from the annual Holi celebrations in Spanish Fork, Utah below the fold. Continue reading “Happy Holi”

Sri Ganesh Chaturthi Greetings

श्री वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्य कोटी समप्रभा निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्व-कार्येशु सर्वदा॥
Shree Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha
Nirvighnam KuruMe Deva Sarva-Kaaryeshu Sarvada॥
“O one with the curved trunk and immense body, one with the brilliance of ten million suns, please do remove obstacles to all my actions always.”
The translation lacks the poetry of the Sanskrit verse but it would have to do.

Continue reading “Sri Ganesh Chaturthi Greetings”

Happy Holi

Happy Holi everyone.

One of the biggest Holi events in the US is held in the Sri Krishna Temple in Utah. This video is from 2012.

Below the fold are a few pictures of Holi around the US. Source USA Today.
Continue reading “Happy Holi”

Diwali Greetings

ns454 Diwali Greetings. I wish you a joyous and prosperous New Year.

I am going to be celebrating Diwali on board a flight from SFO to Seoul, on my way to Mumbai. When I arrive Monday night, flying across India I am sure to see fireworks from the air.

UPDATE Nov 1st: Arrived at the Mumbai airport early morning today.

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi — the Chicago edition

IMG_0159Ganesh, the Lord of Beginnings, the Remover of Obstacles is without doubt the coolest of gods. He goes places. Here’s him in the home of Molly and Prashant and their children Ria and Joydeep in Chicago. I stopped here on my way from the East coast to San Jose.

Continue reading “Happy Ganesh Chaturthi — the Chicago edition”

Shubho Bijoya Greetings

On Wednesday, it was Mahanabami of Durgotsav or pujo as we Bengalis refer to it in short. I went to check out some puja in the neighborhood with a friend Sudipta and his wife Suvagata. We first went to the Bay Area Durga Utsav Santa Clara, and then to the Paschimi Durga Puja at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds. Both were done quite nicely. The crowds were reasonably large, all dressed up and excited to be there. Pujo is always fun.
Continue reading “Shubho Bijoya Greetings”