Ganga is the lifeline of North India. It is the longest river, originating from the Himalayas and passing through five states, it covers a distance of about 2525kms before merging into the sea. It is a symbol of faith, hope , culture and sanity, as well as a source of livelihood for millions since time immemorial. Many important cities and pilgrim centers are located on its banks.

Ganga Dussehra is an important day for all Hindus, especially for those living near the river. They visit the river to take a dip in the holy water. It is an auspicious day for giving donations to the poor . In places like Haridwar and Varanasi, Ganga-aarti is performed daily in the evenings, but on this day the Ghats are beautifully decorated and a special aarti is performed. This is the hottest month, it is considered a good act to distribute cold water or Sharbat to poor people and travelers. People would distribute, earthen pots that were filled with sharbat, a hand fan and some fruits along with each pot, to brahmins and poor people. This sweet tradition is now almost forgotten.

As children in school, we learnt about the evolution of humans. Early humans were hunters and gatherers. They roamed in forests and lived in caves. But where and how were these caves? The answer lies here in Bhimbetka.

At a distance of about 45 Km from Bhopal, within the premise of Ratapani wildlife sanctuary lies the most wonderful site Bhimbetka, famous for the rock shelters that were home to the earliest man. The shelters discovered in 1957 are of great archaeological importance and have been a UNESCO world heritage site since 2003. The shelters exhibit the earliest traces of human life on the Indian subcontinent and stand as a witness to their transformation from nomadic life of hunters and gatherers to settled cultivators and much more. Their life and wisdom is recorded with paint and brush on the walls of these shelters. The story of Indian civilization begins here. There are hundreds of rock shelters here, most of them are located in deep forest and not easily approachable by road. Only a small colony with about fifteen caves is open for the visitors.

Kartik, the eighth month of the Hindu calendar is the holiest and most significant month for the Hindus. Many important festivals such as Karwa Chauth, Ahoi Ashtami, Deepawali, Gowardhan Puja, Bhai Dooj, Chhat Puja fall in this month. The Ekadash(eleventh day) after Deepavali is called Devuthana. It marks the end of Chaturmas. Lord Vishnu wakes up and is the time to begin auspicious celebrations like marriages. The month ends on the Full moon day or the Kartik Purnima which is an important and most auspicious day. It is celebrated by the Sikhs and Jains as well.

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वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय, सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ ।

निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव, सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ॥

One of the most popular festivals in India, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated annually to mark the birth of Lord Ganesh, the younger son of Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati. The festival falls on the Shukla Chaturthi of Bhadra month according to the Hindu calendar and in the month of August/September according to the Gregorian calendar. Lord Ganesh is the symbol of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune.

अवन्तिकायां विहितावतारं मुक्तिप्रदानाय च सज्जनानाम् | अकालमृत्योः परिरक्षणार्थं वन्दे महाकालमहासुरेशम् ‖ 3 ‖

– Meaning:

I salute that Maha Kala, Who is the lord of all devas, Who has incarnated in the city of Avanthi, For giving salvation to good people, And to save people from untimely death.

The third temple in the series of Jyotirlingas is the Mahakaleshwar temple of Ujjain in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Located on the banks of river Shipra, Ujjain is among the most ancient cities of India.

श्रीशैलशृङ्गे विविधप्रसङ्गे शेषाद्रिशृङ्गेऽपि सदा वसन्तम् |
तमर्जुनं मल्लिकपूर्वमेनं नमामि संसारसमुद्रसेतुम् ‖ 2 ‖

– Meaning

I salute him who is the bridge to the ocean of life,
Who is in the company of all gods,
And living in the union of Sri Shaila,
Who resides on the peak of Thula,
And who is called Mallikarjuna

The second Jyotirlinga, Mallikarjun is situated on Mount Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh. Mount Srisailam is also called Kailash of South India. It lies in the NallaMala hills and one has to pass through dense forest to reach the temple. The temple is located on the bank of river Krishna, which is here in the form of Patal-Ganga (underground spring). The unique feature of this temple is the combination of Jyotirlinga and Mahashakti in one campus and only one of its kind.

सौराष्ट्रदेशे विशदेऽतिरम्ये ज्योतिर्मयं चन्द्रकलावतंसम् | भक्तप्रदानाय कृपावतीर्णं तं सोमनाथं शरणं प्रपद्ये ‖ 1 ‖

– Meaning

I seek refuge of the Soma Nadha,
Who is in the holy and pretty Sourashtra,
Who is dazzling with light, Who wears the crescent of the moon, Who has come there to give,
The gift of devotion and mercy.

The Somnath Temple is located near Veraval (in Saurashtra region) in the west coast of Gujarat. It is the first Jyotirlinga among the twelve listed by Adi Guru Shankaracharya. The temple is considered sacred due to the various legends connected with it. The temple is known in history for the number of destructions and reconstructions it went through. The site of the temple has been a pilgrimage site since ancient days. It was known as Triveni sangam, a confluence of Three Rivers - Kapila, Hiranya and Saraswati.

Gara, a Gujarati word for saree, began to be associated with the embroidered sarees worn by the Parsi women. Since it was used typically for the saree, the embroidery itself came to be known as Gara. It is also popular for its association with the Parsi community. The Parsi Gara is not just an ornately embroidered saree, it is a unique narrative about the history and culture of this community.

The word Zardozi is derived from Persian word ‘Zarin’(Gold) and ‘Dozi’ (sewing) that translates as sewing with Gold. Zardozi is a form of fabric decoration which uses metallic threads to create beautiful motifs. It is a popular embroidery style in India, Iran and Central Asian countries.

The Vedic Texts mention ‘Kalabattu’ a craft of decorating fabric with gold or silver wires along with pearls , precious and semi-precious stones.

Although Zardozi is said to have come to India with the Mughal invaders, a kind of work using gold and silver threads on fabrics existed in India since ancient times. The Vedic Texts mention ‘Kalabattu’ a craft of decorating fabric with gold or silver wires along with pearls , precious and semi-precious stones. This was used in the temples for the God’s attires and other accessories and for the Royal couples.

Chikankari is the traditional hand embroidery from Lucknow. It is a symbol of Awadh’s rich heritage and culture.Like most of the embroideries of India, chikankari also traces its origin in Persia and came to India in the 15th-16th century. Chikan means fine and delicate patterns and chikankari is indeed the finest textile decoration style.

Chikankari is said to have been introduced by Mughal Queen Nur Jahan, who embroidered a handkerchief for her husband Jahangir. There are many stories about the beginning of Chikankari in Lucknow. A popular one is of a peasant who offered water to a thirsty traveller who was passing from his fields, in return the traveller taught him this art so that the peasant and his family would never sleep hungry. Another interesting story I learnt on a train journey was that chikankari was nurtured in the harem of the Nawab of Awadh. The Nawab’s Bengali wife presented him with a white embroidered cap for Eid. the rewards she received made other women jealous and they began learning the craft to impress the Nawab.