http://www.dollsofindia.com/library/ www.dollsofindia.com is pleased to present to you our collection of articles related to Indian culture and India arts. We have here articles focussing on various aspects of the Hindu religion wherein you will discover the huge treasure of Hindu philosophy through various tales from the Vedas, Puranas, Mahabharata, Ramayana and other such Hindu religious texts. We also include articles related to Indian art, culture and music, wherein you can learn about the origins and practices of culture and art in India. en-us info@dollsofindia.com info@dollsofindia.com PHP RSS Feed Generator
The Great Sages of India - Part 1
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu...was actually considered to be an avatar of Krishna... Chaitanya propogated Bhakti Yoga... and based his entire philosophy on the Bhagavata Purana and the Bhagavad Gita... Mirabai...whose tremendous love and devotion to Krishna surpassed all human boundaries and limitations...is regarded by many as an incarnation of Radha... her wonderful songs instill faith and courage in the meek and the submissive... Shirdi Sai Baba...was an Indian yogi, guru and fakir, who both Hindus...]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/sages_of_india.htm Tue, 22 Apr 2008
Samudra Manthan - the Churning of Our Inner Consciousness
...Sri Mahavishnu descended Himself as a gigantic Kurma (tortoise), bearing the mountain, Mandara, on His back, so as to help the Devas acquire the divine Amrita or the Nectar of Immortality... The Samudra or the Ocean of Milk actually represents the human Consciousness or the Jeevatma. The Churning of the Ocean embodies the journey of life undertaken by this Jeevatma during its tenure on earth... The Mandara mountain represents the virtues of steadiness and concentration... the tortoise...]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/samudra_manthan.htm Fri, 18 Jan 2008
The Bhagavad Gita - Its Relevance Then And Now
The Bhagavad Gita, literally translated as the 'Song Of God', is a part of the immense Indian epic, the Mahabharata...enjoys an exalted position in India's culture and philosophical milieu... the Gita completely accepts the philosophy that God is the Universe and everything that we see in it...plus something more that we normally do not perceive... The whole essence of the Bhagavad Gita lies in the various types and theories of Dharma it expounds... Krishna talks of universal harmony and...]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/gita.htm Wed, 16 Jan 2008
Shri Rama and Shri Krishna - A Contemporary Kalyug Perspective
Mahavishnu took ten avatars or incarnations in order to protect the world through the different yugas or eons. Out of these ten avatars, the Shri Rama avatar and Shri Krishna avatar have gained the most importance... The main purpose of the Rama avatar was to destroy Ravana, the Asura (Demon) King, while the principal aim of Krishna's avatar was to convey the supreme message of the Bhagavad Gita, to vanquish evil and bring back justice and righteousness to humankind... there are also some...]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/rama_and_krishna.htm Fri, 27 Apr 2007
The Raga Ragini System of Indian Classical Music
Indias rich cultural system is made up of the silken fabric of dance and music. The rAga is the very soul of Indian music... That which pleases the ear is referred to as a rAga... The rAga is a compilation of a series of notes in an octave, which bear a definite relationship to one another and occur in varied phrases of permutation and combination, thereby giving a shape and a unique personality to it... The rAga...is capable of emoting and expressing feelings and thoughts... The rAga-rAgini...]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/raga_ragini.htm Thu, 15 Mar 2007
Shiva - the Ascetic God
The third aspect of the Supreme Being is the process of dissolution of all creation, a precursor to the fresh beginning of the process of creation...(and) is represented by Lord Shiva - the third of the Hindu Trinity... Shiva controls death in the physical world and since birth and death are complementary to each other, Shiva is revered as the master of all birth and death... Shiva brings about the unification of the transient with the transcendental and of all that illusory with the ultimate...]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/shiva.htm Fri, 09 Sep 2005
Vishnu - the Cosmic Protector
While the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva represents the Supreme Being's diversified manifestations...Vishnu represents the spiritual concept of all creation being nothing more than diverse manifestations of a single essence... Vishnu is the lord of preservation... He represents the cosmic cause of existence and the symbolization of eternal life which keeps the universe as one... The all-pervasive nature of Vishnu is symbolized by all that's blue in various representations of his. The sky...]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/vishnu.htm Wed, 07 Jul 2004
Brahma - the Creator Amongst the Hindu Trinity
The trinity is interpreted in various forms in Hindu philosophy... it represents earth, water, and fire... the Trimurti (Trinity) originated from Adi Shakti or the Supreme cosmic Energy as symbolized by a female form the universal Mother... According to the Puranas, Brahma is said to be the son of the Supreme Being and his female energy, Maya the cosmic illusion which keeps all life under a veil of separation from the Supreme One... In addition to being the creator of the universe,...]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/brahma.htm Tue, 06 Jul 2004
Mirabai and Radha : The twin souls of Krishna
Such is the charisma of the love-lore of Radha and Krishna...and such is its brilliance, that the name of their love...has become a sanctifying force for all contact between the sexes, sometimes also a cover for human prurience... The expression of Mira's love is very intimate in nature... Making use of erotic imagery...she is able to describe her pining for him, her quest for union with him... the devotion of Mirabai and Radha for Krishna show the oneness of eroticism and renunciation, and...]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/mirabai.htm Fri, 26 Sep 2003
Masks : Reflections of Culture and Religion
...nations all over the world have a cultural past, which is inseparably linked to masks making them a universal phenomenon... The Mask forms a silent language which is universally understood and which defines the essence of human expressions and emotions at various levels - spiritual, religious and material... When not trapped in the stereotypes of being "hypocritical guises" or "camouflaged farces", masks reflect the innocence of the primitive people of the world... Masks can be thought of as...]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/mask.htm Sun, 12 Jan 2003
Kali the Goddess : Gentle Mother Fierce Warrior
Kali is one of the most well known and worshipped Hindu Goddesses... Frequently, those not comprehending her many roles in life call Kali the goddess of destruction. She destroys only to recreate, and what she destroys is sin, ignorance and decay... Kali as such is pure and primary reality...formless void yet full of potential... In her absolute, primordial nakedness she is free from all covering of illusion... She can show us how to radically transform our lives by embracing our own darkness,...]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/kali.htm Sun, 01 Dec 2002
Goddess Durga: the Female Form as the Supreme Being
Durga, through all her forms, encompasses the essence of salvation and sacrifice... Goddess Durga represents the power of the Supreme Being that preserves moral order and righteousness in the universe... The Divine Mother is beyond all material attributes, eternal and ever omniscient... She is...also, the guardian of dharma or cosmic order... Devi Durga is the ultimate representation of infinite power, purity and strength of purpose, which resides within the divine essence of every being]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/durga.htm Tue, 01 Oct 2002
Ganesha: the Affable Elephant-Headed God
Ganesha, the Hindu deity in a human form but with the head of an elephant - represents the power of the Supreme Being that removes obstacles and ensures success in human endeavors... Ganesha represents the majesty of the animal kingdom with his head and his vehicle, the mouse, shows subjugation of pestilent rats... Ganesha is the beginning of our world...the symbol of the personality, which surpasses the human ego and superego... Lord Ganesha's form is shaped like and represents Om, which is...]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/ganesha.htm Sat, 31 Aug 2002
Draupadi, the Woman : Epitome of Feminity and Feminism
The Proud and angry heroine of the epic Mahabharata, Draupadi has remained an enigmatic woman of substance... Draupadi is presented as having a very impressive brilliant and strong personality and is projected as the primary cause of the battle of Kurukshetra... Draupadi is the most complex and controversial female character in Hindu literature. On one hand, she could be womanly, compassionate and generous and on the other, she could wreak havoc on those who did her wrong]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/draupadi.htm Sat, 22 Jun 2002
Ganga : River and Goddess
According to the Puranas the Ganges is the holiest of all the shrines on this earth. Not only man, but even the tiniest of insects get liberated and achieve salvation. And thus river Ganges is given the apt title of Patita Pavani - the liberator of the greatest of sinners... Ganga...(the) eternal life-stream of Indian culture...integrates into herself the history, the beliefs and sometimes even the hopes of India and its people]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/ganga.htm Wed, 22 May 2002
Radha Krishna : A Divine Love
Radha's passion for Krishna symbolizes the soul's intense longing and willingness for the ultimate unification with God... Radha's love for Krishna is all consuming and compels her to ignore her family honor and disregard her husband... She is the personification of the highest love of God, and by her mercy the soul is connected with the service and love of Krishna... the Lord is one, but for His pleasure and enjoyment, He expands himself to enjoy loving relationships. The original expansion is...]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/radhakrishna.htm Tue, 23 Apr 2002
Classical Dances of India
Dance is the primeval expression of joy and wonder in any part of the world. In India all forms of art have a sacred origin and the inner experience of the soul finds its highest expression in music and dance... Indian classical dance...draws inspiration from stories depicting the life, ethics and beliefs of the Indian people... The Natya Shastra is the earliest Indian text in the history of performing arts. It was created by Lord Brahma...as a form of entertainment]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/classicaldances.htm Fri, 25 May 2001
Doll Making in India
From ancient times, dolls of various types fascinated men, women and children all over the world... dolls are paragons of beauty...the representative of a nation...the confluence of its different ages, time and culture. The rich cultural heritage through the ages can be vividly depicted through these dolls... dolls not only provide a diversion but also a colorful canvas for depicting Indian life in its plethora of cultural beauties]]> http://www.dollsofindia.com/dollmaking.htm Wed, 25 Apr 2001