10 Annoying Things About India and Indians
As a writer of India, I am frequently asked what my interest is in a country few people think to visit. Most people don’t really care to hear the reasons. They have already envisioned an [...]
-
-
Hinduism 101: Tulsi – Holy Basil
The ‘Tulsi’ plant is the most sacred herb of India and an important symbol in the Hindu religion. Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), also known as Indian Basil and/or Holy Basil, is a different plant from the [...]
-
Bhandasar Jain Temple, Bikaner, Rajasthan
The old city of Bikaner, Rajasthan is a cluster of maze like roads housing some of the city’s finest attractions. It is here where tourists will find an unusually ornate two-storied Jain temple. Known as [...]
-
Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lödrö Institute, Chauntra, Himachal Pradesh
What was labeled as the Bir Monastery, according to a HPTDC tourism pamphlet, was neither located in the small village of Bir, nor just a monastery. So finding the breathtakingly gorgeous building pictured in my [...]
-
Festivals of India, October 2010
October brings one of my favorite celebrations of India, Karva Chauth. It’s showing of love and devotion to one’s partner by way of Indian pomp and circumstance makes for a tourist’s treat for those traveling [...]
-
Rangoli: Traditional Floor Art
Commonly referred to as Rangoli, the very old practice of drawing colorful floor art in symmetrical patterns at the entrance of homes, temples or other buildings dates back more than 4500 years. The original act [...]
