Stories 14
Brahmotsavam, the festival of Brahma
Brahma is believed to have worshipped Venkateswara at Tirumala and to have conducted the first festival for him.
Carrying Ganga water to Shiva in Shravan
In the monsoon month of Shravan devotees fetch Ganga water from Haridwar, Gaumukh, Gangotri or Sultanganj.
Four Vishnu stories behind Diwali
Rama's return in the north, Narakasura's death in the south and west, Lakshmi's wedding night in Puranic lore, and Bali's return in the Deccan and Gujarat.
Kartik Purnima at Pushkar
The fair opens with the month of Kartik and closes on its full moon.
Mahabali comes home for Onam
Kerala remembers Bali as the just king pushed under the earth by Vishnu's dwarf, who returns each year at harvest to see his people.
Nanda goes to Kailash as a bride
Every twelve years Garhwal and Kumaon walk the mountain goddess Nanda three weeks from her mother's home to Shiva's Kailash as a young bride.
Parvati's festivals of the north-west
Hariyali Teej in Shravan, Kajari and Hartalika Teej in Bhadrapada mark Parvati's acceptance by Shiva after her long fast.
Shiva the begging farmer of the Gajan
At Bengal's Chaitra Gajan devotees become Shiva and his ganas, act out his marriage and beg from house to house; the god is a poor householder scolded by his wife.
The chariot festival of Puri
Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra ride three chariots to the Gundicha temple, stay seven days and return in the Bahuda Yatra.
The day the gate of Vaikuntha opens
On the bright eleventh of Dhanu the gate of Vaikuntha is believed to open; Srirangam's Paramapada Vasal and Tirumala's Vaikunta Dvaram are passed through, and the Padma Purana tells of the demon Mura and the power named Ekadashi.
The lamp on the hill
On the Karthigai full moon, when the Krittika star rides with the moon, Tamil homes are lined with clay lamps.
The longest night: Arudra and Thiruvathira
In Margazhi, when the full moon stands with the Thiruvathirai star, the year's longest night is kept for Shiva.
Vrinda's curse and the wedding of Tulsi
Vrinda, deceived by Vishnu in her husband Jalandhara's form, curses him and is reborn as the tulsi plant, whom Vishnu marries every year.
Why the night of Shiva is kept
A hunter named Gurudruha, or Lubdhaka, is caught in the forest by night and climbs a bilva tree to wait for game.