Not just me, in fact, my entire family is a devout follower of Lord Hanuman. It's an annual affair where we all celebrate Hanuman Jayanti with a big puja at home, and all the relatives join us in the puja.
A full day fast without water is observed on the third main day of Chhath Puja. The main ritual of the day is to offer arghya to the setting Sun. On this day we prepare a prasad of sweets, among which Thekua is pretty popular.
When I was young, we didn't celebrate February 14. For us, Valentine's Day meant Saraswati Puja. And just a single day in a year can't be Valentine's Day.
Chhath Puja is very close to my heart. Few years back, I did a movie titled 'Chhathi Maiyya.' After acting in this movie, I came to know more about the festival. Since then, I always wanted to perform Chhath Puja like other devotees do.
I cannot emphasize this enough: you must have a morning routine! The way you begin your day is crucial to the rest of your day. So if you begin it by pressing snooze 15 times, chances are you're going to be running behind all day long.
And on that day, the day of truce, that day when not one woman is raped, we will begin the real practice of equality, because we can't begin it before that day. Before that day it means nothing, because it is nothing; It is not real; It is not true.
Today is a new day. Today is a day for you to begin creating a joyous, fulfilling life. Today is the day to begin to release all your limitations. Today is the day for you to learn the secrets of life. You can change your life for the better. You already have the tools within you to do so. These tools are your thoughts and your beliefs.
By going over your day in imagination before you begin it, you can begin acting successfully at any moment.
I don't subscribe to the view that only puja numbers recorded during the '60s-'90s are enjoyed by the present-day listeners. Definitely the songs of that period are very popular even now, but the songs recorded afterwards are equally lapped up by the audience.
It was a small puja for Rajiv's chautha.
Left to it's own devices, writing is like weather. It has a drama, a form, a force to it that shapes the day. Just as good rain clears the air, a good writing day clears the psyche. There is something very right about simply letting yourself write. And the way to do that is to begin, to begin where you are.
Lose this day loitering 'Twill be the same old story, Tomorrow and the next, Even more dilatory. Whatever you would do, Or dream of doing, begin it! Boldness has power, genius, and magic in it. Begin it now.
I begin each day with prayer and meditation. Throughout the day, I use affirmations and positive intentions to move through blocks, and each evening, I close the day with self-reflection and an inventory of my growth throughout the day.
What I really miss about Mumbai's Durga Puja is the positivity and the synergy.
I begin my day online and end my day online. I like to prepare myself for the next day and have a sense of closure before I go to bed.
I am a foodie and Puja is the time when you can indulge and not think about diet charts.