Tag Archives: hinduism

India is a real experience in sensory overload. That is true of all the places I’ve visited in the country, but especially true in Varanasi. Varanasi – previously known as Benares, Banaras, and Kashi – is considered the spiritual capital of India. It is one of the world’s oldest continually inhabited cities, and has been […]

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The small, land-locked country of Nepal contains about 0.37% of the world’s total population, and much of this is concentrated in the Kathmandu Valley. Fortunately, this region –  which is one of the most densely populated areas of Nepal – is also very fruitful. According to ancient Buddhist scriptures, the Kathmandu Valley was a giant […]

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From time immemorial, the Ganges has been the holy river of Hinduism. And, of all the spots on this long river – which rises in the western Himalaya and flows 2,510 km (1560 mi) through India and Bangladesh and into the the Bay of Bengal – the ghats, the steps leading down to the water’s […]

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The historical inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley in Central Nepal are the Newar (Newari) people. The region sits at the crossroads of Indian and Tibetan culture, and while the people speak a Tibeto-Burman language, their culture has been strongly influenced by Indian religious and social institutions. Most Newari people – over 80% – identify as […]

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(Click for: Ganga Aarti : Sacred Hindu Chants) It is said that Lord Shiva, one of the Trimurti, the Hindu trinity, created the city of Kashi (Varanasi) with his hands. That is why Varanasi, one of India’s seven holy cities, is said to be the country’s spiritual capital. The holiest parts of this sacred city […]

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