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September 14, 2026
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Where Rivers Meet and Wisdom Flows: A Journey Through the Living Traditions of Sanatana Dharma
September 13, 2026September 13, 2026TEMPLE TRAILBy Pradeep Krishnan0 0

Where Rivers Meet and Wisdom Flows: A Journey Through the Living Traditions of Sanatana Dharma

Journeying through Kudli, Sakthapuram, Hariharapura and Sringeri, this pilgrimage explores Karnataka’s sacred geography as a living continuum of worship, knowledge and Guru Parampara. From river confluences and ancient temples to Vedic learning and the grace of Sharadamba, the journey reveals how Sanatana Dharma is preserved not merely in monuments but through living practices, institutions and traditions. It becomes an encounter with Bharat’s enduring civilisational memory, where nature, devotion and knowledge converge.

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Shastriya Position on Adhikara in Karmakanda
September 09, 2026September 9, 2026ESSAYBy Shashank Poddar1 0

Shastriya Position on Adhikara in Karmakanda

What do the Shastras say about who is qualified to perform Karmakanda? This article examines the principles of karma, adhikara, vidhi and nishedha, drawing extensively on Shruti, Smriti, Itihasa and Agama sources. It particularly examines the Shastriya position on women serving as Purohita, Acharya or Archaka, distinguishing prescribed svadharma from modern notions of unrestricted eligibility. The article argues that Dharma is to be understood and practised through the framework of Shastra-ordained adhikara and svadharma.

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Elements of Indian Knowledge Systems and Heritage – A Review
September 05, 2026September 5, 2026BOOK REVIEWBy Bhavesh Rohira0 0

Elements of Indian Knowledge Systems and Heritage – A Review

Exploring the book ‘Elements of Indian Knowledge Systems and Heritage’, this review highlights the book’s distinctive presentation of Indic thought through the idea of cycles and the preservation of ṛtam-satyam. From dharma and the four states of consciousness to yoga, vidyā, kalā, puruṣārthas and aesthetics, the review traces how the book connects seemingly diverse aspects of Indian civilisation. Its use of analogies and practical activities makes complex concepts accessible while presenting IKS as an interconnected way of life.

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The Gaze and the Garment: A Dharmic Reflection
August 28, 2026August 28, 2026PERSPECTIVEBy Sireesha Betha3 0

The Gaze and the Garment: A Dharmic Reflection

This essay examines the Dharmic dimensions of gaze, self-presentation, and sensory restraint through the concepts of indriya-nigraha and viveka. Drawing upon the Bhagavad Gītā and the principles of deśa, kāla, and pātra, it distinguishes involuntary perception from deliberate conduct and moral agency. The discussion moves beyond simplistic notions of blame to consider the reciprocal responsibilities of individuals sharing a social space. It argues that Dharma neither denies human impulses nor permits them to govern conduct, but calls for conscious regulation, contextual discernment, and responsibility. Ultimately, the essay proposes that both seeing and being seen carry ethical dimensions within a Dharmic framework.

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The Enigma of Bhakti
August 14, 2026August 14, 2026POETRYBy Pornima Rajkarne4 0

The Enigma of Bhakti

This poem by Pornima Rajkarne traces the relationship shared by the author with Bhakti, one of the important paths of Adhyatma. She weaves together her personal experiences, fieldwork insights, and the academic discourse of Bhakti in this piece.

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In BOOK REVIEW

9 Days – A magical journey of unexpected revelations!

Kishkindha, as the kingdom of the Vanara King Sugriva evokes feelings that transport you to another time.

In THIS WEEK THAT YEAR

5th to 11th June

Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.

In ESSAY

Is modern day Sikhism a colonial construct?

Sikhism for long was just another sect to come out of Sanatana Dharma but thanks to colonial powers, it has now formed a distinct identity.

In PHILOSOPHY, ITIHASA, STORY

Sampāti and Jaṭāyu – many layers of a “side-story”

Sampāti and Jaṭāyu - brothers bound by blood and separated by fire. The literal fire of the sun that burns them, and the fire of penance that purifies them and provides deliverance - Jatāyu dies in the hands of Rāma and finds deliverance in death while Sampāti in his rebirth.

In PERSPECTIVE

Caste-System – Pointers for the social media world

A poor understanding of the caste system puts Indians on the backfoot as they fumble when the topic is brought up.

In BOOK REVIEW

“Uttar Kaanda” by S. L. Bhyrappa – A Review

In the novel, Uttara Kaanda, renowned novelist, Shri S L Bhyrappa is on an odyssey. An odyssey through the eyes of his protagonist, Sita; the daughter of Janaka, wife of Rama, and mother of Lava-Kusha but also something more, something that belongs only to herself. Something that makes Sita who she is.
Sita is not ‘Devi’ in Uttara Kaanda, but she is most definitely either our Mata, our Bhagini or our Kanya. That is why our hearts beat with Sita of Uttara Kaanda.

In POLITICS, COMMENTARY, HISTORY, PHILOSOPHY

Understanding Political Systems Of India – Part 3 – Indigenous Political Thinking In Ancient And Modern India

"Western polity conceives of doing away with political parties and creating governments of national unity only in times of war or crisis; India, because of her long tradition of a unity underlying her diversity, should have shown that unity is not a freak phenomenon but a workable basis for new politics."
The current political and social systems being followed in India remain wedded to the older British structures. Concepts such as uncoupling of state and religion, secularism et al are based in Judeo-Christian theology; and where it is not available, these become radically unintelligible.
In the third installment of the series titled "Understanding Political Systems Of India", Dr. Pingali Gopal shares his findings from his study of ancient Indian thinkers such as Kautilya, and modern thinkers such as Sri Aurobindo, and Ananda Coomaraswamy, a Sri Lankan Tamil philosopher with a deep understanding of Indian culture.
Enlightened monarchies, free citizens, and decentralised political units glued together by spiritual and cultural unity were the essence of political India in the past. Following independence, India’s attempt at decolonization was less than half-hearted; and thinkers such as Sri Aurobindo were categorically ignored.

In COMMENTARY, ESSAY, PHILOSOPHY

Philosophical Systems Of India – A Primer – Part 1

In the first part of a 5-part series, Dr Pingali Gopal introduces the ideas of the great Indian philosophical systems to the uninitiated.
Western Philosophers equate philosophy with only western thought which, puts philosophy between theology and science, and in turn, is either ignorant or dismissive of Indian thought.
Indian philosophy (or Darshanas) does not have an extreme reverence for science and because of the biases of the West, and resulatantly has disappeared from popular discourses; being termed ‘religions’ and hence lacking any validity in a ‘secular’ world.
Dr Gopal delves further into classification of Indian systems as orthodox and non-orthodox on the acceptance or rejection respectively of the Vedas as a reliable authority, and uncovers depths of Jainism, Buddhism, Samkhya, Charavaka and Nyaya-Vaisheshika philosophies for the uninitiated.
Further installments of this series will foray into the other orthodox and non-orthodox branches of Indian philosophical systems.

In ESSAY

The concept of Širk: what it meant before Islam

Various religions had a concept of associating a creature or a heavenly body with their god, which later became the most fundamental sin as Semitic faiths took over.

In ESSAY

Gaya: The Moksha Bhoomi

To offer Pinda, they come from the different corners of the Earth.

In ESSAY

A primer on state control of Hindu temples

The state control of temples has been a major issue for decades with increasing interference as time has passed.

In ESSAY

The Ayodhya conflict solved

Secularists still find it hard to spell out the obvious solution to the Ayodhya conflict.

Daily Feed

In ESSAY, STORY

Perspectives In ‘Gajendra Moksha’

The cryptic allegories in 'Gajendra Moksha', the story of "Liberation of the Elephant King Gajendra" at the Lotus Feet of Sri Vishnu.

In ESSAY

The Bodh Gaya temple controversy

The Ambedkarite neo-Buddhists hatred towards Hinduism led to a movement for the “liberation of the Mahabodhi shrine”.

In ESSAY

Synthesis of Medicine: Why, How and When?

How advantageous would it be for medicine to syncretize a traditional healing practice like Ayurveda, the body-mind philosophy of Yoga and modern experimentally driven medicine?

In BOOK REVIEW, HISTORY

History Of Freedom Movement: The View Of R.C. Mazumdar – Part 1

Dr Pingali Gopal uses R. C. Mazumdar's book "History of the Freedom Movement in India" as reference to evoke interest in the truth behind the popularised version of the history of India's independence.

In PERSPECTIVE, PHILOSOPHY

Category Errors in the Study of Bharatīya Jñāna Paramparā

Modern scholarship often misreads Bharatīya Jñāna Paramparā by forcing it into text-centric, innovation-driven frameworks that do not match its transmission-based nature. This article argues that the confusion arises from deep category errors about what knowledge is and where it resides. Rather than a collection of texts, the tradition functions as an integrated epistemic architecture sustained through guru–śiṣya paramparā. Recognising this distinction reframes continuity not as stagnation, but as disciplined preservation of valid knowing.

In ESSAY

Land, Culture and Humanity

Hindus have faced various inimical forces in Bharatvarsha's long history, much like the Jews who were driven out of their own land.

In ESSAY

Sri Aurobindo, Spiritual Nationalism, and Indian Renaissance – II

If India is to rise once again, it needs to follow the path that has sustained it for millennia.

In COMMENTARY

India’s Emblems of Renunciation

Emblems in India's history have always been a combination of temporal and sacred unlike what we see in modern independent India today.

In BOOK REVIEW

‘The Imperishable Seed’ By Bhaskar Kamble – A Summary Review

Dr. Pingali Gopal reviews 'The Imperishable Seed' By Bhaskar Kamble, a theoretical physicist from IIT Kanpur and presently a data scientist in Germany.
The linear progression of history from a primitive past to an advanced future, deeply entrenched in western philosophy, embeds itself in Indians even today as a classic case of ‘colonial consciousness’. Bhaskar has done a brilliant job of describing the history of mathematics, a much ignored subject in our educational systems,  and tracing the roots of many subjects to the genius mathematicians of ancient and mediaeval India.

In POLITICS, COMMENTARY, PHILOSOPHY

Understanding Political Systems Of India – Part 1 – Political Ideologies – A Dummy’s Understanding of Background Western Theories

"The political spectrum teaches absurdly that opposites are the same. The two ‘positions’ - Left and Right - are the mixing of incoherent, unrelated, and constantly shifting ideas lumped together by the accident of history. Aggressive military positioning hardly connects to a free-market philosophy. Defenders acknowledge this variation but claim an underlying essence: the Right (conservatives), ‘backward looking’, want to conserve; the Left (progressives), ‘forward looking,' want change. Both wings' policies, in fact, are ‘backward-looking’ and marked by nostalgia, depending on the issue."
In the first installment of the series titled "Understanding Political Systems Of India", Dr. Pingali Gopal analyses the multiple prevalent political systems and ideologies of the West, that define world politics as we know it today. These systems have been allowed to influence Indian politics and policy making after independence, with complete disregard to the ancient political systems of India.
The broad classification of political ideology as Right or Left is nebulous at best - one can falsify every proposed essence of right or left, which shows us that ideologies are nothing but social constructs. these Right-Left political ideas do not make sense either in the Western context or in the Indian context, and yet, for decades, we have held on to them. We need to understand our past political systems better, and we need to transcend the paradigm.

In ESSAY, HISTORY, TRANSLATION

Hymns to Brahman – Part 1; By Rabindranath Tagore

These verses are selected and translated from the poet Rabindranath Tagore’s vast repertoire of Bengali Brahamsangeet song lyrics. These song lyrics are rich in terms of literary finesse, outstanding as musical compositions of a classical or semi-classical nature; and, they demonstrate an intense religious longing in the poet – a yearning to attain and dwell in a constant state of union with the Divine.

In TRANSLATION

André Malraux on India and Bangladesh – Part 1

This is a translation of two web pages about the French writer André Malraux, and his views on India and Bangladesh.
Dileep Karanth brings to light the love and fascination that a misunderstood frenchman, André Malraux, had for India - not only the politically defined territories of India but also the civilisation; as his words to the students in Dacca prove.
The article attempts to understand the man and his ideologies and beliefs before delving into his love for India.

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