Cultural Gems

One short story a day about the traditions, temples and history behind our festivals.

• ✨ Today's gem

  Chhath: A Festival Without a Priest

  Unlike most Hindu festivals, Chhath Puja does not need a priest, a temple or an idol. The devotee — the vrati — prays directly to the visible Sun, standing in water at a river…

• The Temple Where the Sun Touches Shiva

  In the Gavipuram area of Bengaluru stands the Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple, carved into a natural cave of monolithic rock and dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is famous for a…

• Durga Puja Is UNESCO World Heritage

  In December 2021 UNESCO inscribed "Durga Puja in Kolkata" on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. UNESCO recognised Durga Puja not only as a…

• Why Ganesh Chaturthi Became a Public Festival

  For centuries Ganesh Chaturthi was mostly a household festival, though the Peshwas of Pune celebrated it grandly at court. In 1893 the freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar…