BalaramaBalarama (Sanskrit: बलराम, IAST: Balarāma) is a Hindu god and the elder brother of Krishna. He is particularly significant in the Jagannath tradition, as one of the triad deities. He is also known as Haladhara, Halayudha, Baladeva, Balabhadra, and Sankarshana. The first two epithets associate him with hala (langala, "plough") from his strong associations with farming and farmers, as the deity who used farm equipment as weapons when needed, and the next two refer to his strength.
JanakpurJanakpurdham or Janakpur (जनकपुर, d͡zʌnʌkpur) is a sub-metropolitan city in Dhanusha District, Madhesh Province, Nepal. The city is a hub for religious and cultural tourism. Janakpur is also known as the birth place of goddess Sita. A headquarter of Dhanusha district, Janakpur is also the capital for Madhesh Province. The city was founded in the early 12th century. According to tradition and an Archeological evidence found at the site, ancient civilization indicates Janakpurdham as the capital of the Videha dynasty that ruled the Mithila region in ancient times.
Bhakti movementThe Bhakti movement was a significant religious movement in medieval Hinduism that sought to bring religious reforms to all strata of society by adopting the method of devotion to achieve salvation. Originating in Tamilakam during 6th century CE, it gained prominence through the poems and teachings of the Vaishnava Alvars and Shaiva Nayanars before spreading northwards. It swept over east and north India from the 15th century onwards, reaching its zenith between the 15th and 17th century CE.
Iṣṭa-devatā (Hinduism)Ishta-deva or ishta devata (Sanskrit: इष्ट देव(ता), , literally "cherished divinity" from iṣṭa, "personal, liked, cherished, preferred" and devatā, "godhead, divinity, tutelary deity" or deva, "deity"), is a term used in Hinduism denoting a worshipper's favourite deity. It is especially significant to both the Smarta and Bhakti schools, wherein practitioners choose to worship the form of God that inspires them. Within Smartism, one of five chief deities is selected.
IndraIndra (ˈɪndrə; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. Indra's powers are similar to other Indo-European deities such as Jupiter, Perun, Perkūnas, Zalmoxis, Taranis, Zeus, and Thor, part of the greater Proto-Indo-European mythology. Indra is the most referred deity in the Rigveda.
KathakaliKathakali ( IAST: Kathakaḷi കഥകളി) is a major form of classical Indian dance. It is a "story game" genre of art, but one distinguished by the elaborately colourful make-up and costumes of the traditional male actor-dancers. It is native to the Malayalam-speaking southwestern region of Kerala and is almost entirely practiced and appreciated by Malayali people. Kathakali's roots are unclear.
Gandaki RiverThe Gandaki River, also known as the Narayani and the Gandak, is one of the major rivers in Nepal and a left bank tributary of the Ganges in India. Its total catchment area amounts to , most of it in Nepal. In the Nepal Himalayas, it is notable for its deep canyon. The basin also contains three mountains over , namely Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and Annapurna I. Dhaulagiri is the highest point of the Gandaki basin. The Kali Gandaki river source is at the border with Tibet at an elevation of at the Nhubine Himal Glacier in the Mustang region of Nepal.
NarasimhaNarasimha (नरसिंह, ), sometimes rendered Narasingha, is the fourth avatara of the Hindu god Vishnu. He is had incarnated in the form of a part-lion, part-man being to kill Hiranyakashipu, to end religious persecution and calamity on earth, thereby restoring dharma and Narasimha killed Hiranyakashipu. Narasimha is often depicted with three eyes, and is described in Vaishnavism to be the God of Destruction; he who destroys the entire universe at the time of the great dissolution (Mahapralaya).
ArthaArtha (ˈɑrtə,_-θə; अर्थ; Tamil: பொருள், poruḷ) is one of the four goals or objectives of human life in Hindu traditions. It includes career, skills, health, wealth, prosperity and the means or resources needed for a fulfilling life. The word artha literally translates as "meaning, sense, goal, purpose or essence" depending on the context. Artha is also a broader concept in the scriptures of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. As a concept, it has multiple meanings, all of which imply "means of life", activities and resources that enable one to be in a state one wants to be in.
KumbhakarnaKumbhakarna (Sanskrit: कुम्भकर्ण, lit. pot-eared) is a powerful rakshasa and younger brother of Ravana from the Hindu epic Ramayana. Despite his gigantic size and appetite, he is described as a virtuous character and a great warrior in Hindu texts. He is said to have slaughtered 8,000 vanaras over the course of Rama's mission to rescue Sita. Vibhishana narrated that Kumbhakarna had been born with immense strength, having subdued both Indra and Yama, striking the former in the chest with the broken tusk of Airavata.
