Culture of Indian people : Revolt of 1857

Revolt of 1857

Culture of Indian people : Mata Vaishno Devi Temple

Culture of Indian people : Mata Vaishno Devi Temple

Revolt of 1857

One of the primary and severe outbursts of resentment against the British rule came in the form of the Indian revolt of 1857. This revolt followed the battles of Plassey and Buxar and the main cause was resentment against setting up of British rule in Bengal.

 It is called the first war of independence by many historians though it is a debatable topic. The British historians termed it Sepoy Mutiny and Jawaharlal Nehru called it a feudal revolt which was much more than just a Sepoy Mutiny. Read further about the causes of revolt of 1857 in India.

The revolt was basically started by the soldiers who worked for the East India Company and later was spread across the country by peasants, artisans and soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the sake of others. Different religions of India came together and fought united for one cause.




 There were many different reasons for the outbreak of the revolt of 1857. Exploitation by the British, imposing of their faith forcefully on Indians, etc. were just some causes. Some of the other causes are discussed below.

Mata Vaishno Devi Temple

One of the most visited pilgrimage destinations in the country and a revered site for Hindus, Vaishno Devi is located in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir. The hills of Vaishno Devi are home to the famous Mata Vaishno Devi Temple, and the nearest town is Katra.




Located at an altitude of 5200 feet above sea level and at a distance of approximately 14 kilometres from Katra, this is the second most visited religious site in the country. More than eight million devotees visit the temple every year.

The Shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi which is a narrow hilly cave is in a part of the lower Himalayas called Tirkuta Hills. The shrine contains images of three deities – Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati who are all reincarnations of Goddess Durga. The Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is acknowledged as one of the Shakti Peeths of Goddess Durga.

To visit the shrine one has to trek up the mountains. The original cave is quite narrow and takes time to reach the Sanctum Sanctorum. A new tunnel has been constructed, which is 200 metres long to facilitate the large influx of pilgrims visiting the destination for Darshan. However, the original cave is open for devotees during the lean season, traditional festivals or ritualistic occasions.

Earlier, a visit to Vaishno Devi was done on foot and devotees walked to the caves of Mata Vaishno Devi at a distance of 61 km from Jammu which was quite strenuous. Even now, many devotees prefer to walk, although carts and horses are also available to carry visitors to the mountains. Helicopter services are available which shuttle devotees to the shrine on a daily basis.

Apart from the shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, there are also quite a few other pilgrimage sites on the way, like the Bhumika Temple, Kalika Temple, Shiva Goompha, and Ban Ganga Temple with the spring of the holy river Ban Ganga.

The Kumbh Mela

The highlight feature of the Kumbh Mela is the bathing ceremony (snan). Millions of people travel across the globe to take a dip inthe Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati during the festival as it is believed by doing so one gets free from the baggage of sins committed in his lifetime and also attains salvation which is freedom from the cycle of birth and death.

The Vedic Scriptures account for several other reasons to take bath in Holy Rivers like Ganges, Yamuna, Godawari and Narmada. The bathing ceremony is the most auspicious activity in this festival apart from the enlightenment one receives through spiritual discussions with the saints.


In Vedic culture, every river is personified as a deity and the water stream is interpreted as the material manifestation of that personality. Rivers are deified as mothers as they are a source for human existence. River Ganga is one of the most special rivers as it is believed to come directly from the ocean of milk by washing the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu. Bathing in the holy waters of Ganga is believed to be most auspicious at the time of Kumbh Mela.

After 12  long years the grand event is again at the doorstep for people to grab the opportunity to witness the magnificent spectacle at Allahabad, the place of confluence of the three holy rivers,  in January, 2013.  The details about the most auspicious days during the festival on which devotees will take the holy dip in the waters of Ganges, Yamuna and the lost Saraswati are enlisted below:

Republic Day

Republic Day is celebrated every year on 26 January to commemorate the date and moment when the Constitution of India came into effect.it didn't have a permanent constitution of its own and instead were functioning under the laws enacted and implemented by the British. And after many amendments the Constitution was approved and accepted on November 26, 1949 that came into force in a full-fledged fashion from on 26 January, 1950. Thus, Republic Day celebration is the moment to remember the coming of the Constitution into effect.





On Republic Day, martyrs and heroes who showed courage and bravery for country's sake without bothering their own lives is also remembered and conferred prestigious and significant awards including Kirti Chakra and Ashok Chakra are conferred on the event by the President. Since 1950, for Republic Day celebrations India has been inviting guests of high dignitaries of another country as the state guest of honour.

The patriotic fervor of the people is witnessed not only in the programmes and activities but also in the inspirational Republic Day SMS and Republic Day messages. On this day people send warm wishes about Republic Day to their dear ones that lend a festive ambience to the historic occasion. Short and lovely text messages are also a wonderful way to spread the importance of the Republic Day.

The festivity of Republic Day concludes officially with the intriguing Beating Retreat ceremony on the evening of 29th January. This enthralling ceremony is performed by the military, the Indian Air Force, India Navy and India Army in the Raisina Hills, New Delhi, in front of the President of India as the Chief Guest.

Jagannath Temple

Jagannath Temple is one of the most renowned as well as the biggest temples of Orissa. Established in the 12th century, the temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath (Lord Krishna), Lord of the Universe. The credit for laying the foundation of the Jagannath temple of Puri goes to Raja Ananta Varman Chodaganga Dev.





 The temple is located at a distance of 60 km from Bhubaneswar, on the coast of Bay of Bengal, and is greatly revered by the devotees following the Vaishnava traditions.

There is an interesting legend associated with the Jagannatha temple of Puri. It is said that King Indradyumna, the ruler of the territory, saw Lord Jagannath in his dreams and following the Lord's wishes, as told to him in his dreams, he got the Jagannath Puri Temple constructed.

Situated in the heart of the holy city, the temple is visited by devotees from farthest corners of India as well as the world. It exudes splendor and its tall spires lend it a magnificent aura. The walls are embellished with exquisite carvings.

The pillars that provide support to the temple are adorned with pictures depicting the life of Lord Krishna. In the list of the most splendid monuments of Orissa, Jagannath temple occupies a supreme position.

 One of the most popular attractions of the Jagannatha Temple of Puri comprises of its Rath Yatra that is organized every year. It is basically a chariot festival, where idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, the main deities of Srimandir, are taken to the Gundicha temple in bejeweled chariots and are brought back to the mandir in the same way.