In today’s world, the idea of living as a sumaṁgalī—the “blessed one,” a woman whose husband is alive—and dying as one feels distant, almost outdated. The visible signs of marriage, such as the bindi or the mangalsutra, no longer define a woman’s place in society. At least on the surface, marriage no longer dictates a … Read more
Growing up in Mumbai, it was easy to identify a GSB woman by the coral (pavle) necklace she wore — the KashiThali, more commonly pronounced Kasthali. True to stereotype, we GSBs are an impatient lot: we speak fast and love shortening words, so KashiThali naturally became Kasthali in everyday speech. More common in GSB families from South Kanara and less so … Read more
In general, before visiting a temple we make it a point to be physically clean—taking a proper bath and wearing fresh clothes. Yet one tradition followed at GSB Kuldevata temples stands apart. It is called Dhulī Bheṭa—Dhulī meaning dust and bheṭa meaning meeting—symbolizing a meeting with the deity while one is still unclean from a long … Read more
Among the many rituals that mark the arrival of a new life in a Goud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) family, one stands out for its quiet symbolism — the placing of Balabhadra in the cradle before the baby during the naming ceremony (palle ghalche) “Bala” means strength, and “Bhadra” means protection or auspiciousness. Together, Balabhadra is the bestower of strength … Read more
Has it ever happened to you that you were praying in a temple asking for something in your heart and a flower, leaf or garland adorning the idol fell down and you took it as a sign almost an answer to your prayers? Growing up I heard stories about marriages being decided based on such … Read more