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Add your knowledge of Hindu traditions and practices.

 What's new in Hindumoon 

Read about the original opera Abbakka Rani: Queen of Spices

• Dvaraka and the Tsunami

• On Rama Sethu

• Uttaraayana

• Festival calendar

• New recipes

Book launch, Kalakshetra,  Chennai,        November 3, 2007

Watch the coverage on Chennai Online

Kumararani Meena Muthiah, "Festivals are the pulse beats of our culture, and a book like this can help us hold strong to our roots"

Former Foreign Secretary, A.P. Venkateshwaran, "The book will give us a sense of what our forefathers have bequeathed us, and preserve it for future generations."  

H.H Dayanand Saraswati appreciates the book, Bangalore 2008. 

Follow the Hindu Moon is in the Poona and Coimbatore libraries of the Chinmaya  Mission.

Book launch, Kalakshetra,  Chennai,        November 3, 2007

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L-R Former Foreign Secretary, A.P.Venkateshwaran,             

Author,                                       Soumya Aravind Sitaraman,

The photographer, Usha Kris, 

Kumararani Meena Muthiah, 

Leela Samson, Director, Kalakshetra

October 30,2007, Raj Bhavan, Bangalore

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam with the author: appreciating the essence of south Indian culture.

As a Hindu woman living in the Silicon Valley , Soumya Sitaraman frequently encountered questions from her son and American friends about the festivals she so proudly celebrated. Like many Indians today all over the world, she needed a resource she could consult. In Follow the Hindu Moon, she has created just this; a sumptuous, all-inclusive how-to guide that will help you understand the place of ritual in modern life.  

Book 1, Celebrate, showcases pooja and features complete walkthroughs of every South Indian festival celebrated by the people of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Book 2, Understand, presents a compelling overview of Hindu cosmology and culture, toothsome festival recipes, and guides to festoons, kolams, and etiquette. No question goes unanswered – Soumya and her team of consultants tell you the mythology behind each festival, when to light a ghee lamp, how to water clap, which prayer or shloka to recite at what time, how to cook the perfect neivedya, and much more. Each festival is described in exhaustive detail, along with details of how to create a traditional kolam, appropriate fruits, flowers and leaves to prepare on each occasion, gift-giving etiquette - and even cheatsheets and choices between ‘quick pooja’ and ‘elaborate pooja’ options for those who just don’t have the time.  

Here is the wisdom of your aunts and grandmothers, never before collected in one place - and within easy reach. Beautifully designed, with over 1000 vibrant color photographs, and imbued with a warm, personal tone, Follow the Hindu Moon is a must-buy for every household.