Vairamudi Brahmotsava
On April 4th 2009, Vairamudi Brahmostava is celebrated at Melkote. This is an annual festival which gathers more than 2 lakh devotees of Lord Cheluva Narayana.
Ayudha Pooja
Navaratri is one of the most colorful, dutiful and longest festival observed by Hindus in India. A nine day festival Navaratri (Nava means nine, Ratri means night) is also called as 
Dasara/Dushhera which usually falls some time between last week of September and first week of October. The dates are set according to the Hindu calender.
Dasara
Dasara is the festival of celebrating women power. Chamundeshwari is the personification of courage, strength and power. Praying to her is believed to help one to be blessed with all these qualities, especially during Dasara. When the male gods failed to destroy the demon, it was the Devi who stood up to the occasion.
Deepavali
Deepavali or Diwali is the festival of diyas or deepas (lights). This five day festival marks the Demon Narkasura killed by Lord Krishna, has been celebrated across the country and all over the world by Hindus. It is also called Kaumudi Deepam or Dipalika. The Festival Of Lights is the most celebrated Hindu festival. It is the festival of renovating our lives.
The festive preparations begin long before the festival, with houses and business units get cleaned and white washed. Then comes the shopping for new clothes for all the members of the family, the sweets and savouries are prepared,and decorations with streamers, lamps and bursting of crackers.
Vaikunta Ekadashi
Vaikunta Ekadashi, occurs in the Hindu calendar month of Marghazhi or Margashira or Margasirsa (corresponding to late December - January in English calendar). Vaishnavism (Worship of Lord Vishnu) culture believes that ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’ or ‘the gate to Lord's Inner Sanctum’ is opened on this day. The Margashirsha shukla paksha ekadashi in lunar calendar is known as a 'Mokshada Ekadashi'. People also know that as a vaikuntaekadashi...More
Ganesha Chaturthi
Ganesha Chaturthi or Ganesha Festival is a day on which Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, resurrected to life on earth with the head of elephant. It is celebrated as it is the birthday of Lord Ganesha.. It is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi in Sanskrit, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu, Chavath in Konkani and as Chathaa in Nepal Bhasa. This festival is observed in the lunar month of bhadrapada(aHindu month), shukla paksha chathurthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). madhyahana vyapini purvaviddha. Typically, the day falls sometime between August and September . The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Ananta Chaturdashi.
Ganesha Shlokas
108 Names of Lord Ganesha and the meanings
- Akhurath: One who has mouse as his charioteer
- Alampata : Ever eternal lord
- Amit : Incomparable lord
- Anantachidrupamayam: Infinite and consciousness personified
- Avaneesh: Lord of the whole world
Famous Ganesha Temples
Few well known Ganesha temples are listed below (referred articles from DNA). If you are aware of any which needs to be listed here, please let us know.
Gowri Festival
Gowri Habba or festival is celebrated a day before Ganesh Chaturthi. It is a significant festival in parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh & Tamil Nadu. Goddess Gowri, wife of Lord Shiva, the mother of Lord Ganesha and Lord Subramanya is worshiped through out India for her ability to bestow upon her devotees power, courage, valour. She is the most powerful of all the Goddess and is the very incarnation of Aadhi Shakthi Mahamaya. It is believed that on the thirteenth day Thadige of the month of Bhaadrapada Goddess Gowri is welcomed at her patents’ house. The next day Lord Ganesha, her son comes as if to take her back to Kailasa. The Swarna Gowri vratha is performed on the occasion, to appease the Goddess.
Ground nut festival
Kadalekai Parishe, the annual groundnut fair is held on the last Monday of Karthika Masa(month in Hindu calendar) near Dodda Ganesha, temple, close to the Bull Temple at Basavanagudi. The fair started from the previous day with people thronging to the stalls selling buying variety of groundnuts. The day is a full moon day with vendors from our state and the neighboring states bring their first harvest to the market.
Krishna Janam Ashtami
The Lord Krishna, the eighth avthar of Vishnu.His birthday falls on the Ashtami of Krishna Paksha or the 8th day of the dark fortnight of the month of Shravan Masa. Popularly known as Janam Ashtami or Krishna Jayanthi.
Mahashivaratri: A night of vigil for Lord Shiva
All over India, Mahashivaratri occurs on the 14th night of the new moon during the dark half of the month of Phalguna. On a moonless night in February every year, occurs the night of Shiva, the destroyer. This is the night when he is said to have performed the Tandava or the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction.
Naga Panchami
Panchami habba or Festival is one of the auspicious day for Hindu women. India, the land of cobra, and snake charmers as it is famous for, has special reverence to the snakes. The serpents are associated with many Gods in the Hindu mythology.
Shankranthi
Makara Shankranti is the harvest festival, a new year and the festival of rejoicing and celebrations embracing the entire household friends and neighbors, the servants and the poor, the cows, and then all other living creatures symbolizes universal love and kindness. Pongal is the main dish that is relished on Shankranthi.
Ugadi
It is believed that the creator of the Hindu pantheon, Lord Brahma started the work of creation on this day - Chaitra suddha padhyami or Ugadi day. Also the great Indian Mathematician Bhaskaracharya's calculations proclaimed this day as the start of a new year, new month and new day from sunrise. Ugadi is celebrated with festive fervor in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Vara Mahalakshmi
Mahalakshmi is the goddess of wealth, auspiciousness and prosperity. She is worshipped for healthy progeny, as well as the health and long life of the husband. Vratha is observed on a Friday that falls before the full Moon day of the month of Shravanamasa (August - September).
