One of my favorite things about the Indian culture is the vast amount of traditions, ceremonies and customs that are sprinkled throughout the year to honor the gods, our ancestors and the divinity within ourselves. Today marks the first day of Shraddh (Sept 5-19), a two-week period dedicated to honoring our ancestors.

In Rishikesh, India, there is an amazingly gargantuan murti (statue) of shiva in the middle of the Ganges River. It is not only gorgeous but oh so inspiring! Some parts of the year, the statue is completely submerged into the water and at other times, he sits in all his glory above the water.

Many people wonder why cows are so sacred in India...and the answer in short is that they're quite generous and pretty divine:).