“Shaligram Pilgrimage in the Nepal Himalayas” — Interview with Dr. Raj Balkaran
I’ve been hard at work recently with the new book on Shaligram interpretive tradition which is still on track to come out around the end of 2023. But,…
Author: H. W.
“Outward Spirals: A Guide to Shaligram Interpretive Traditions” (Work Continues)
A lovely morning Shaligram seva image I’ve been hard at work editing the manuscript for my upcoming book on Shaligram interpretive traditions and I am excited that we…
Great News! The “Guide to Shaligrams” Has a Publisher!
Wonderful announcement everyone!! My second manuscript, designed for a popular general audience, finally has a publisher! I can hardly believe it but the book will be coming out…
Shaligram Interpretive Practice (Secondary Markings)
One of the most complicated aspects of Shaligram interpretation, and the one that often takes the longest to learn, is reading the various small markings that indicate the…
Material Religion: The Journal of Objects, Art, and Belief (Book Review)
“Shaligram Pilgrimage in the Nepal Himalayas” has gotten a formal book review! LINK:
In the Presence of the Gods (Book Review)
Shaligram Pilgrimage in the Nepal Himalayas has been reviewed in Himal Mag! Check it out! https://www.himalmag.com/in-the-presence-of-the-gods-shaligram-pilgrimage-review-2021/
Shaligram Interpretive Practice (Chakra)
I’ve intentionally saved chakra for last. The reasons for this are really two-fold. One, chakras (the name given to the ammonite shell-spiral) are probably the most iconic characteristic…
Shaligram Interpretive Practice (Vadana and Vanamala)
In Sanskrit, vadana means “mouth” and refers either to the large openings present on many Shaligrams or to the multiple smaller openings that occasionally appear when the main…
Shaligram Interpretive Practice (Color)
While the classic (and most typical) color for a Shaligram is black, various Puranic and Tantric texts describe Shaligrams as being black, red, yellow (honey-colored), white/whitish, sky-colored/blue…
Shaligram Interpretive Practice (Shape)
The second of the six main identifying characteristics in Shaligram interpretive practice is shape. I realize that this might, at least initially, seem relatively self-explanatory but shape, like…
Shaligram Interpretive Practice (Set)
Reading a Shaligram may begin with scriptural texts, but it ends with the final divination of the deity by way of each Shaligram’s unique characteristics. For ritual specialists,…
Shaligram Interpretive Practice (The Basics)
It recently occurred to me that I haven’t spoken very much about the specifics of Shaligram identification. As such, I think I will start a series here on…
My Policy on Identifying and Verifying Shaligrams
As this blog has grown, I have been getting more and more requests to identify or verify Shaligram stones; to make a determination of their manifestation or their…
“Shaligrams as Kin”
My newest article, called “Cornerstones: Shaligrams as Kin” will be coming out from the Journal of Religion early next year. Here’s a preview: “The courtyard of Dinesh and…
It’s Book Release Day!
Firstly, a sincere thank you to everyone who has helped to make this work possible. It’s been years in the making. But today is the day, and “Shaligram…
In Honor of Ganesh Chaturthi 2020, the Ganesh Shaligram!
In honor of the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival in just two days time, today’s Shaligram discussion will be a re-visitation of the Ganesh Shaligram! One of my favorites,…
“But What Is It Really?” – Notes on Science, Pseudoscience, and Religion in Fossil Folklores
“Yes, but what is it really?” The man pressed. “A fossil, or God?” Sitting in the domestic airport in Kathmandu, Nepal waiting on the day’s flights into the…
“Shaligram Pilgrimage in the Nepal Himalayas” – Pre-Order
My books just went up for library pre-order! I can’t believe I am finally looking at it!! LINK: https://www.aup.nl/en/book/9789463721721/shaligram-pilgrimage-in-the-nepal-himalayas
Getting a Fake Shaligram, Intentionally
So, I got a fake Shaligram. But don’t be indignant on my behalf, it was on purpose. One of the most pervasive fears many Shaligram devotees (or would-be…
Keshav Shaligram
I don’t think I have ever done the Keshav Shaligram yet for my occasional “Spotlight” series. So, let’s do that one today! Because there is much to say…
Happy New Year!
Tonight, I happily bring in 2020 with a Surya Shaligram! May the New Year bring light, joy, and illumination to the world. फूल खिलेंगे गुलशन में खूबसूरती नज़र…
Shaligram Interpretive Practices: The Vasudev Shaligram Example
One thing I love about Shaligram interpretive practices is how extensively narrative they are. As in, not only does each specific ammonite fossil invoke stories about the geological…
A Shaligram is Born – Part 2
This second part on the birth of Shaligrams is meant to briefly demonstrate the concrete links between the sacred contexts of Shaligram veneration and the actual practices devotees…
A Shaligram is Born – Part 1
Witnessing the appearance of a Shaligram stone within the Kali Gandaki river is to, quite literally, witness its birth. Formed in the womb of the mountains (the Himalayas)…