Chitirai Festival
celebration in Madurai during April celebrating the marriage of Goddess Minkashi (Parvati) and God Sunareshvara (Shiva) as well as Minakshi's brother Lord Alagar's journey to Madurai
Sanskritization
translation of local names and cultures into Sanskrit names and incorporation into the larger Indian pantheon
Islamicate
describing a non-Islamic region where Muslims are a major part of the culture
madrasa
Islamic school
jharoka-i-darsan
Mughal emperor revealing himself in projecting balcony (jharoka) to his subjects for darsan
jali
pierced screen
Braj (Vraj)
Region where Krishna grew up. In the Agra-Mathura district in Uttar Pradesh (northern India)
pichvai
decorative cloth hanging placed behind image of Krishna in temples
seva
loving service. In Pushtimarg, refers to ritualized worship of Krishna: bathing, dressing, singing and preparing food for Krishna
haveli
translates to mansion; Pushtimarg (path of grace) sect refers to temples as haveli
bhakti
loving devotion; direct and personal connection to deity
lila
divine play or adventures
rasalila
Krishna dancing with Radha and her Gopis (milk maids)
Ratna
style
bhumisparsha mudra
earth-touching mudra; denotes the Buddha's enligthenment under the Bodhi tree; being one with the arth
stupa
round mound in Buddhist temples