Team Pentacle

- Swapnil Desai “Witch” – The one word that is as fearful or dreaded as a Demon. Wicca – A religion shunned by the New World. Witchcraft – A subject more feared than accepted.   When I was asked to write on this subject, I willingly and promptly accepted, not because of any “folklorish” elements of this topic that I will be addressing, but its because Who I am and What I believe is hugely misunderstood.   As much as the origin of the word “witch” is still debated, One popular etymology for witch maintains that it is related to the English words wit , wise , wisdom [Germanic root * weit- , * wait-, * wit- ; Indo-European root * weid -.* woid- , * wid- ]. 1   Another theory claims that witch is derived from a root meaning “holy” or “sacred” and thus reflects the witch’s ancient religious role [Germanic root * weih- , * waih-, * wih- ; Indo-European root * weik -, * woik- , * wik- ]. This appears in the Modern German word for Christmas, Weihnacht, literally “holy night,” and i

- Shishir Kumar Not even in vicinity of reality! No, not aghora but our understanding of it. What thoughts come in your mind when you hear the word Aghora? Cannibals? Sex with Corpse? Fierce? None of the above is correct and this I can say after a deep plunge into the world of Aghoris. I say this as I did not make an attempt to research like a journalist for a piece of writing or a documentary but I understood it being one of them.  Aghor is a Sadhna that is done by those who dwell in the funeral ground and those who lead a normal life.  It originated from Lord Dattaterya who gave it to his disciple Lord Shiva and later in time was practised by one the the Navnaths his holiness Kanifnath.  Aghor has three divisions. Those in west India follow Dattaterya and Girinar Mountain Range is there abode. They have a firm faith in Mahakaal.  Then comes those who dwell in East India, an area influenced by Kamakhya and Kali. Those in Central India are known to h