the year. The former festival is dedicated
to Shiva, who is famous for his love of
the drug, whereas Holi is associated
with overturning social boundaries, giv-
ing greater license to do things normally
proscribed. Aside from being consumed
during certain celebrations, it can also
be taken in special places, particularly
when on a pilgrimage. Several of the
most famous Hindu sacred sites
(tirthas)—among them Benares, Puri,
and Haridwar—have government-run
bhang stands where pilgrims can fulfill
their needs.
Bhanita
In poetry, particularly the vernacular
form of the bhaktipoets, a signature
line in which the author is identified by
name. This line has two major functions:
to identify the poet and to provide a
summation of the poem’s message. The
word bhanitacomes from a verb mean-
ing “to speak,” and by adding a signature
line the poet is stamping his or her
authorship on the poem. Of course,
there is nothing to prevent others from
doing this as well. In a performance con-
text, the poet’s name comes at the
beginning of the final line and alerts the
audience to pay special attention to that
line, which often sums up the entire
poem’s message.
Bharadvaja
In the Ramayana, the earlier of the two
great Hindu epics, Bharadvaja is an
important asceticand sage. His ashram,
or abode, is at Chitrakut; this is now a
town in the southeastern area of the
state of Uttar Pradesh, but the epic
describes the place as a forest her-
mitage. When Rama, his wife Sita, and
his brother Lakshmanaare beginning
their fourteen years of exile, they come
to Bharadvaja to seek his blessings
(ashirvad). In a broader mythological
context, Bharadvaja is one of the seven
sages whose names mark exogamous
gotra (“lineages”); the others are
Kashyapa, Bhrgu, Vasishtha, Gautama,
Atri, and Vishvamitra. All brahminsare
believed to be descended from these
seven sages, with each family taking the
name of its progenitor as its gotra name.
In modern times, these gotra divisions
are still important, since marriage with-
in the lineage is forbidden. After her
marriage the bride adopts her husband’s
gotra as part of her new identity. See also
marriage prohibitions.Bharadvaja
(2) (5th c. B.C.E.?) Religious scholar
named as the author of a Shrauta Sutra
(manual on prescriptions for Vedicritu-
als) and a Grhya Sutra(manual on
domestic rites). The period during
which he flourished is uncertain but
must precede Panini, since this gram-
marian mentions Bharadvaja in the
Ashtadhyayi. Given their interest in
strengthening the authority of their
sacred texts, many Hindus identify this
author with the legendary sage
Bharadvaja, although there is no hard
evidence for this claim.Bharata
In Hindu mythology, the son of King
Dushyantaand the maiden Shakuntala;
Bharata is considered a partial incarna-
tion of the god Vishnu. Dushyanta and
Shakuntala are married in secret in a
gandharva marriageexecuted by their
mutual consent. Dushyanta must return
to his capital and leaves Shakuntala at
her home. While he is gone, she is cursed
by the sage Durvasasthat her lover will
forget her. In time, Bharata is born and
Shakuntala goes off to search for her
beloved. She has to endure many trials
before the curse is broken. Since
Shakuntala and Dushyanta have been
married in secret, it takes some time
before Bharata is accepted as
Dushyanta’s legitimate son, and thus heir
to the throne. When Bharata finally
ascends the throne, he reigns for a long
time. After his reign the land of India
becomes traditionally known as Bharata.Bhanita