News from Hindu Press International
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Posted on 2010/9/10 7:01:01 ( 487
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SCOTLAND, August 29, 2010: The
warnings regularly given by all manner of experts had been ignored for
decades. Because Pakistan's irresponsible timber harvesting stripped the
country's forests at a faster rate than anywhere else in Asia, floods came.
They are not acts of God, but man-made catastrophes.
As August began - that heavier than usual, but not unprecedented, monsoon rains
fell on the largely forest-denuded northwest Himalayan, Karakoram and Hindu
Kush mountains and foothills, swelling the mighty 2000 mile-long Indus
river, originating in Tibet, and others such as the Jhelum, Swat, Chenab,
Ravi, Beas, Sutlej and their many tributaries. What then happened, as
Pakistani journalists and environmental campaigners have reported, was
truly terrifying.
Trees felled by so-called illegal loggers - an infamous "timber
mafia" that has representatives in the Pakistan Parliament in
Islamabad and connections right to the top of government and the military -
are stacked in the innumerable nullahs [steep narrow valleys], gorges and
ravines leading into the main rivers. From there they are fed into the
legal trade, earning the mafia billions of dollars yearly.
It is not only the mountain forests that have been devastated. When
Pakistan became independent from Britain and separated from India in 1947,
thick riverine forests lined the Indus on its thousand mile journey across
the plains. "These forests used to absorb the ferocity of the
floodwaters," said Tahir Qureshi, a Pakistan-based forestry expert for
the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
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Posted on 2010/9/10 7:00:01 ( 386
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Great Ganesha who is the gateway
for seekers into the world's most ancient faith. He is the inner authority,
the guardian, the one who grants access to the spiritual mysteries of the
Sanatana Dharma. All Hindus worship Him, regardless of their sectarian or
philosophical positions. He truly binds them together in His love. This
great God is both the beginning of the Hindu religion and the meeting
ground for all its devotees. And that is only proper, inasmuch as Ganesha
is the personification of the material universe. The universe in all of its
varied and various magnificent manifestations is nothing but the body of
this cheerfully portly God.
Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001)
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Posted on 2010/9/9 7:04:01 ( 405
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[HPI note: Hindus around the world
are celebrating Ganesha Chaturthi today and tomorrow. You can see a
slideshow here ]
BENGALURU, INDIA, September 10, 2010: Vinayaka Chaturthi is when everyone's
beloved Ganesha is worshipped with much fanfare.
D.S. Nanjundaiah, a resident of Devanahalli, is among the Hindus for whom
Vinayaka Chaturthi is a time when the Elephant Deity, known as the remover
of all obstacles, is worshipped and propitiated. His family is among the
many that observe the Chaturthi Vrata. "Observing the vrata is a way
of pleasing the Lord and seeking his intervention at every obstacle I may
face in life," he says.
Almost all Hindus worship Ganesha on the occasion of Chaturthi, and some
families observe the Chaturthi Vrata. Those observing the Vrata start the
day by installing the Ganesha murti made of clay at home in the morning.
The whole day will be dedicated to Him. They then invoke life ("prana
pratishthapane") into the Deity by reciting mantras, perform a puja,
offer various delicacies and immerse the murti in the evening or any future
day after performing the "Visarjanam" ritual.
Mr. Nanjundaiah and his family prepared by cleaning the house and
decorating it with banana stems, mango leaves and flowers, particularly the
red ones that are believed to be dear to Ganesha. Mr. Nanjundaiah's wife,
Latha, prepares the Elephant God's favourite delicacies --
"chakkuli", "modaka" and "karigadubu".
Early on the Chaturthi morning, they install the clay Ganesha on a raised
platform. Mr. Nanjundaiah invites a priest to perform the vrata puja. After
the puja, Mr. Nanjundaiah distributes the prasadato all those present. By
this time, his wife would have prepared a sumptuous festival feast for
family and friends.
While different families choose different days to immerse Lord Ganesha, Mr.
Nanjundaiah immerses the Ganesha the same evening at the village tank. The
Lord comes and stays with us during the Chaturthi and the immersion symbolises
his return from earth after removing all obstacles, he said.
Known as "Vighna Nivaraka" (eliminator of hurdles), Ganesha is
worshipped across the world, particularly in South India. Vinayaka
Chaturthi, the birthday of Lord Ganesha, falls on the fourth day of
"Shukla Paksha" (bright half) of the month of
"Bhadrapada" of the Hindu Lunar Calendar.
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Posted on 2010/9/9 7:03:01 ( 397
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RUSSIA, September 8, 2010: For the
first time Russia is taking part in the International Yoga Week, which is
annually celebrated by yoga practitioners all over the world. Over 20
cities of Russia will participate in the yoga festival held from September
5th to 14th, 2010.
The event aims at popularization of healthy life style by attracting
citizens to practical yoga classes. The initiators of the festival are the
international organizations Art of Living and the Human Values Foundation.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is visiting Russia in the framework of the Yoga Week.
The guru will give seminars in five Russian cities, such as Petersburg,
Kazan, Moscow, Sochi and Irkutsk.
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Posted on 2010/9/9 7:02:01 ( 646
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MUMBAI, INDIA, August 31, 2010:
This Ganesh Chaturthi, devotees of the Lord in Silicon Valley will have
something new to celebrate. The Siddhivinayak Temple Trust, here in Mumbai,
has sent a three-foot high murti of the Lord to San Jose, to help establish
a Ganesha Temple there. From September 11 onwards the San Jose Ganesh
Temple will be open to hundreds of devotees settled in Silicon Valley.
Work on the murti - which has been carved out of one single piece of marble
by artists from Jaipur - started a few months ago after Praveen Naik, a
trustee of Siddhivinayak on a visit to the city, was asked for a Ganesha
murti. Those based in San Jose wanted the murti to come with the help of
Siddhivinayak, as the temple holds special significance for them.
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Posted on 2010/9/9 7:01:01 ( 445
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NEW ZEALAND, September 8, 2010:
John Key, the prime minister of New Zealand, visited BAPS Shri Swaminarayan
Mandir and Youth Centre in Avondale, Auckland on Sunday September 5, 2010.
On the occasion, the BAPS community donated $11,000 in response to the
devastating earthquake near the city of Christchurch.
At the same time, BAPS volunteers pledged to continue with their support by
collecting more funds from the wider community through an Earthquake Appeal
Project. The prime minister appreciated the efforts of the BAPS
Swaminarayan Sanstha in reaching out for the affected. He said, "I
would like to commend BAPS for this generous donation. It will help
enormously."
The spiritual leader of BAPS, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, also sent a special
message and prayers for the victims of the earthquake.
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Posted on 2010/9/9 7:00:01 ( 449
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If, after returning from
contemplation, you are capable of behaving as before, you have not been
transformed.
Anandamayi Ma (1896-1982), God-intoxicated yogini
and mystic Bengali saint
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Posted on 2010/9/8 7:03:01 ( 434
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PUNE, INDIA, August 30, 2010: A 10
PM curfew on sound pollution prompted Mandar Pataskar to develop
"Soundless Ganesha," a pandal which uses FM transmitters to keep
noise pollution at bay during Ganeshotsav.
The brainchild of Pataskar and Parag Bhide, a diploma student from MIT, the
set-up for a noise-free Ganesh festival is quite simple to use.
"People visit Ganesh pandals and they often fail to catch the
dialogues in the display, simply because they are standing far away from
the pandal. But now, all they need to do is to tune into the pandal's
frequency using their mobile phones and listen to every bit of the
dialogues. It makes the Ganeshotsav more personal," says Pataskar.
Both Pataskar and Bhide have been working on this model for the past two
years. "Soundless Ganesha will be carried out on an experimental basis
at our pandal this time," says Bhide, because they still have to wait
for a license from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
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Posted on 2010/9/8 7:02:01 ( 407
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK, August 22,
2010: Each August, the Erasing Borders festival of Indian dance contributes
to the Downtown Dance Festival. Here is a downtown plaza surrounded by
skyscrapers, with people coming and going at lunchtime and a soundtrack
that includes the harbor and city traffic; and here in the open air are
dancers in full Indian costume performing traditional forms that derive
from the opposite side of the world.
In 2008 and 2009, there were marvelous examples of Bharatanatyam, Odissi
and Kathak dance that made passers-by stop passing by. But in sheerly
visual terms nothing has been more astonishing than this year's Kathakali
performance at 1 New York Plaza on Tuesday. Kathakali -- rarely seen here
-- was performed by Guru Radha Mohanan & Troupe, which had come from
India for this show as well as one held Saturday in Battery Park.
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Posted on 2010/9/8 7:01:01 ( 399
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LUCKNOW, INDIA, August 29, 2010:
The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad high court has asked the Central
government to consider that Shankaracharyas are permitted to carry a
religious sceptre with them during air travel. A division Bench of Chief
Justice F.I. Rebello and Justice S.N. Shukla, however, did not agree with
the view that all the Hindu saints are permitted to carry the sceptre
during air travel under the Constitution of India.
In 2005, a saint, Narendraji Maharaj, was stopped at Amausi airport from
carrying the religious sceptre (dharmadanda) enroute to Mumbai. The sceptre
was deposited at the airport by the authorities and it was returned when
the flight reached Mumbai. But the saint had refused to accept it with the
plea that it had been defiled in other hands.
The petitioner organisation, Hindu Personal Law Board, had raised the issue
by moving a public interest litigation with a demand that saints should not
be restrained from carrying the sceptre during air travel. Board's general
secretary Ashok Pandey pleaded that Article 25 of the Constitution entitled
the saints to keep in hold the sceptre -- considered a holy article and
untouchable to others except the particular saint.
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Posted on 2010/9/15 23:33:42 ( 1280
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source: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/agriculture/article623309.ece
INDIA, September 2010: Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling said he hopes
to make the state a fully organic state. "Though the task ahead is
challenging, we are absolutely committed to go totally organic by
2015," Chamling told Director of FIBL Institute of Organic Research
Centre of Switzerland, Urs Niggli.
The Chief Minister hoped to receive all the possible technical support from
Niggli and his institute to turn the state into fully organic, making
Sikkim the first State in the country to achieve this status.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between FIBL Institute of Organic
Research Centre of Switzerland and Agriculture department of Sikkim for a
long term partnership in which the department will receive technical
support from the institute on research and training and other possible
knowledge on organic farming.
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Posted on 2010/9/15 23:33:07 ( 1385
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source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ar ... how/6503627.cms?prtpage=1
MUMBAI, INDIA, September 6, 2010: Record prices have done little to dim the
popularity of silver and gold offerings to Ganesha around the Chaturhi
festival.
Last Friday, a prominent resident of Veera Desai Road chose quiet anonymity
even as his spectacular offering of a 35 lb. silver chhatra (umbrella) was
unveiled at the Andhericha Raja Ganpati at Azad Nagar. The donor, a leading
developer in the western suburbs who had his prayers answered, said,
"I had made a pledge and I had to redeem it. Costs don't matter. After
all, it is He who gives."
The richest Ganesha mandals in the city confirm that despite a giddy spiral
in bullion prices, offerings of gold and silver continue to break previous
records. "We have never needed to purchase golden or silver ornaments
and embellishments for our temple's Ganapati," says Uday Salian of
Andhericha Raja. "From necklaces and earrings to garlands, models of
houses, babies and body parts, our God receives a cache of offerings in
precious metal."
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Posted on 2010/9/15 23:32:35 ( 1436
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source: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/agriculture/article623309.ece
INDIA, September 2010: Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling said he hopes
to make the state a fully organic state. "Though the task ahead is
challenging, we are absolutely committed to go totally organic by
2015," Chamling told Director of FIBL Institute of Organic Research
Centre of Switzerland, Urs Niggli.
The Chief Minister hoped to receive all the possible technical support from
Niggli and his institute to turn the state into fully organic, making
Sikkim the first State in the country to achieve this status.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between FIBL Institute of Organic
Research Centre of Switzerland and Agriculture department of Sikkim for a
long term partnership in which the department will receive technical
support from the institute on research and training and other possible
knowledge on organic farming.
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Posted on 2010/9/15 23:32:10 ( 1180
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source: http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/society/article621158.ece
KOCHI, INDIA, September 8, 2010: Gloria Arieira, a Brazilian and an
authority in Sanskrit has translated the Bhagawad Gita and parts of the
Vedas to Portuguese, enabling her students across Brazil and Portugal to
access the depths of this great philosophy. If you are seeking spirituality
in the holiday resort of Copacabana, Rio, then you will find it at Vidya
Mandir, a school of Vedanta studies founded and run by Gloria.
Gloria, who is visiting Kalady, with a group of 28 students, has been to
Kerala before. A disciple of Swami Chinmayananda and of Swami Dayananda,
Gloria's entry into the world of spirituality was after she heard Swami
Chinmayananda's talk on Vedanta in Rio. That was in 1973. Gloria felt that
her search for the greater meaning to life was answered. With her curiosity
aroused she wished to delve deeper into the philosophy of the Vedas and
found her way to an ashram in Mumbai. Here she studied the Vedas and lived
the ashram way of life. Gloria began teaching the Vedas when she went back
to Rio in 1979. Five years later that she started Vidya Mandir.
Dissatisfied with her search in other philosophies she was drawn towards
Vedic ways. Gloria learnt Sanskrit because it was the only way she could
reach the depths of knowledge that she was seeking. The Bhagvad Gita and
the Upanishads had to be read in the language they were written in. Once
having mastered Sanskrit, Gloria translated the books into Portuguese so as
to propagate the meaning of the text to her group of students. The number
of her students increased as she could now reach out to them in Sanskrit,
Portuguese and English.
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Posted on 2010/9/15 23:31:58 ( 1138
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http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/society/article621158.ece
KOCHI, INDIA, September 8, 2010: Gloria Arieira, a Brazilian and an
authority in Sanskrit has translated the Bhagawad Gita and parts of the
Vedas to Portuguese, enabling her students across Brazil and Portugal to
access the depths of this great philosophy. If you are seeking spirituality
in the holiday resort of Copacabana, Rio, then you will find it at Vidya
Mandir, a school of Vedanta studies founded and run by Gloria.
Gloria, who is visiting Kalady, with a group of 28 students, has been to
Kerala before. A disciple of Swami Chinmayananda and of Swami Dayananda,
Gloria's entry into the world of spirituality was after she heard Swami
Chinmayananda's talk on Vedanta in Rio. That was in 1973. Gloria felt that
her search for the greater meaning to life was answered. With her curiosity
aroused she wished to delve deeper into the philosophy of the Vedas and
found her way to an ashram in Mumbai. Here she studied the Vedas and lived
the ashram way of life. Gloria began teaching the Vedas when she went back
to Rio in 1979. Five years later that she started Vidya Mandir.
Dissatisfied with her search in other philosophies she was drawn towards
Vedic ways. Gloria learnt Sanskrit because it was the only way she could
reach the depths of knowledge that she was seeking. The Bhagvad Gita and
the Upanishads had to be read in the language they were written in. Once
having mastered Sanskrit, Gloria translated the books into Portuguese so as
to propagate the meaning of the text to her group of students. The number
of her students increased as she could now reach out to them in Sanskrit,
Portuguese and English.
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Posted on 2010/9/12 7:04:01 ( 380
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[Includes material from this article in The Times of India]
NEW DELHI, INDIA, August 31, 2010: Some of Hinduism's most revered
institutions are seeking exemption for traditional Sanskrit schools called
Veda Pathshalas from the Right to Education (RTE) Act, arguing that the law
could kill the ancient practice of orally rendering texts.
On Tuesday, a delegation of representatives of the Vedic Schools will meet
HRD minister Kapil Sibal demanding that since these institutions impart
learning -- be it mathematics or any other subject -- as explained in the
Vedas, it will be difficult to follow provisions of the RTE Act.
"The RTE Act has very lofty and admirable aims. But the law in its
current form could sound the death knell for the pathshalas - and with
them, for one of Hinduism's oldest practices," said N. Rama Sharma,
executive trustee of the Chennai-based Veda Rakshana Nidhi Trust. The Trust
conducts examinations for about 150 pathshalas across south India.
The concerns of India's 1,000-plus veda pathshalas are two-fold. They say
they cannot be expected to meet norms on infrastructure, teacher-student
ratio and other parameters mandatory for schools to be recognized under the
Act. The pathshalas are also concerned exemption might prevent parents from
sending their children to the religious schools. "We want exemption
but also need recognition," Sharma said.
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Posted on 2010/9/12 7:03:01 ( 343
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JAMMU, INDIA, September 1, 2010: A
temple devoted to Lord Krishna here is looked after by a group of female
priests, who offer daily prayers and perform rituals. The priestesses say
they want to spread the message of women empowerment through religion in the
society. They maintain that women and men are equal, as both are children
of God.
"Lord Krishna has said in the holy scripture Gita that there is no
difference between a man and a woman, whether they are from different
castes or class. No matter how a person is, they all have equal
rights," said tapasvi Sadha Bai, a priestess.
The temple is 200 years old and it was built by Ananda Bai, who devoted her
life to the service of the temple. The priestesses, who are known as 'Bai
Ji' (Sister), live very simply and wear pink attire. They also shave their
heads and do not wear any ornament except for holy beads.
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Posted on 2010/9/12 7:02:01 ( 441
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August 27 2010: Louis Vuitton's
holiday windows worldwide will have an Indian flavor this year. Starting
November 5, displays will pay tribute to Diwali, the Hindu festival of
lights, an ancient and joyous occasion to light oil lamps, wear new clothes
and distribute sweets.
The French luxury brand's ties to India stretch back almost a century.
Vuitton teamed with Indian artist Rajeev Sethi to conceive the windows,
which will feature hand-painted paper trunks glowing from within. Special
products will include limited edition dresses made of vintage sari fabrics.
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Posted on 2010/9/12 7:01:01 ( 365
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UNITED STATES, August 31, 2010:
Anju Bhargava, the White House Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
Council's first Hindu member, launched the country's first Yogathon on
Sunday. The Yogathon was created in the spirit of President Obama's United
We Serve campaign and Active Lifestyle Challenge, by Bhargava's Hindu
American Seva Charities (HASC).
HASC, along with many volunteers, mobilized the Hindu faith-based
organizations to respond to the president and First Lady's call to
"United We Serve: Let's Read, Let's Move" - using yoga as a tool
to promote physical activity, healthy living and peace of mind.
"The essence of Hindu culture is based on yoga," said Bhargava, a
member of President's Advisory Council on Faith Based and Neighborhood
Partnerships. "Yoga helps us to get in touch with ourselves and what's
healthy for us. By introducing yoga to children we hope it will help them
acquire healthy habits at an early age."
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Posted on 2010/9/12 7:00:01 ( 471
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If there is one place on the face
of earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very
earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India.
French scholar Romain Rolland
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Posted on 2010/9/11 7:05:01 ( 390
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, September 1,
2010: A 52-year-old businessman is spreading Lord Krishna's simplified word
to the farthest reaches of the country for free. All one needs to do is
send him a text message with his or her name and postal address, and he
will ship a copy of the Bhagavad Gita anywhere in India.
"I've been providing this service for the past three years," says
Ramji who operates a photostat and color printing business. However, life
wasn't always this pleasant for Ramji. After the family suffered hardships
and lost their savings, Ramji, his father and younger brother began to sell
chappals at weekly markets. With the meagre income that he managed to earn,
Ramji began buying low-cost Bhagvad Gitas from the temple and distributed
them to his customers.
"The earnings started increasing and soon I was able to set up a small
photostat shop," said Ramji. "But I realized that the biggest
base of devotees -- the poor -- did not have the means to procure the Gita.
So I took it upon myself to ensure that they get the Gitas," he said.
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Posted on 2010/9/11 7:04:01 ( 416
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INDIA, September 2, 2010: India's
central government canceled a dam project on a Ganges River tributary last
week, after the leading partner in the ruling coalition intervened because
of environmental and religious concerns. This is the third project on the
river scrapped because of such pressure.
A group of ministers led by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee green-lighted
the 600 Megawatts Loharinag Pala hydroelectric project since the government
had already spent US$139 million on the dam and committed US$429 million in
supply contracts. But leaders of the Congress party, including environment
minister Jairam Ramesh, abandoned the agreement because of local and
national pressure.
Work on the dam stopped in March 2009 after a well-known India scientist,
A.D. Agarwal, nearly died during a hunger strike in protest. "The
water ... is not ordinary water to a Hindu. It is a matter of the life and
death of Hindu faith," said Agarwal, former dean of the Indian
Institute of Technology, to the Guardian before he started his fast.
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Posted on 2010/9/11 7:03:01 ( 394
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MUMBAI, INDIA, September 9, 2010:
10,000 Ganesh mandals in the city are pledging to refrain from advertising
tobacco products during the 11-day festival. The success of the pledge,
though, remains to be seen as mandals collectively stand to lose over
US$100,000 as tobacco companies are their major sponsors.
If the mandals stick to their pledge, one would not get to see any
tobacco-related advertisements, even surrogate ones, in the pandals this
year. "We have already appealed to all mandals that advertisements
related to gutkha, cigarettes or other tobacco products should be totally
banned," said Naresh Dahibawkar, president of Sarvajanik Ganpati
Mandal Samanvay Samiti.
Dahibawkar, however, admitted that the losses for mandals could be up to
10-15% as tobacco companies provide the lion's share of advertisements.
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Posted on 2010/9/11 7:02:01 ( 398
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HASANPARTHY, INDIA, September 10,
2010: Students of Sujatha Vidyaniketan prepared 400 Ganesha murtis with the
clay brought from the village tank and distributed them among the
villagers.
With the view to popularise the use of clay murtis and discourage the
plaster-of-paris murtis among the general public and to inculcate a sense
of environmental protection among children, the school had taken up the
campaign.
Distributing the murtis to the villagers at a function, ZPTC member N.
Jhansi Rani stressed the need for protecting the environment. "In the
olden days, people used to dig the tank for clay. It helped in de-silting
the tank," she said.
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Posted on 2010/9/11 7:01:01 ( 423
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KAUAI,
HAWAII, September 5, 2010: Hinduism Today is working on the fifth and last
in its series on Indian History, this chapter covering Independence to
today. We are puzzled by the system of family or personal law in India and
are seeking someone expert in this subject to help us. Among our questions
are if there are parliament acts passed for the personal law of Hindus,
Muslims, Christians and Jews in India, and whether these acts are all dealt
with in the same district courts by state-appointed judges. If you can help
with this, please e-mail ar@hindu.org.
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Posted on 2010/9/18 7:00:01 ( 381
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Mahatma Gandhi visited London in
1932. He toured the city wearing traditional dhoti and khadi shawl. People
who met him were shocked with his "barbaric" attire, and he was
the subject of ridicule--notably by Churchill himself. On one occasion
Gandhi accepted an invitation to tea from King George V, "Emperor of
India." When asked afterwards if he felt underdressed, Gandhi replied,
"His Majesty had enough clothes on for both of us."
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Posted on 2010/9/18 1:35:09 ( 931
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Source: HPI
KAUAI, HI, USA, September 18, 2010:
Hinduism's dearest and most rotund God was celebrated with pomp all over
the world. The worship of Lord Ganesha is increasingly international. Below
HPI brings you short summaries of celebrations around the world, with
links.
Ganesh festival celebrated in Lyon, France (link)
Yesterday nearly 200 devotees and onlookers attended the fifth annual
parade in honor of God Ganesh, organized by the Hindu Temple of
Rillieux-la-Pape in the suburbs of Lyon, France. A mix of individual
spiritual contemplation and communal festivity, this event brings together
the Hindu community and the curious public every year. At 11:00, the crowd
gathered outside the temple on Bottet Street to accompany the God. Between
traditional music, the colorful saris, incense and religious customs, the
procession provided a grand spectacle. The festival ended with a vegetarian
meal offered by the temple to all participants.
Ganesh pulls in the crowds for Hindu festival in Leicester
(link)
Thousands of people have been queuing to pray at a nine-foot statue of the
Hindu God Ganesh as part of a religious festival. The statue, which is
claimed to be the biggest of its kind in the UK, is being displayed at
Shree Sanatan Mandir temple, in Weymouth Street, Belgrave, Leicester, as
part of the Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations. Staff at the temple ordered the
clay sculpture, which took four months to build, from Mumbai. The statue,
which is biodegradable, was taken to Liverpool on Wednesday and immersed in
the River Mersey to symbolise Ganesh's return to his parents and spiritual
home. Festival organiser Vinod Patel said this year's celebrations were the
biggest yet in Leicester. He said: "Every year we try to make the
statue bigger. It is the largest one in the UK this year and we've had
thousands of people coming to see it. It was hard work getting it inside
the temple but it has been worth it!"
Music fills streets of Flushing for Ganesha festival
(link)
The streets of Flushing were transformed into a path fit for a god as
thousands of Hindu worshipers gathered Sunday to celebrate the end of the
Sri Ganesha Chaturthi festival. Worshipers from around the world and even
some non-Hindus watched as Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of knowledge
and remover of obstacles, was carried around the Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati
Devasthanam Temple at 45-57 Bowne St., in his glorious 15-foot chariot
known as the Ratha Yatra. "It happens once a year. It shows our unity
as a community," said Virthura Kunarathnam, 18, a temple worshiper
from East Meadow, L.I.
Nearly 3,000 people, most dressed in traditional Hindu garb, danced, prayed
and gave gifts of food and trinkets to the god as it was moved around the
block of the temple. The chariot was led by a group of musicians who
entertained the crowd with upbeat drums and soothing Indian flutes. The
music was so fun for the crowd that even elected officials, such as City
Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone), state Sen. Toby Stavisky
(D-Whitestone) and her political rivals John Messer and Isaac Sasson danced
along as well.
Ganesha Chaturthi in Mauritius (HPI)
The paradisiac island of Mauritius, in the Indic Ocean, has a Spiritual
Park founded by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. There a giant murti of
five-faced Panchamukha Ganapati is worshiped with fervor. Large crowds
gather regularly to worship the Lord of Beginnings, singing bhajans,
writing prayers and offering millions of flowers. Ganesha's birthday
celebrations attracted this year over 7,000 people, or more than 0.5% of
the population of the whole Republic of Mauritius.
Honoring Ganesha in Oman
(link)
Ganesh Chaturti celebration in Oman commenced on Saturday 11th September
2010 on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturti day at Shiva Temple Hall, and lasted for
three days. A sparkling crown in the precious metal-gold, with neat
filigree patterns, was offered to Lord Ganesha after the pratisthapan
pooja. The celebrations reflected the spirit, piety and fervor of the
devotees. This mega festival celebration happens in Oman since 1985. The offerings
included a massive homa, 108 coconuts and 501 ladoos.
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Posted on 2010/9/18 1:34:10 ( 1133
reads )
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Source: HPI
KAUAI, HI, USA, September 18, 2010:
Hinduism's dearest and most rotund God was celebrated with pomp all over
the world. The worship of Lord Ganesha is increasingly international. Below
HPI brings you short summaries of celebrations around the world, with
links.
Ganesh festival celebrated in Lyon, France (link)
Yesterday nearly 200 devotees and onlookers attended the fifth annual
parade in honor of God Ganesh, organized by the Hindu Temple of
Rillieux-la-Pape in the suburbs of Lyon, France. A mix of individual
spiritual contemplation and communal festivity, this event brings together
the Hindu community and the curious public every year. At 11:00, the crowd
gathered outside the temple on Bottet Street to accompany the God. Between
traditional music, the colorful saris, incense and religious customs, the
procession provided a grand spectacle. The festival ended with a vegetarian
meal offered by the temple to all participants.
Ganesh pulls in the crowds for Hindu festival in Leicester
(link)
Thousands of people have been queuing to pray at a nine-foot statue of the
Hindu God Ganesh as part of a religious festival. The statue, which is
claimed to be the biggest of its kind in the UK, is being displayed at
Shree Sanatan Mandir temple, in Weymouth Street, Belgrave, Leicester, as
part of the Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations. Staff at the temple ordered the
clay sculpture, which took four months to build, from Mumbai. The statue,
which is biodegradable, was taken to Liverpool on Wednesday and immersed in
the River Mersey to symbolise Ganesh's return to his parents and spiritual
home. Festival organiser Vinod Patel said this year's celebrations were the
biggest yet in Leicester. He said: "Every year we try to make the
statue bigger. It is the largest one in the UK this year and we've had
thousands of people coming to see it. It was hard work getting it inside
the temple but it has been worth it!"
Music fills streets of Flushing for Ganesha festival
(link)
The streets of Flushing were transformed into a path fit for a god as
thousands of Hindu worshipers gathered Sunday to celebrate the end of the
Sri Ganesha Chaturthi festival. Worshipers from around the world and even
some non-Hindus watched as Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of knowledge
and remover of obstacles, was carried around the Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati
Devasthanam Temple at 45-57 Bowne St., in his glorious 15-foot chariot
known as the Ratha Yatra. "It happens once a year. It shows our unity
as a community," said Virthura Kunarathnam, 18, a temple worshiper
from East Meadow, L.I.
Nearly 3,000 people, most dressed in traditional Hindu garb, danced, prayed
and gave gifts of food and trinkets to the god as it was moved around the
block of the temple. The chariot was led by a group of musicians who
entertained the crowd with upbeat drums and soothing Indian flutes. The
music was so fun for the crowd that even elected officials, such as City
Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone), state Sen. Toby Stavisky
(D-Whitestone) and her political rivals John Messer and Isaac Sasson danced
along as well.
Ganesha Chaturthi in Mauritius (HPI)
The paradisiac island of Mauritius, in the Indic Ocean, has a Spiritual
Park founded by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. There a giant murti of
five-faced Panchamukha Ganapati is worshiped with fervor. Large crowds
gather regularly to worship the Lord of Beginnings, singing bhajans,
writing prayers and offering millions of flowers. Ganesha's birthday
celebrations attracted this year over 7,000 people, or more than 0.5% of
the population of the whole Republic of Mauritius.
Honoring Ganesha in Oman
(link)
Ganesh Chaturti celebration in Oman commenced on Saturday 11th September
2010 on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturti day at Shiva Temple Hall, and lasted for
three days. A sparkling crown in the precious metal-gold, with neat
filigree patterns, was offered to Lord Ganesha after the pratisthapan
pooja. The celebrations reflected the spirit, piety and fervor of the
devotees. This mega festival celebration happens in Oman since 1985. The
offerings included a massive homa, 108 coconuts and 501 ladoos.
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No comment
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Posted on 2010/9/18 1:17:34 ( 1517
reads )
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Source: HPI
KAUAI, HI, USA, September 18, 2010:
Hinduism's dearest and most rotund God was celebrated with pomp all over
the world. The worship of Lord Ganesha is increasingly international. Below
HPI brings you short summaries of celebrations around the world, with
links.
Ganesh festival celebrated in Lyon, France (link)
Yesterday nearly 200 devotees and onlookers attended the fifth annual
parade in honor of God Ganesh, organized by the Hindu Temple of
Rillieux-la-Pape in the suburbs of Lyon, France. A mix of individual
spiritual contemplation and communal festivity, this event brings together
the Hindu community and the curious public every year. At 11:00, the crowd
gathered outside the temple on Bottet Street to accompany the God. Between
traditional music, the colorful saris, incense and religious customs, the
procession provided a grand spectacle. The festival ended with a vegetarian
meal offered by the temple to all participants.
Ganesh pulls in the crowds for Hindu festival in Leicester
(link)
Thousands of people have been queuing to pray at a nine-foot statue of the
Hindu God Ganesh as part of a religious festival. The statue, which is
claimed to be the biggest of its kind in the UK, is being displayed at Shree
Sanatan Mandir temple, in Weymouth Street, Belgrave, Leicester, as part of
the Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations. Staff at the temple ordered the clay
sculpture, which took four months to build, from Mumbai. The statue, which
is biodegradable, was taken to Liverpool on Wednesday and immersed in the
River Mersey to symbolise Ganesh's return to his parents and spiritual
home. Festival organiser Vinod Patel said this year's celebrations were the
biggest yet in Leicester. He said: "Every year we try to make the
statue bigger. It is the largest one in the UK this year and we've had
thousands of people coming to see it. It was hard work getting it inside
the temple but it has been worth it!"
Music fills streets of Flushing for Ganesha festival
(link)
The streets of Flushing were transformed into a path fit for a god as
thousands of Hindu worshipers gathered Sunday to celebrate the end of the
Sri Ganesha Chaturthi festival. Worshipers from around the world and even
some non-Hindus watched as Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of knowledge
and remover of obstacles, was carried around the Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati
Devasthanam Temple at 45-57 Bowne St., in his glorious 15-foot chariot
known as the Ratha Yatra. "It happens once a year. It shows our unity
as a community," said Virthura Kunarathnam, 18, a temple worshiper
from East Meadow, L.I.
Nearly 3,000 people, most dressed in traditional Hindu garb, danced, prayed
and gave gifts of food and trinkets to the god as it was moved around the
block of the temple. The chariot was led by a group of musicians who
entertained the crowd with upbeat drums and soothing Indian flutes. The
music was so fun for the crowd that even elected officials, such as City
Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone), state Sen. Toby Stavisky
(D-Whitestone) and her political rivals John Messer and Isaac Sasson danced
along as well.
Ganesha Chaturthi in Mauritius (HPI)
The paradisiac island of Mauritius, in the Indic Ocean, has a Spiritual
Park founded by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. There a giant murti of
five-faced Panchamukha Ganapati is worshiped with fervor. Large crowds
gather regularly to worship the Lord of Beginnings, singing bhajans, writing
prayers and offering millions of flowers. Ganesha's birthday celebrations
attracted this year over 7,000 people, or more than 0.5% of the population
of the whole Republic of Mauritius.
Honoring Ganesha in Oman
(link)
Ganesh Chaturti celebration in Oman commenced on Saturday 11th September
2010 on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturti day at Shiva Temple Hall, and lasted for
three days. A sparkling crown in the precious metal-gold, with neat
filigree patterns, was offered to Lord Ganesha after the pratisthapan
pooja. The celebrations reflected the spirit, piety and fervor of the
devotees. This mega festival celebration happens in Oman since 1985. The
offerings included a massive homa, 108 coconuts and 501 ladoos.
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No comment
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Posted on 2010/9/18 1:16:23 ( 1072
reads )
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Source: HPI
KAUAI, HI, USA, September 18, 2010:
Hinduism's dearest and most rotund God was celebrated with pomp all over
the world. The worship of Lord Ganesha is increasingly international. Below
HPI brings you short summaries of celebrations around the world, with
links.
Ganesh festival celebrated in Lyon, France (link)
Yesterday nearly 200 devotees and onlookers attended the fifth annual
parade in honor of God Ganesh, organized by the Hindu Temple of
Rillieux-la-Pape in the suburbs of Lyon, France. A mix of individual
spiritual contemplation and communal festivity, this event brings together
the Hindu community and the curious public every year. At 11:00, the crowd
gathered outside the temple on Bottet Street to accompany the God. Between
traditional music, the colorful saris, incense and religious customs, the
procession provided a grand spectacle. The festival ended with a vegetarian
meal offered by the temple to all participants.
Ganesh pulls in the crowds for Hindu festival in Leicester
(link)
Thousands of people have been queuing to pray at a nine-foot statue of the
Hindu God Ganesh as part of a religious festival. The statue, which is
claimed to be the biggest of its kind in the UK, is being displayed at
Shree Sanatan Mandir temple, in Weymouth Street, Belgrave, Leicester, as
part of the Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations. Staff at the temple ordered the
clay sculpture, which took four months to build, from Mumbai. The statue,
which is biodegradable, was taken to Liverpool on Wednesday and immersed in
the River Mersey to symbolise Ganesh's return to his parents and spiritual
home. Festival organiser Vinod Patel said this year's celebrations were the
biggest yet in Leicester. He said: "Every year we try to make the
statue bigger. It is the largest one in the UK this year and we've had
thousands of people coming to see it. It was hard work getting it inside
the temple but it has been worth it!"
Music fills streets of Flushing for Ganesha festival
(link)
The streets of Flushing were transformed into a path fit for a god as
thousands of Hindu worshipers gathered Sunday to celebrate the end of the
Sri Ganesha Chaturthi festival. Worshipers from around the world and even
some non-Hindus watched as Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of knowledge
and remover of obstacles, was carried around the Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati
Devasthanam Temple at 45-57 Bowne St., in his glorious 15-foot chariot
known as the Ratha Yatra. "It happens once a year. It shows our unity
as a community," said Virthura Kunarathnam, 18, a temple worshiper
from East Meadow, L.I.
Nearly 3,000 people, most dressed in traditional Hindu garb, danced, prayed
and gave gifts of food and trinkets to the god as it was moved around the
block of the temple. The chariot was led by a group of musicians who
entertained the crowd with upbeat drums and soothing Indian flutes. The
music was so fun for the crowd that even elected officials, such as City
Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone), state Sen. Toby Stavisky
(D-Whitestone) and her political rivals John Messer and Isaac Sasson danced
along as well.
Ganesha Chaturthi in Mauritius (HPI)
The paradisiac island of Mauritius, in the Indic Ocean, has a Spiritual
Park founded by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. There a giant murti of
five-faced Panchamukha Ganapati is worshiped with fervor. Large crowds
gather regularly to worship the Lord of Beginnings, singing bhajans,
writing prayers and offering millions of flowers. Ganesha's birthday
celebrations attracted this year over 7,000 people, or more than 0.5% of
the population of the whole Republic of Mauritius.
Honoring Ganesha in Oman
(link)
Ganesh Chaturti celebration in Oman commenced on Saturday 11th September
2010 on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturti day at Shiva Temple Hall, and lasted for
three days. A sparkling crown in the precious metal-gold, with neat filigree
patterns, was offered to Lord Ganesha after the pratisthapan pooja. The
celebrations reflected the spirit, piety and fervor of the devotees. This
mega festival celebration happens in Oman since 1985. The offerings
included a massive homa, 108 coconuts and 501 ladoos.
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No comment
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Posted on 2010/9/17 7:02:01 ( 388
reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, September 15,
2010: Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat has said his
organisation's response to the Allahabad high court verdict on the Ayodhya
title suit would be strictly "democratic." The Sangh was ready to
explore legal options like an appeal in the Supreme Court, if needed, he
said.
"Our response will be after the verdict comes. Of course, the aspirations
of the Hindu society is that there should be a temple at Ram Janmabhoomi.
Our response to the verdict will be according to those wishes. We will try
to ensure that a Ram temple is constructed there," RSS chief Mohan Rao
Baghwat said.
Mr Bhagwat, who was interacting with journalists at the Indian Women's
Press Corps, indicated that if the verdict was not favorable, the Sangh
could explore the option of appeal in the Supreme Court. "Further
legal options will also be available. This is only a high court verdict.
There is also the Supreme Court," the RSS Sarsanghachalak said.
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No comment
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Posted on 2010/9/17 7:01:01 ( 391
reads )
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Source: HPI
KAUAI, HI, USA, September 18, 2010:
Hinduism's dearest and most rotund God was celebrated with pomp all over
the world. The worship of Lord Ganesha is increasingly international. Below
HPI brings you short summaries of celebrations around the world, with
links.
Ganesh festival celebrated in Lyon, France (link)
Yesterday nearly 200 devotees and onlookers attended the fifth annual
parade in honor of God Ganesh, organized by the Hindu Temple of
Rillieux-la-Pape in the suburbs of Lyon, France. A mix of individual
spiritual contemplation and communal festivity, this event brings together
the Hindu community and the curious public every year. At 11:00, the crowd
gathered outside the temple on Bottet Street to accompany the God. Between
traditional music, the colorful saris, incense and religious customs, the
procession provided a grand spectacle. The festival ended with a vegetarian
meal offered by the temple to all participants.
Ganesh pulls in the crowds for Hindu festival in Leicester
(link)
Thousands of people have been queuing to pray at a nine-foot statue of the
Hindu God Ganesh as part of a religious festival. The statue, which is
claimed to be the biggest of its kind in the UK, is being displayed at
Shree Sanatan Mandir temple, in Weymouth Street, Belgrave, Leicester, as
part of the Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations. Staff at the temple ordered the
clay sculpture, which took four months to build, from Mumbai. The statue,
which is biodegradable, was taken to Liverpool on Wednesday and immersed in
the River Mersey to symbolise Ganesh's return to his parents and spiritual
home. Festival organiser Vinod Patel said this year's celebrations were the
biggest yet in Leicester. He said: "Every year we try to make the
statue bigger. It is the largest one in the UK this year and we've had
thousands of people coming to see it. It was hard work getting it inside
the temple but it has been worth it!"
Music fills streets of Flushing for Ganesha festival
(link)
The streets of Flushing were transformed into a path fit for a god as
thousands of Hindu worshipers gathered Sunday to celebrate the end of the
Sri Ganesha Chaturthi festival. Worshipers from around the world and even
some non-Hindus watched as Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of knowledge
and remover of obstacles, was carried around the Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati
Devasthanam Temple at 45-57 Bowne St., in his glorious 15-foot chariot
known as the Ratha Yatra. "It happens once a year. It shows our unity
as a community," said Virthura Kunarathnam, 18, a temple worshiper
from East Meadow, L.I.
Nearly 3,000 people, most dressed in traditional Hindu garb, danced, prayed
and gave gifts of food and trinkets to the god as it was moved around the
block of the temple. The chariot was led by a group of musicians who
entertained the crowd with upbeat drums and soothing Indian flutes. The
music was so fun for the crowd that even elected officials, such as City
Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone), state Sen. Toby Stavisky
(D-Whitestone) and her political rivals John Messer and Isaac Sasson danced
along as well.
Ganesha Chaturthi in Mauritius (HPI)
The paradisiac island of Mauritius, in the Indic Ocean, has a Spiritual
Park founded by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. There a giant murti of
five-faced Panchamukha Ganapati is worshiped with fervor. Large crowds
gather regularly to worship the Lord of Beginnings, singing bhajans,
writing prayers and offering millions of flowers. Ganesha's birthday
celebrations attracted this year over 7,000 people, or more than 0.5% of
the population of the whole Republic of Mauritius.
Honoring Ganesha in Oman
(link)
Ganesh Chaturti celebration in Oman commenced on Saturday 11th September
2010 on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturti day at Shiva Temple Hall, and lasted for
three days. A sparkling crown in the precious metal-gold, with neat
filigree patterns, was offered to Lord Ganesha after the pratisthapan
pooja. The celebrations reflected the spirit, piety and fervor of the
devotees. This mega festival celebration happens in Oman since 1985. The offerings
included a massive homa, 108 coconuts and 501 ladoos.
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No comment
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Posted on 2010/9/17 7:01:01 ( 1234
reads )
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Source: HPI
KAUAI, HI, USA, September 18, 2010:
Hinduism's dearest and most rotund God was celebrated with pomp all over
the world. The worship of Lord Ganesha is increasingly international. Below
HPI brings you short summaries of celebrations around the world, with
links.
Ganesh festival celebrated in Lyon, France http://www.leprogres.fr/fr/region/le- ... ns-la-Ville-nouvelle.html">(link)
Yesterday nearly 200 devotees and onlookers attended the fifth annual
parade in honor of God Ganesh, organized by the Hindu Temple of
Rillieux-la-Pape in the suburbs of Lyon, France. A mix of individual
spiritual contemplation and communal festivity, this event brings together
the Hindu community and the curious public every year. At 11:00, the crowd
gathered outside the temple on Bottet Street to accompany the God. Between
traditional music, the colorful saris, incense and religious customs, the
procession provided a grand spectacle. The festival ended with a vegetarian
meal offered by the temple to all participants.
Ganesh pulls in the crowds for Hindu festival in Leicester
(link)
Thousands of people have been queuing to pray at a nine-foot statue of the
Hindu God Ganesh as part of a religious festival. The statue, which is
claimed to be the biggest of its kind in the UK, is being displayed at
Shree Sanatan Mandir temple, in Weymouth Street, Belgrave, Leicester, as
part of the Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations. Staff at the temple ordered the
clay sculpture, which took four months to build, from Mumbai. The statue,
which is biodegradable, was taken to Liverpool on Wednesday and immersed in
the River Mersey to symbolise Ganesh's return to his parents and spiritual
home. Festival organiser Vinod Patel said this year's celebrations were the
biggest yet in Leicester. He said: "Every year we try to make the
statue bigger. It is the largest one in the UK this year and we've had
thousands of people coming to see it. It was hard work getting it inside
the temple but it has been worth it!"
Music fills streets of Flushing for Ganesha festival
(link)
The streets of Flushing were transformed into a path fit for a god as
thousands of Hindu worshipers gathered Sunday to celebrate the end of the
Sri Ganesha Chaturthi festival. Worshipers from around the world and even
some non-Hindus watched as Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of knowledge
and remover of obstacles, was carried around the Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati
Devasthanam Temple at 45-57 Bowne St., in his glorious 15-foot chariot
known as the Ratha Yatra. "It happens once a year. It shows our unity
as a community," said Virthura Kunarathnam, 18, a temple worshiper
from East Meadow, L.I.
Nearly 3,000 people, most dressed in traditional Hindu garb, danced, prayed
and gave gifts of food and trinkets to the god as it was moved around the
block of the temple. The chariot was led by a group of musicians who
entertained the crowd with upbeat drums and soothing Indian flutes. The
music was so fun for the crowd that even elected officials, such as City
Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone), state Sen. Toby Stavisky
(D-Whitestone) and her political rivals John Messer and Isaac Sasson danced
along as well.
Ganesha Chaturthi in Mauritius (HPI)
The paradisiac island of Mauritius, in the Indic Ocean, has a Spiritual
Park founded by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. There a giant murti of
five-faced Panchamukha Ganapati is worshiped with fervor. Large crowds
gather regularly to worship the Lord of Beginnings, singing bhajans,
writing prayers and offering millions of flowers. Ganesha's birthday
celebrations attracted this year over 7,000 people, or more than 0.5% of
the population of the whole Republic of Mauritius.
Honoring Ganesha in Oman
(link)
Ganesh Chaturti celebration in Oman commenced on Saturday 11th September
2010 on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturti day at Shiva Temple Hall, and lasted for
three days. A sparkling crown in the precious metal-gold, with neat
filigree patterns, was offered to Lord Ganesha after the pratisthapan pooja.
The celebrations reflected the spirit, piety and fervor of the devotees.
This mega festival celebration happens in Oman since 1985. The offerings
included a massive homa, 108 coconuts and 501 ladoos.
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No comment
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Posted on 2010/9/17 7:00:01 ( 445
reads )
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Many think of God only after
receiving blows from the world. But blessed indeed is he who can offer his
mind, like a fresh flower, at the feet of the Lord from his very childhood.
One should practice renunciation in youth.
Sri Sarada Devi (1853-1920)
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No comment
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Posted on 2010/9/16 7:04:01 ( 419
reads )
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Source: Daily Times - Amar Guriro
KARACHI, September 2, 2010: 250,000
Hindus of Sindh, who left their native villages and towns and shifted to
relief camps after the flood, could not celebrate the religious festival of
Janmashtami (the birth of Lord Krishna). The celebrations comprising
special foods, prayers, visits to temples, religious rituals, recitation of
bhajans and fasting, which are supposed to be an essential part of the
festival, are impossible to arrange at the relief camps.
Pakistan Hindu Foundation (PHF), a representative body of Pakistani Hindus,
has estimated that floods have severely affected 250,000 Hindus living near
the Indus River and forced them to leave their native places.
The last national census stated that with a population of 3 million, Hindus
are the biggest religious minority in the country while a majority of them
are peasants, living in different districts of the Mirpurkhas division.
"Around 0.6 million Hindus live in the northern districts of Sindh
while 250,000 were displaced from Kashmor, Jacobabad and Shikarpur, and
have been shifted to camps," said PHF president DM Maharaj.
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No comment
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Posted on 2010/9/16 7:03:01 ( 400
reads )
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Source: HPI
PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD, August 22,
2010: Amid chants of Agni, Varuna, and Rudra, with oblation in sacrificial
fire pit at the lawns of beautiful St. Augustine Campus of University of
West Indies in Trinidad, were sitting some of the highest academic,
scholars, and intellectuals to explore the meanings of these ancient
practices and to make sense of them for the modern world.
The occasion was the 8th biennial International Conference of the World
Association of Vedic Studies (WAVES) that was inaugurated by the Indian
High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, H.E. Malay Mishra, and the
Foreign Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Surajrattan Rambachan. The
conference was held along three tracks: Academic Symposium on Vedic
Knowledge for Civilizational Harmony, Deep Dive into Understanding Vedic
Practices, and a Youth Summit.
The Vedic practice of Yajna was much discussed as a journey of
self-discovery and transformation and explained in detail; the fire
ceremony was performed by Shri PVR Narasimha Rao. "Yajna is a fire
ceremony that has deep macrocosmic symbolism and has lessons for the modern
man's quest for environmental rejuvenation and balance in society,"
said Shekhar Shastri, the program chair for WAVES 2010.
Prof. Subhash Kak, a leading scientist, described the astronomical
significance of the Vedic Yajna especially the number 108 which corresponds
to the distance between the earth and the Sun, and also the distance
between the earth and the Moon - and that the Yajna is a symbolic inner
journey to the inner cosmos.
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Posted on 2010/9/16 7:02:01 ( 398
reads )
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DETROIT, MICHIGAN, September 5,
2010 (by Darrell Clem): Esteemed spiritual leaders from as far away as
India joined thousands of metro Detroiters in song, prayer and upbeat
ceremonies that ended Sunday as the new Hindu Temple of Canton formally
opened amid a three-day celebration of what many lauded as one of the
nation's premier Hindu places of worship.
Temple chairman Manoj Sachdeva estimated that 8,000 to 10,000 people passed
through the doors over the weekend. A huge crowd packed a vast prayer hall
Sunday for what he hailed as "a history-making event" inside the
$8.3-million, 37,517-square-foot building.
Outside, priests and temple officials gathered atop the temple's roof and
blessed the building by sprinkling holy water, some of it brought from
India's revered Ganges River.
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Posted on 2010/9/16 7:01:01 ( 383
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JAMMU/KASHMIR, September 9, 2010:
The Vaishno Devi Shrine Board is to provide US$108,000 for the relief of
victims of the cloudburst and flash floods in Leh. At least 180 people were
killed in the August 6 flash floods and mudslides.
The money is being released by the shrine board on the directions of
Governor N.N. Vohra, chairman of the board that manages the shrines
affairs. The governor's directions came Friday after he concluded his
three-day visit to the flood-hit parts of Leh. During his visit, he met
with people and listened to their problems. Most of the people told the
governor that they wanted shelters before the onset of winter.
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Posted on 2010/9/16 7:00:01 ( 465
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Many advances in the sciences that
we consider today to have been made in Europe were in fact made in India
centuries ago.
Grant Duff, British historian of India
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Posted on 2010/9/15 23:33:54 ( 1630
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source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ar ... how/6503627.cms?prtpage=1
MUMBAI, INDIA, September 6, 2010: Record prices have done little to dim the
popularity of silver and gold offerings to Ganesha around the Chaturhi
festival.
Last Friday, a prominent resident of Veera Desai Road chose quiet anonymity
even as his spectacular offering of a 35 lb. silver chhatra (umbrella) was
unveiled at the Andhericha Raja Ganpati at Azad Nagar. The donor, a leading
developer in the western suburbs who had his prayers answered, said,
"I had made a pledge and I had to redeem it. Costs don't matter. After
all, it is He who gives."
The richest Ganesha mandals in the city confirm that despite a giddy spiral
in bullion prices, offerings of gold and silver continue to break previous
records. "We have never needed to purchase golden or silver ornaments
and embellishments for our temple's Ganapati," says Uday Salian of
Andhericha Raja. "From necklaces and earrings to garlands, models of
houses, babies and body parts, our God receives a cache of offerings in
precious metal."
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Posted on 2010/9/25 7:03:01 ( 421
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JAKARTA, INDONESIA, September 7,
2010: Police have seized 144 stolen sacred Hindu artifacts from three
storage facilities in Bali after arresting the suspected thief, a
50-year-old Italian national, last week.
On Tuesday, police raided a warehouse on Jalan Mertanadi in Seminyak, where
they recovered 20 artifacts depicting various deities such as the God
Vishnu and sacred animals like Garuda the bird-god. The day before, police
confiscated 24 pratimas, or religious effigies, in a raid on an art shop on
Jalan Teuku Umar in Denpasar.
"These artifacts that we have confiscated are connected to the string
of pratima thefts at various Hindu temples across Bali," Adj. Comr.
Soma Adnyana, chief of Bali Police's criminal unit, said on Tuesday.
Police believed that the suspect, Roberto Gamboa, was a collector of stolen
artifacts. Last week, they arrested the Italian and confiscated 110
pratimas at a villa belonging to him. Police also discovered 35,000 ancient
Balinese coins, several Sanskrit scriptures and golden statuettes. Police
later arrested Gamboa's alleged accomplices
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Posted on 2010/9/25 7:02:01 ( 418
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THANJAVUR, INDIA, September 2010:
The Government will organize a five-day cultural festival from September 22
to 26 involving thousands of artists to mark the millennium celebrations of
the Big Temple in Thanjavur.
A confluence of a thousand folk artists from 75 troupes in Thanjavur will
participate in cultural events to be held in the evenings from September 22
to 24 in venues on the Big Temple premises, Rajarajan Manimandapam,
Tholkappiar Sathukkam, Old TNHB quarters and Karandhai.
Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will inaugurate a special exhibition in
Thanjavur palace showcasing Chola paintings, inscriptions, sculptures,
musical instruments, archaeological evidences and 100 paintings by students
of Government Arts College, Kumbakonam. The same day, Chief Minister M.
Karunanidhi will preside over a symposium on 'Thanjavur's contribution to
Indian pride,' and release a book titled 'Chola paintings' at Thanjavur
Tamil University.
Subsequently, the Department of Tourism and Culture will organise a
cultural event titled 'Poongavil Poongatru' on Saturdays for 30 weeks at
Sivagangai Park. A month long Indian dance festival will be held on the Big
Temple premises beginning December 26.
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Posted on 2010/9/25 7:01:01 ( 373
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KOCHVILLE
TWP, MICHIGAN, September 2, 2010: About 300 families in the Great Lakes Bay
Region now have a gathering place more than 20 years in the making. On
September 12, leaders broke ground and performed an official religious
ceremony for the region's first Hindu temple.
"This fulfills a spiritual need for this community," Dr. K.P.
Karunakaran, chairman of the temple's executive committee, said.
Karunakaran said a call for a Hindu temple for Bay, Midland and Saginaw
counties began 20 to 25 years ago by members of the Hindu community, most
of whom moved to the region from India. With the nearest Hindu temple, the
Paschima Kasi Sri Vishwanatha Temple, in Flint, local Hindu families
organized gatherings of 150 to 200 people in their homes, said Dr. Anirudha
Bhandiwad, chairman of the temple's events committee.
Organizers will not make final plans on the new temple until later but are
looking to construct the 10,000- to 12,000-square-foot temple in several
phases within the next three to five years at a cost of about $2.5 million
collected through individual donations. The new temple is expected to
accommodate 250 to 300 people.
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Posted on 2010/9/25 7:00:01 ( 437
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As you pray to God for devotion, so
also pray that you may not find fault with anyone.
Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886)
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Posted on 2010/9/24 7:04:01 ( 408
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KAUAI, HI, USA, September 24, 2010:
It was a few years ago that Hinduism Today raised the bar for Hindu
publications with the release of "What Is Hinduism?", a richly
illustrated book with more than forty chapters exploring our religion,
drawn from the well-polished Insight Sections of the quarterly magazine.
It has been an editorial success.
Now the same editorial staff is teaming up with highly talented Indian
filmmakers to create a version of it on video. The pilot episode, entitled
"God, Soul and World," explains beautifully the Hindu view of how
these three fundamental entities relate to each other. It is clear, concise
and very entertaining. You can watch the standard-definition version here
or the high-definition version here. Don't miss it.
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Posted on 2010/9/24 7:04:01 ( 382
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KAUAI, HI, USA, September 24, 2010:
It was a few years ago that Hinduism Today raised the bar for Hindu
publications with the release of "What Is Hinduism?", a richly
illustrated book with more than forty chapters exploring our religion,
drawn from the well-polished Insight Sections of the quarterly magazine.
It has been an editorial success. Now the same editorial staff is teaming
up with highly talented Indian filmmakers to create a version of it on
video. The pilot episode, entitled "God, Soul and World,"
explains beautifully the Hindu view of how these three fundamental entities
relate to each other. It is clear, concise and very entertaining. You can
watch it here . Don't miss it.
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Posted on 2010/9/24 7:03:01 ( 371
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KAUAI, HI, USA, September 24, 2010:
Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami reads his editorial from the
October/November/December 2010 edition of HInduism Today magazine in this
precious little video. You might be able to make your life more effective
and spiritually beneficial by following some simple principles about
choosing good company, reinforcing your aura and observing the people that
surround you.
An excerpt: "Our actions, speech, state of consciousness and attitudes
toward life are all strongly influenced by our companions, just as they are
by the food we eat. Therefore, it is important to surround oneself with
good, religious, higher-consciousness people."
Click here .
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Posted on 2010/9/24 7:02:01 ( 363
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TRINIDAD, September 22, 2010:
Reports streaming in indicate that Ganesh Murtis from all quarters of
Trinidad were accepting milk. Mandirs, as well as Hindus from their homes
have reported live on Radio Jaagriti that Ganesh Murtis have been
"drinking milk" when offered on this final day of the Ganesh
Utsav.
The "miracle", as it was called by believers, was first noted at
midday on Tuesday at the Om Shanti Mandir, Cunjal Road, Princes Town, where
devotees have been observing the holy period of Ganesh Utsav. Other mandirs
began observing the "phenomenon" yesterday.
A steady stream of devotees stood in line yesterday to make offerings to
the elephant-headed God, remover of obstacles in the Hindu faith.
Chief executive officer of Radio Jaagriti Devant Maharaj said yesterday the
Hindu milk miracle was a phenomenon considered by Hindus as a miracle.
"It first occurred on September 21, 1995, all over the globe, and
again, on August 20-21 in 2006, in almost exactly the same fashion,"
he said.
He said the first report locally came in from the local Om Shanti mandir
and since then, mandir groups from all over the world have been reporting
similar experiences of the murtis drinking milk. "At Radio Jaagriti,
devotees began standing in line to offer milk, fruits and flowers to a
Ganesh murti kept at the radio station," he said. He said Hindus had
seen the hand of divinity in the miracle. "God is among us," he
said.
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Posted on 2010/9/24 7:01:01 ( 405
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USA, Sept 20, 2010: This year's
extreme heat is putting the world's coral reefs under such severe stress
that scientists fear widespread die-offs, endangering not only the richest
ecosystems in the ocean but also fisheries that feed millions of people.
What is unfolding this year is the second known global bleaching of coral
reefs. Scientists are holding out hope that this year will not be as bad,
over all, as 1998, the hottest year in the historical record, when an
estimated 16 percent of the world's shallow-water reefs died.
Coral reefs are made up of millions of tiny animals, called polyps, that
form symbiotic relationships with algae. The polyps essentially act as
farmers, supplying the algae with nutrients and a place to live. The algae
in turn capture sunlight and carbon dioxide to make sugars that feed the
coral polyps. The captive algae give reefs their brilliant colors.
Coral bleaching occurs when high heat and bright sunshine cause the
metabolism of the algae to speed out of control, and they start creating
toxins. The polyps essentially recoil. "The algae are spat out,"
Dr. Wilkinson said. The corals look white afterward, as though they have
been bleached. If temperatures drop, the corals' few remaining algae can
reproduce and help the polyps recover. But corals are vulnerable to disease
in their denuded condition, and if the heat stress continues, the corals
starve to death.
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Posted on 2010/9/24 7:00:01 ( 423
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Remember, when you find yourself
arguing with a fool, he is doing the same thing.
.
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Posted on 2010/9/19 7:02:01 ( 367
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VIENTIANE, LAOS, September 10,
2010: India has agreed to renovate the Vat Phou or Wat Phou temple complex
in southern Laos as part of deepening cultural and historical ties which
have existed between the two countries for more than 2000 years.
Wat Phou is a ruined Khmer temple complex in southern Laos. It is located
at the base of Mount Phu Kao near the Mekong river in Champasak province.
There was a temple on the site as early as the sixth century. The summit of
Phu Kao is a Linga, a symbol of Shiva, thus giving it the more popular
name, Lingaparvat.
"It is an ongoing restoration project which started in 2009. The work
restarts again after the end of rainy season in Lao. It will take seven
years for completion of the project. It will also help us to understand
common cultural heritage of Lao," said Secretary (East) in the
Ministry of External Affairs, Vijaya Latha Reddy.
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Posted on 2010/9/19 7:01:01 ( 355
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INDIA, September 2010:
Centralizing, preserving and improving public access to government orders,
historical and cultural documents and manuscripts is often considered the
most irrefutable form of preserving heritage. The Tamil Nadu Archives,
which is considered one of the largest and accessible repositories of
documents in South Asia, however needs better infrastructure, speeding up
of digitizing important records and open accessibility to contemporary
records, say research scholars.
With records that date back to 1670s, digitization of archives started in
2006, but only the records till the pre-mutiny period have been digitized
completely till now. "It takes weeks to procure old records here, it
is much faster in other countries," says a researcher from Europe.
Many old records at the institute require better preservation mechanisms,
she says, adding that scanning and lamination should have been introduced
long time ago to prevent the loss of important archives with time.
Higher Education Secretary K. Ganesan says there has been additional
allotment of funds for renovation of the institute and programs are under
way to modernize the institute. "The process of digitization will get
over in a month," he says, adding that public grievances are being
catered to with utmost urgency.
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Posted on 2010/9/19 7:00:01 ( 452
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What is the secret of the true
life? To remain still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly awake
while in meditation.
Dada Vaswani
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Posted on 2010/9/18 7:02:01 ( 406
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NEW ZEALAND, September 5, 2010:
Hindu Niwas, a new initiative at the Hindu Heritage Centre, is "a home
away from home" that provides accommodation to seniors, at-risk women
and children, socio-economically deprived families, and respite for
caregivers, international students and visitors to Auckland, all with a
Hindu twist. It is equipped with 63 beds, with common kitchen facilities.
Swami Vigyananand inaugurated this facility in a traditional Hindu way in
May. In July, Maori elder Matua Pomare and staff members from Te Wananga o
Aotearoa (The University of New Zealand) blessed the facility and the land.
Hindu Niwas works collaboratively with a wide range of Indian and other
ethnic organisations to serve communities from a number of countries. It
works with government service providers in social services and health
sectors. Hindu Niwas was designed to provide respite services to make life
easier for people in support roles, like caregivers. "We aim to
provide culturally appropriate and quality services so that the residents
develop good social networks," said Sneh Prasad, volunteer of Hindu
Council of New Zealand who helped set up this project.
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Posted on 2010/9/18 7:01:01 ( 366
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, September 9,
2010: In yet another sign of increasing Chinese influence, Nepal is
detaining refugees from Tibet and handing them back to Chinese authorities.
Tibetan agencies in Kathmandu have brought the matter to the notice of the
Indian embassy in Kathmandu but highly placed government sources said New
Delhi is not inclined to take up the matter officially with Nepal.
"The Indian embassy as well as some other embassies in Kathmandu are
aware of the matter. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) is trying to help us. We faced a similar situation in 2003 but it
was sorted out. However, it started all over again in June this year,"
Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office secretary in Kathmandu Trinlay Gyatso said.
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Posted on 2010/9/28 7:02:01 ( 1372
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Source:
The independent Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life says it asked 3,400
Americans to answer questions about their religious knowledge, and on
average their answers were correct only 50 percent of the time. Survey
results released Tuesday show that atheists and agnostics scored the
highest. They answered about 21 of the 32 questions, followed by Jews and Mormons,
who each had about 20 correct answers. ( Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists were
included in the survey, but the Pew organization said too few of them took
part to produce relevant data for each group.)
The Pew study found that only 47 percent of Americans know the Dalai Lama
is Buddhist. Less than 40 percent identify Vishnu and Shiva with Hinduism.
And only about 27 percent know that most Indonesians are Muslim - even
though that country has the world's largest Muslim population.
Pew researchers' previous surveys have ranked the United States as one of
the most religious nations among the world's developed countries. About 60
percent of American adults say religion is "very important" in
their lives. However, the foundation said its "U.S. Religious Knowledge
Survey shows that large numbers of Americans are uninformed about the
tenets, practices, history and leading figures of major faith traditions -
including their own."
The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life said the general margin of
error the survey was about 2.5 percentage points.The Pew Research Center,
the nonpartisan group that operates the religious forum, posted full
details of the survey at www.pewforum.org.
You can take the survey yourself on the their website.
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Posted on 2010/9/28 7:01:01 ( 386
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Source: Religion News Service
BHUTAN, September 29, 2010: (RNS)
Officials in Buddhist-majority Bhutan have barred Hindu and Buddhist clergy
from voting in upcoming elections in order to "keep a clear distinction
between religion and politics." The country's regulatory authority on
religious organizations is now busy identifying Buddhist and Hindu clergy
who should be barred from voting.
The landlocked Himalayan nation considers Mahayana Buddhism the state religion
and funds a large monastic community, but also requires religion to be
above politics.
The Bhutan Youth Development Fund, a non-profit group that sponsors monks
who do not receive government assistance, estimates that almost 10 percent
of the population is part of the monastic system. Around 75 percent of the
less than 700,000 Bhutanese are Buddhist. Another 22 percent are Hindus,
the only other officially recognized religion. Since the 17th century,
Bhutan has followed a dual system of governance, known as the
Chhoe-sid-nyi, which splits the government powers into a religious branch
headed by a chief abbot (known as Je Khenpo), and an administrative branch
headed by the king (now headed by the prime minister). Until now, the
clergy had the right to vote.
Despite these secular leanings, Bhutan's 2008 constitution specifies that
the king must be a Buddhist. It also mandates that parliament conclude all
sessions with Buddhist prayers, and requires religious institutions and
figures to promote the Buddhist spiritual heritage "while also
ensuring that religion remains separate from politics in Bhutan."
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Posted on 2010/9/28 7:00:01 ( 446
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A mind all logic is like a knife
all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it.
Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)
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Posted on 2010/9/27 7:03:01 ( 505
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, September 15,
2010: Taking exception to states' tergiversation on the removal of illegal
religious structures, the Supreme Court threatened to summon the respective
chief secretaries if they failed to comply with directions to remove or
relocate places of worship built on public land. A bench gave two weeks to
the states to file their response, the third instance the SC is giving time
to states to comply with its directions.
According to affidavits filed by various states, Tamil Nadu has the highest
number of unauthorized places of worship at 77,450, followed by Rajasthan
at 58,253, Madhya Pradesh at 51,624, and Uttar Pradesh at 45, 000. Delhi
has the least at 52.
On September 27, 2009, the SC had ordered there should be no unauthorized
religious structures on roads, pavements or other public places, as they
were inconvenience to people. In its order, the apex court had put the
responsibility on chief secretaries' to ensure no further construction took
place. The court said the states should deal with existing structures on
individual basis after hearing the parties concerned. From the affidavits,
it transpired none of the States have taken effective methods to abide by
the Supreme Court order.
[HPI note: Although this report mentions a judicial order from 2009 that
forbids "unauthorized religious structures on roads," HPI would
like to know if these applies only to Hindu shrines or to any religious
structure. Does the letter of the law match its enforcement? If you have
this information, please contact us here .]
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Posted on 2010/9/27 7:02:01 ( 391
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UNITED KINGDOM, September 5, 2010,
(by Andrew Buncombe): More information about the mysterious women carved
into the Cambodian temple could finally be revealed. Amid the splendor of
the 12th-century Hindu temple at Angkor Wat, they stand and stare like
silent sentinels, sensuous rather than erotic, carved with elegance and
care. But exactly who are these 1,786 mysterious women?
Though Kent Davis had lived in South-east Asia during the 1990s, he did not
have an opportunity to see Angkor Wat until 2005. "I went to Angkor as
a tourist and I was startled when I got there to notice these women,"
said Mr Davis, 54, a publisher and writer who now lives near Tampa,
Florida. "I was not prepared for it. The human element of them struck
me and I wanted to know who they were. I asked one of the guides and he
said they were there to serve the king after he went to heaven."
After turning for help to computer experts from the University of Michigan,
a team was able to conduct facial mapping experiments on digital
photographs of the women, or devatas. The team, whose findings were
presented last month at the International Conference on Pattern
Recognition, an academic convocation in Istanbul, concluded that there were
at least eight different facial types, perhaps reflecting a variety of
ethnicities in the Khmer kingdom.
The results are to be examined further by archaeologists and more computer
mapping is planned. But for all the effort that went into the mapping, the
results of which were published in DatAsia magazine, many questions about
the women remain unanswered.
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Posted on 2010/9/27 7:01:01 ( 422
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WASHINGTON
D.C., September 14, 2010: In the "Gods of Angkor" exhibition,
visitors can appreciate the design, ornamentation, and intricacies of the
36 master bronzes on view. The Exhibition is on view 10 A.M. to 5:30 P.M.
daily to January 23, 2011, at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1050
Independence Ave. SW. The exhibition is free of charge.
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Posted on 2010/9/27 7:00:01 ( 460
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Yoga is love. It is nonviolence at
the extreme edge.
Mahatma Gandhi
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Posted on 2010/9/26 7:03:01 ( 363
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KOLKATA, INDIA, September 2010:
Just a few weeks before Durga Puja (Navaratri), several families of the
city are organizing training camps for priests to bring authenticity into
community pujas. While the old family pujas still follow tradition
rigorously, when it comes to community pujas, the general complaint is that
the piety gets drowned in merrymaking and that even priests take it easy.
The training camps are trying to bring back authenticity to community
pujas. One such camp is on in full swing at the Daw family mansion at
Girish Park. The camp is being conducted by Sanskrit scholars like Murari
Mohan Bendanto Tirthaand Jayanta Kushari. At least 150 priests were being
instructed why they should not take tea breaks in between the pujas and how
to get the Sanskrit accents right. "The magic of the mantras lies in
the diction. The right mantras will make you feel the presence of the divine,
they are so powerful," said Kushari.
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Posted on 2010/9/26 7:02:01 ( 402
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BENGALURU, INDIA, September 2010:
More than 10,000 Sanskrit Scholars from across the world and over 150
publishers from 14 countries will participate in the World Samskrit Book
Fair to be held at Bangalore Karnataka from January 7 to 10, 2011.
Samskruta Bharati, an RSS affiliated organisation for Samskrit
speaking-learning activities will be organizing this mega event.
Sanskrit Promotion Foundation spokesperson Srinivas announced that the
fair, to be organized jointly by various Sanskrit organizations and the
Karnataka government, will be the first of its kind. More than 500 new
publications would be released, he said. He stated that conferences and
workshops would also be held to provide a platform for discussion on
translations, new vocabulary and the role of Sanskrit, management and
leadership principles in its literature.
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Posted on 2010/9/26 7:01:01 ( 419
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INDIA, September 2010: Hitesh
Sompuraa, 33, is a one man army. His mission is to spread awareness and
stop what be believes to be a decline of Indian temple architecture. In his
latest endeavor, Sompuraa, the architect of Shri Nija Sevashram Temple in
Borivli, Mukteshwar temple in Juhu and the Madan Mohan Haveli in Gujarat
and Pune, has come up with a three point-agenda to "start a
conversation or a revolution about Indian architecture".
His latest exhibition features a film called Architecture ke Bheetar, a
book called You & Architecture and an exhibit of home temples. The
temples, made of white marble or sandstone, are finely detailed, scaled
down replicas of historical temples of India.
For now, Sompuraa wants to focus on temple architecture, an art that has
been passed down through 12 generations. "I want to carry on my family
tradition by presenting it in a more sophisticated way, so it appeals to
the new generation," says Sompuraa, whose ancestors built the Somnath
Temple in Gujarat, Ranakpur Temple in Rajasthan and the Dilwara temples of
Mount Abu.
The unique feature of these temples is that each was built keeping in mind
the elements of vastu-shastra, mythology, astrology, astronomy, and
mathematics. Everything Sompuraa builds is done in accordance with these
principals gleaned from a book in Sanskrit written by his forefathers.
"There is not enough documentation in case anyone wants to design in
Indian style," says Sompuraa, who is working dedicatedly towards
changing that fact.
[HPI note: Sacred temple architecture is alive and well in many parts of
India and even abroad, where master architects are hired to design temples
for diasporic Hindus. However, there are regional and cultural variations on
this mystical science, hence the need to preserve the many different
traditions.]
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Posted on 2010/9/26 7:00:01 ( 410
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An old Native American wise man
once said there were always two dogs inside of him fighting--a good dog and
a bad dog. When asked, "Which one wins," he replied, "The
one I feed."
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Posted on 2010/9/25 15:02:57 ( 374
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KAUAI, HI, USA, September 24, 2010:
It was a few years ago that Hinduism Today raised the bar for Hindu
publications with the release of "What Is Hinduism?", a richly
illustrated book with more than forty chapters exploring our religion,
drawn from the well-polished Insight Sections of the quarterly magazine.
It has been an editorial success.
Now the same editorial staff is teaming up with highly talented Indian
filmmakers to create a version of it on video. The pilot episode, entitled
"God, Soul and World," explains beautifully the Hindu view of how
these three fundamental entities relate to each other. It is clear, concise
and very entertaining. You can watch the standard-definition version here" or the high-definition
version here. Don't miss it.
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Posted on 2010/9/25 15:02:42 ( 374
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KAUAI, HI, USA, September 24, 2010:
It was a few years ago that Hinduism Today raised the bar for Hindu
publications with the release of "What Is Hinduism?", a richly
illustrated book with more than forty chapters exploring our religion,
drawn from the well-polished Insight Sections of the quarterly magazine.
It has been an editorial success.
Now the same editorial staff is teaming up with highly talented Indian
filmmakers to create a version of it on video. The pilot episode, entitled
"God, Soul and World," explains beautifully the Hindu view of how
these three fundamental entities relate to each other. It is clear, concise
and very entertaining. You can watch the standard-definition version here" or the hi here.
Don't miss it.
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No comment
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Posted on 2010/9/25 7:05:01 ( 410
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, September 24,
2010: The Supreme Court Thursday ordered an interim stay till September 28 on
the pronouncement of the Ayodhya verdict by the Lucknow bench of the
Allahabad High court.
The high court was due to deliver its verdict on the Babri
Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi title suit Friday.
An apex court bench of Justice R.V. Raveendran and Justice H.L. Gokhale,
while issuing notice to all the parties to the title suit, asked Attorney
General Goolam Vahanvati to be present in the court when the case is heard.
The ruling followed a petition of retired bureaucrat Ramesh Chandra
Tripathi for postponement of the high court verdict at least until the end
of the October 3-14 Commonwealth Games. It also sought the court's
direction to the parties to explore possibilities of an out of court
amicable settlement.
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Posted on 2010/9/25 7:04:01 ( 413
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Source: HPI
NEW DELHI, INDIA, September 23,
2010 (By Rajiv Malik, HPI Correspondent South Asia/India):
"The Allahabad High Court's verdict on Ram Janambhoomi dispute needs
to be reported in a highly matured and responsible manner so that passions
are not aroused and peace in the country is not disturbed. However there is
no need to create an unnecessary panic over the delivery of the court
ruling. What also needs to be understood is that the High Court decision
will not be the final decision and both the parties will have the option to
file an appeal with the Supreme Court of India if they were not satisfied
with the ruling." This was the consensus view of a large number of
journalists who participated in a seminar on the subject, "Ayodhya and
Media" which was organized by Delhi Journalists Association on
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at the Deputy Chairman Hall in the
prestigious Constitution Club located in the heart of Central Delhi.
Expressing his views, senior journalist Shri Ram Bahadur Rai said, "
The verdict would not mean just reporting of an event but reporting on a
part of history as it was a 482 years old dispute which was being heard in
the court for the past 60 years."
Shri Rajendra Prabhu, another senior journalist said that the nation was
passing through very difficult times and we all knew what was happening in
Kashmir. Shri Prabhu opined, "We have to ensure that our sources are
reliable and we need to verify our fact not once but if needed twenty
times, if we are reporting something as important and sensitive as Ayodhya
verdict. We have to ensure that the credibility of the media is not damaged
in any manner. If we do not care about the facts and credibility then we
are just playing the role of a propagandist who is being used by some one
to carry on his propaganda through us."
Shri Alok Mehta, a senior journalist and editor of Nai Duniya, a Hindi
daily published from a number of states in India, said that important
verdicts like Ayodhya are occasions which test the credibility of media
organizations and media persons. According to Shri Mehta, "There have
always been forces which want to use the media for their own nefarious
purposes and designs. But we have to act with maturity and not try to
politicize the matter." He went on to say, " It is perhaps
justified for the court to not to allow media in the court as it would not
be possible for them to make arrangements for hundreds of media persons
from all over the world who have already started flocking down to the place
where the verdict will be delivered. Moreover it is going to be a 6000 page
verdict and maybe for a lay person like me it will take a lot of time to
understand what the verdict has to say. It would be good if experts on law
including some former justices are requested to help understand the
intricacies of the detailed judgement."
Expressing his views while participating in the discussion, this HPI
correspondent can share that "There was no need to create any panic as
both the parties to the dispute, that is the prominent Hindu and Muslim
organizations and their main leaders had publicly said that they will abide
by the verdict of the court. In fact the media should prominently highlight
this fact so that the readers know about this assurance of the leaders of
both the communities."
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Posted on 2010/10/2 6:02:01 ( 428
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, September 10,
2010: Nearly 15 years ago the Supreme Court had found it tough to define
Hinduism and had said it was a way of life. Now, it has found it equally
difficult to crystallize who could be termed as a Hindu. Can a person with
a Christian name be counted as a Hindu? He can be said the SC, but with two
caveats -- he must follow the practices of Hinduism professed in the area
and be accepted by the community as a Hindu.
This important ruling came in a case relating to AIADMK MLA M Chandra,
whose election from the Rajapalayam scheduled caste reserved constituency
was annulled by the Madras High Court faulting her for being a Christian
yet concealing it to contest from a reserved constituency.
Accepting her arguments that she had converted to Hinduism and had always
practiced Hindu rituals, a Bench comprising Justices D.K. Jain and H.L.
Dattu said that as long as she was accepted as part of the Hindu community
in the locality and there was nothing to contradict that she had converted
to Hinduism, her election could not have been set aside.
Justice Dattu said: "Hinduism's practices vary from region to region,
place to place. The Gods worshiped, the customs, traditions, practices,
rituals etc. they all differ, yet all these people are Hindus. ... The
determination of religious acceptance of a person must not be made on his
name or his birth. When a person intends to profess Hinduism, and he does
all that is required by the practices of Hinduism in the religion or by the
caste to which he belongs, and he is accepted as a Hindu by all persons
around him," the Bench said.
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Posted on 2010/10/2 6:01:01 ( 354
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One-fifth of the world's plants -
the foundation of life on Earth - are at risk of extinction, a study
concludes. The study, known as the Sampled Red List Index for Plants, is an
attempt to provide the most accurate assessment so far. Previous studies have
focused on the most threatened plants or particular regions. This one
instead sampled species from each of the five main groups of plants, and
its authors argue that as a result, their conclusions are more credible, if
shocking.
The analysis comes from the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, the Natural
History Museum and International Union for the Conservation of Nature
(IUCN).
Researchers have sampled almost 4,000 species, and conclude that 22% should
be classified as "threatened" - the same alarming rate as for
mammals. But a further 33% of species were too poorly understood to be
assessed. Launching the findings, Kew's director, Professor Stephen Hopper,
said the study would provide a baseline from which to judge future losses.
"We cannot sit back and watch plant species disappear - plants are the
basis of all life on Earth, providing clean air, water, food and fuel.
Another concern is that we have become dependent on a narrow range of
plants with a limited genetic base. The report estimates that 80% of the
calories consumed worldwide are derived from just 12 different species.
See a video at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11433781
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Posted on 2010/10/2 6:00:01 ( 421
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Wealth and happiness are not
related to each other as cause and effect. An attempt to secure happiness
by securing wealth is as futile as it is absurd.
Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati Mahaswamigal (1912-1954),
34th pontiff of the Sarada Peetham
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Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(My humble salutations to Sadguru Sri Sivaya Subramuniyaswami ji,
Satguru Bodhianatha Velayanswami ji, Hinduism
Today dot com for the collection)
(The Blog is reverently for all the seekers of truth,
lovers of wisdom and to share the Hindu Dharma with others on the
spiritual path and also this is purely a non-commercial blog)
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