News from Hindu Press International
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Posted on 2011/5/21 16:04:41 ( 1532
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No fruit is too heavy for the tender creeper. Similarly, a mother will
always find some means to support her child.
-- Tamil Proverb
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Posted on 2011/5/20 16:30:13 ( 1906
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KATMANDU, NEPAL, February 26, 2010: Some people live charmed lives. In
2004, two years after he climbed Mt. Everest for the seventh time, American
mountaineering legend Peter Athans took part in a charitable cataract
operation project in northern Nepal that changed the lives of nearly 300
beneficiaries. That has led to a discovery that, once fully understood,
could throw light on the early days of the oldest religions in the world.
"I made a lot of friends during the eye camp," says Athans.
"Some of them took me to a cluster of (man-made) caves that remain
hidden due to the height and the difficulty to get inside... There was no
knowledge of who created the caves and I thought this was an intriguing
mystery, worthy of further research and discussion," he said.
In 2008, the government of Nepal and the Department of Archaeology signed
an agreement with Sky Door Foundation, an NGO started in Nepal by Athans,
to explore the caves and make an inventory. Two years later, the exploring
team came across major finds in the network of caves in Mustang, a remote
mountainous district in northernmost Nepal that was once part of an ancient
Tibetan kingdom.
The expedition has found caves designed at different levels with the lower
levels usually used as granaries and the uppermost being burial sites. In
between, the space contains murals that though now fading and crumbling
down are still exquisite, two immense libraries containing almost 10,000
ancient manuscripts in old Tibetan script, some of which are beautifully
illuminated, and the remains of 27 people, the oldest of whom dates back to
100 years BCE.
The cave artefacts show a fusion of Tibetan and Indian religious art. Some
of it shows the influence of the art that prevailed in India during the
Gupta empire of Hindu kings who ruled from 320-480 AD. "Some of the
murals have images of men and women who were Indian mahasiddhas (yogis with
supernatural power)," says Leisl, Athans' wife.
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Posted on 2011/5/29 16:22:00 ( 2256
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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, INDIA, May 23, 2011 (Deccan Chronicle): The priest of a
Hindu temple (Santhikkaran in Malayalam) may be an intermediary of the
Divine inside the sanctum sanctorum, but is not even considered a worthy
groom outside it. Hundreds of young priests in temples of South Kerala are
in distress because no family is willing to give them a bride. "They
are in a very sad situation," said Akkeraman Kalidasa Bhattathiripad,
president of the Yogakshema Sabha.
Thanks to the measly pay (about US$111 per month) and low official grade,
priests don't get suitable brides. Distressed by this, the Sabha has decided
to conduct on-the-spot Veli (marriage) at its Fest 2011 to be held at the
Kottarakkara Brahmana Samooha Mathom on May 29 and 30.
"We will bring families of young men and women together and will also
arrange a panel of astrologers to examine horoscopes," said Mr
Muraleedhara Bhattathiri, chairman of the fest. The sabha has also decided
to set up a trade union of priests which will be given final shape at the
fest.
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Posted on 2011/5/29 16:21:54 ( 1987
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KOLKATA, INDIA, May 28, 2011 (by Nicholas Kristof, The New York Times): India
has been a bit of an embarrassment for those of us who believe in
democracy, especially when compared with China. The Communist Party in
China did a much better job fighting poverty than democratically elected
Indian governments. India tolerated dissent, but it also tolerated
inefficiency, disease and corruption.
But after my trips to India and China this year, I think all that may be
changing. Despite the global economic slowdown, India's economy is now
hurtling along at more than 8 percent per year.
The technology zones around Bangalore in southern India have been booming
for years, but what is changing is that the rise is gaining traction across
the country -- even here in Kolkata. Change is in the air in India. Infant
mortality is dropping, voters are pushing for better governance, and I
think India has three advantages over China in their economic rivalry in
the coming decades.
First, India's independent news media and grass-roots civic organizations
-- sectors that barely exist in China -- are becoming watchdogs against
corruption and inefficiency. My hunch is that kleptocracy reached its
apogee and is now waning in India, while in China it continues to get
worse.
Second, China's economy may be slowed by the aging of its population, while
India's younger population will lead to a "demographic dividend"
in coming decades. Likewise, China already reaped the economic advantages
of employing its women, while India is just beginning to usher the female
half of its population into the formal labor force.
Third, India has managed religious and ethnic tensions pretty well. In
China, by contrast, tensions with ethnic Tibetans and Uighurs are
worsening.
China's autocrats are extraordinarily competent, in a way that India's
officials are not. But traveling in India these days is a heartening
experience: my hunch is that the world's largest democracy increasingly
will be a source not of embarrassment but of pride.
[The author invites readers to comment here ]
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Posted on 2011/5/29 16:21:48 ( 2384
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USA, May 26, 2011 (Press Release): The American-Jewish Committee, an
advocacy group, has concluded a series of ground-breaking meetings in India
with leaders of the Hindu, Jain, Muslim and Sikh communities.
"All of these meetings reflect the new world of global interfaith
cooperation in which AJC has been a trailblazer," said Rabbi David
Rosen, AJC's International Director of Interreligious Affairs. Rosen was
part of a group of leading Jewish scholars from Israel that met with Hindu
scholars in Delhi to advance the historic bilateral collaboration that AJC
has pioneered. The gathering follows the Hindu-Jewish leadership summits
AJC has co-sponsored in India, Israel and the U.S. since 2007. "The
Hindu-Jewish relationship in particular has taken impressive new strides in
recent years," said Rosen.
This week's meeting in Delhi was convened under the auspices of the Chief
Rabbinate of Israel and the All India Dharma Acharya Sabha, and facilitated
by AJC and the World Council of Religious Leaders. Participants discussed
the theological points of convergence and difference in the two great
religions.
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Posted on 2011/5/29 16:21:41 ( 1909
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Bliss is the dance-stage, bliss is the lyric; Bliss are the diverse
instruments, Bliss is the meaning;The supreme felicity of the universe is
bliss, For he who yearns for His dance of bliss
-- Tirumantiram, a sacred mystical treatise by Rishi Tirumular,
verse v. 2725
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Posted on 2011/5/28 16:28:55 ( 1634
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, May 19, 2011 (Voa News): For the first time in 80 years,
India is planning a detailed survey of religious and caste affiliation.
Castes in India are part of a traditional Hindu system of social
categorization and are believed to have an impact on the economic fortunes
of the population. Leaders say having detailed caste data can help them
better target social programs.
Indian officials plan to distribute questionnaires about caste and
religious affiliation during June and July, alongside efforts to count
those Indians who are living below a government-set poverty line. This is
the first concrete plan by the Indian government to collect caste
affiliation data since 1931, prior to the country's independence from the
British.
N. Bhaskara Rao is one of India's most experienced and respected
demographic researchers. He says the caste survey has two well-intentioned
aims. "One is to establish a more reliable estimate," he said.
"The second is, those who are not represented, those who have not yet
gotten on to the power structure - to bring them into the fold of
power."
Ancient Hindu scripture outlines four basic social classifications, along
with a fifth class of so-called "untouchables," now known as
Dalits, who were at the bottom of the hierarchy and traditionally performed
society's most menial jobs. The reality is far more complex, with thousands
of sub-groupings weaving an intricate hierarchy of socially perceived
roles.
India's post-independence constitution set a goal of eliminating
caste-based discrimination. Modern Indian governments have taken a more
practical approach - seeking to target job quotas, food subsidies, and
other social programs at lower-caste Indians. Supporters of a caste census
says the data it generates will be crucial in tailoring such programs.
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Posted on 2011/5/28 16:28:49 ( 1960
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CHENNAI, INDIA, May 24, 2011 (Times of India): Encroachments on 2.4 acres
of land belonging to Sri Arulmigu Somanatheeswarar temple at Kolathur were
removed on Monday. Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE)
officials evicted two contractors of Chennai Corporation who used the land
to store materials. In addition, a car mechanic shop and another temporary
shed were demolished.
HR&CE is battling with encroachments on its lands across the city. Last
year, a piece of prime land which is under the occupation of a political
party's outfit was evicted with police help. This land is very valuable and
a small temple without any source of income owns the land.
The land is worth US$5.5 million in the current market rate. An official of
the HR&CE department said: "The encroachers refused to vacate the
land even though we showed proof including survey details and asked them to
move. As they refused, we used JCBs (excavation machines) and requested
police help to evict them."
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Posted on 2011/5/28 16:28:43 ( 1968
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MALAYSIA, May 26, 2011 (The Star): Thieves desecrated three Kuala Selangor
temples and stole gold platelets and navarathinam (precious stones) placed
in the sanctum ground before a Hindu Deity is installed, Tamil Nesan
reported.
The three estate temple managements Tuan Mee, Coalfield and Kg Kuantan were
shocked when the theft was discovered early Tuesday. Religious dictates
require gold platelets and precious stones to be placed in the temple
sanctum ground where the Deity is installed. Tuan Mee estate Sri Maha
Mariamman Temple chairman S. Subanathan estimated the thieves would have
netted 40 kilos of gold as well as the stones.
The Coalfield estate temple chairman M. K. Bala said this was the first
time that such an incident had occurred at the 150-year-old temple but
could not place a figure on the stolen gold.
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Posted on 2011/5/28 16:28:38 ( 1841
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As "A" is the first and source of all the letters. Even so is God
Primordial the first and source of all the world.
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Posted on 2011/5/28 7:47:29 ( 1852
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HYDERABAD, INDIA, May 21, 2011: The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N.
Kiran Kumar Reddy, lauded the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) trust for
organizing a mass marriage for poor people. About 12,000 couples across
Andhra Pradesh entered into wedlock yesterday as part of the sixth phase of
mass marriages by TTD.
Amid the chanting of Vedic hymns, the marriages were performed in various
towns of the state between 9.52am and 10.04am, the auspicious time set by
pundits.
TTD, which manages the affairs of the famous Tirumala temple, spent about
US$155 on each couple, providing them wedding apparel, mangala sutra
(chain), silver toe rings for brides, and food for 60 guests from both
sides.
The temple body has so far performed marriages of 46,000 couples under
Kalyanotsavam, launched four years ago, to strengthen the Hindu marriage
system and to help the poor Hindu families perform marriages of their
children in accordance with Hindu traditions.
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Posted on 2011/5/28 7:47:23 ( 2255
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KARNATAKA, INDIA, May 6, 2011: Raghuram Ashok and his cousin Sreenivasa
S.L., both Bangalore-based photographers, were intrigued by the thought of
a 16th century transcription of the Sampoorna Ramayana resting just 81
miles from their city.
They first visited the Academy of Sanskrit Research in Melkote--a temple
town in Karnataka and a historical centre of Sanskrit learning three months
ago. After several persistent inquiries, they're now working on a
self-initiated documentary project on the academy's archives.
With more than 6,000 manuscripts in its fold, and 10,000 bodies of work spanning
epic literature, general science, history and literature, the archives only
whet the photographers' interest further.
Established in 1977 and currently headed by Professor Bhashyam Swami, a
retired Sanskrit scholar from the University of Mysore, the academy has
been striving to collect, preserve and catalogue ancient manuscripts. A
recent survey by the Institute of Asian Studies in Chennai reports that
about 100,000 palm-leaf manuscripts have survived in south India alone, and
several others are scattered across the globe.
Centuries of oral culture are contained in these manuscripts, etched by
scribes using a metallic stylus and when done, applying soot over the
letters for readability. Since they were written on organic materials, the
manuscripts were elaborately rewritten from time to time to preserve the
content.
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Posted on 2011/5/28 7:47:17 ( 1448
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PUTTAPARTHI, INDIA, May 27, 2011 (The New York Times): Sri Sathya Sai Baba,
who spent decades assembling a spiritual empire, permeates every corner of
this small Indian city. He transformed it from a village of mud huts into a
faith center with a private airport, a university, two major hospitals,
rising condominium towers and a stadium -- a legacy now forcing a question
upon his followers: What happens now?
Business owners are wondering whether adherents will keep coming;
construction abruptly stopped on several half-built residential towers. Sai
Baba's medical, educational and philanthropic institutions are suddenly
without a leader. And for believers, there is the question of when, and in
what form, he will be reincarnated.
In his absence, though, the challenge will be maintaining the dedication
and support of his followers. His schools, hospitals and ashrams depend on
huge numbers of volunteers who come to Puttaparthi to perform free
services, and also on a steady stream of donations. His trustees say the
annual organizational budget is about $25 million, equally divided between
interest from investments and donations.
In Puttaparthi, business owners are already seeing changes. If devotees
once came for weeks or months to spend time near Sai Baba, now they are
coming for short trips to pay homage at his burial site. Nearly the entire
local economy depended on him: about 10,000 laborers from surrounding
villages worked on construction sites, and hundreds of other villagers sell
fruits and vegetables to visitors.
Yet most devotees are certain Sai Baba's appeal will only broaden. Among
believers, stories are circulating about "miracles" witnessed
around the world since his death: sacred ashes appearing on a photo of Sai
Baba in Uganda; ashes coming out of a Sai Baba statue in Russia; devotees
who have seen him materialize before them. Sai Baba described himself as the
second incarnation in a trinity and predicted that the third would be born
in the neighboring Indian state of Karnataka. Yet many believe that Sai
Baba will be coming back as himself. "Even in this form, we think he
will come back," said Sai Prakash, a devotee raised in the ashram.
"There are signs."
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Posted on 2011/5/28 7:47:11 ( 1306
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UK, May 26, 2011 (The Economist): In 2000 Paul Crutzen, an eminent
atmospheric chemist, realized he no longer believed he was living in the
Holocene. He was living in some other age, one shaped primarily by people.
From their trawlers scraping the floors of the seas to their dams
impounding sediment by the gigaton, from their stripping of forests to
their irrigation of farms, from their mile-deep mines to their melting of
glaciers, humans were bringing about an age of planetary change. With a
colleague, Eugene Stoermer, Dr Crutzen suggested this age be called the
Anthropocene--"the recent age of man".
The term has slowly picked up steam, both within the sciences (the
International Commission on Stratigraphy, ultimate adjudicator of the
geological time scale, is taking a formal interest) and beyond.
The most common way of distinguishing periods of geological time is by
means of the fossils they contain. On this basis picking out the
Anthropocene in the rocks of days to come will be pretty easy. Cities will
make particularly distinctive fossils. A city on a fast-sinking river delta
(and fast-sinking deltas, undermined by the pumping of groundwater and
starved of sediment by dams upstream, are common Anthropocene environments)
could spend millions of years buried and still, when eventually uncovered,
reveal through its crushed structures and weird mixtures of materials that
it is unlike anything else in the geological record.
The fossils of living creatures will be distinctive, too. Geologists define
periods through assemblages of fossil life reliably found together. One of
the characteristic markers of the Anthropocene will be the widespread
remains of organisms that humans use, or that have adapted to life in a
human-dominated world. According to studies by Erle Ellis, an ecologist at
the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, the vast majority of
ecosystems on the planet now reflect the presence of people. There are, for
instance, more trees on farms than in wild forests.
All these things would show future geologists that humans had been present.
But though they might be diagnostic of the time in which humans lived, they
would not necessarily show that those humans shaped their time in the way
that people pushing the idea of the Anthropocene want to argue. The strong
claim of those announcing the recent dawning of the age of man is that
humans are not just spreading over the planet, but are changing the way it
works.
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Posted on 2011/5/28 7:47:06 ( 1305
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It is so refreshing to visit a spiritual site that doesn't condemn me to
hell every second sentence.
-- Samantha McGarry after visiting www.hinduismtoday.com
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Posted on 2011/5/26 20:52:32 ( 1700
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VARANASI, INDIA, May 14, 2011: As an initiative to inculcate cultural
values and allied Indian ethos among youngsters, a special summer camp has
been organized for school children in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. This summer
camp has been introduced by Ishita School where the children are taught the
essence of Hindu culture, relevance of rituals, and recitation of passages
from holy scriptures such as Vedas, Bhagwad Gita, Upanishads and Puranas.
"It is very necessary for today's children because today, children are
convent educated, going far from our traditional culture. So, we need to
enlighten them about our Indian cultural heritage since during their
routine academics, they are unable to concentrate on this aspect. So, this
is the right time to give them the right training. That's why in summer
camp we are teaching these children Bhagwad Gita and Vedic Mantras among
others," said Ishita Saraswat, a trainer at the school.
Indu Saraswat, the coordinator of the school, said "Since many parents
are working, both of them don't have time to make their children understand
about basic culture. They don't have time even to make their children be
aware about certain basic facts of our culture and hence this summer camp
for the children."
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Posted on 2011/5/26 20:52:26 ( 1542
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NAGAPATTINAM, TAMIL NADU, INDIA, May 20, 2011: The famed Navaneetheshwara
Swamy Temple housing the celebrated Sikkal Singaravelavar shrine in Sikkal
is getting more infrastructural facilities, thus providing stimulus to
religious tourism in the district. The facilities will house 3,000
pilgrims.
Work to the tune of US$220,000 has been taken up at Sikkal as part of a
project funded by the State Department of Tourism, with the Hindu Religious
and Charitable Endowments as the executing agency.
The centuries-old temple, celebrated by the Thevaram saints, attracts an
annual pilgrim population of 200,000, which includes a pilgrim influx
during the week-long 'kanda sashti' festival in October and the float
festival during 'thaipoosam' in January. "Over 50,000 pilgrims visit
the temple in a single day for 'Vel' ceremony at the Singaravelavar temple.
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Posted on 2011/6/4 20:39:15 ( 1929
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INDIA, June 1, 2011 (The Australian): The Ganges River, India's heavily
polluted spiritual artery, has dropped to alarmingly low levels and begun
receding from the historic Varanasi Ghats, which attract millions of
pilgrims and tourists each year. The water has receded as much as 3m in
some areas from the holy ghats.
Environmentalists say levels in the upper reaches of the river below the
Himalayas, as well as downstream, are several metres lower than they should
be at a time when heavy rains and spring melt from Himalayan glaciers
normally increase flows.
The blame is being laid at the feet of the country's major hydroelectric
projects in the upper reaches of the river, which hoard massive volumes of
river flow in dams and barrages. But unregulated water extraction at all
points along the 2500km river, for farming, cities, industry and
hydroelectricity, has also reached unsustainable levels.
The effects of climate change on Himalayan glaciers -- a controversial
topic in India -- are also suspected of contributing to the river's reduced
flows.
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Posted on 2011/6/4 20:39:09 ( 2304
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LUCKNOW, INDIA, May 25, 2011: Traditional water stalls do not discriminate
between any religion. As per the traditions, Muslims set up water stalls at
prominent places in the city while they also queued up to have prasad and
cold drinks during this Hindu Festival. Lucknow celebrates Bada Mangal as a
reverence to Lord Hanuman wherein people from all walks of life set up
stalls offering water, cold drinks and sweets to the denizens. The trend
continues for all the four Tuesdays in the month of Jyestha in the Hindu
calendar.
Praising the spirit of Lucknow, historian Roshan Taqui opined that Muslims
and Hindus have always been in forefront in celebrating and extending a
helping hand in each other's festivities. "The most visible example is
the Purana Hanuman Mandir in Aliganj. A crescent over its dome symbolises
Hindu-Muslim unity," he said. It is believed that the temple was built
after the mother of a Muslim ruler had a dream telling her to build a
temple to Lord Hanuman. "Still today we can find Muslims putting up
stalls of flowers used for offerings outside various temples of the
city," said Taqui.
Hindus also set up stalls during Muslim festivals. "We support the
water stalls on Bada Mangal and our Hindu brethren put up water stalls
during Muharram. It is the spirit and tradition of Lucknow. There is no
religious discrimination. Our religion also stresses on offering water to
the thirsty," remarked spokesperson, All India Shia Personal Law
Board, Maulana Yasoob Abbas.
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Posted on 2011/6/4 20:39:03 ( 1649
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No fault befalls a king who, in guarding and caring for his subjects,
punishes wrongdoers -- that is his duty.
-- Tirukkural
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Posted on 2011/6/3 20:56:08 ( 1611
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CHENNAI, INDIA, May 31, 2011 (IBN live): The devotees who thronged the
Mallikeshwarar Temple in Ashok Nagar on Monday evening wore a look of
silent relief. The shrine, believed to be around 1000 years old, had been
under the threat of demolition, to make way for a Chennai Metro station.
But intervention by civil society and local advocacy groups seems to have
saved the temple.
The Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE),
which administers the temple, is understood to have reached an
understanding with the top officials of the Chennai Metro Rail Limited that
"not even a millimeter of the temple would be touched."
The decision to this effect reportedly came after the new chief minister, J
Jayalalithaa, asked officials to ensure that no religious structures were
demolished in the course of the Chennai Metro construction.
The large crowd of devotees that had gathered at the temple for special
services on the occasion of the auspicious pradosham on Monday, was treated
to a special discourse in Tamil on the impending destruction of the shrine
and its eventual escape. While some present credited this to the
intervention of Lord Shiva himself, others noted that the devotees who had
been visiting the temple for decades, had warned the officials against
harming the temple.
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Posted on 2011/6/3 20:56:03 ( 1650
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BANKA, BIHAR, INDIA, May 30, 2011 (IBN live): All India Santmat Mahasabha
(ALSM) President, Shahi Swamiji Maharaj died today after a week-long
ailment at Maniarpur Ashram in Banka district of Bihar. He was 90. The ALSM
president dedicated his life to propagate Hinduism in Bihar, Jharkhand and
West Bengal, Chaturandji said.
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Posted on 2011/6/3 20:55:57 ( 1777
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ALLAHABAD, INDIA, March 3, 2011 (Times of India): The first and foremost
Hindu literary work, the Vedas, laid importance on the mysteries of the
universe; "prosperity of the entire world is the primary objective of
Vedic scripture", said renowned Sanskrit scholar, Prof. Trivikarm
Narayan Dharmadhikari, while addressing a gathering of scholars and
students at Ganga Nath Jha Sanskrit Vidyapeeth.
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Posted on 2011/6/3 20:55:51 ( 1785
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What you're doing today or what you're planning tomorrow is of much more
importance than what you did yesterday.
-- Sir Edmund Hillary, first Westerner to climb Mt. Everest
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Posted on 2011/6/2 16:01:48 ( 1755
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AURORA, ILLINOIS, May 20, 2011: The 10-year-old brothers, Rahul and Rosha
Shirahatti, and their sister Riya, 8, took part in a yoga demonstration at
this month's Teacher Appreciation Day put on by Indian families in the
Indian Prairie School District.
Around 100 people attended the Guru Vandana 2011, the second annual Teacher
Appreciation Day event at the Eola Community Center. Attendees learned
about Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh's Balagokulam, a national organization that
has a Naperville and Aurora chapter where Indian children can learn
leadership, do activities, help community and learn about their Hindu
culture. And the event honored Aurora and Naperville area schools including
the Indian Prairie School District and Montessori teachers.
According to Pradeep Raghunath Sirole, program coordinator, in the Hindu
culture, a teacher is like a god. "They're guiding lights,"
Sirole said. "... All of the knowledge they learn -- science, math or
anything, martial arts, music -- everything is through a guru or a teacher.
So that's why we expect that the guru is really guiding our kids to a
better life."
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Posted on 2011/6/2 16:01:42 ( 1651
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UNITED STATES, May 11, 2011 (Huff Post, by Deepa Iyer): There is no such
thing as the average Hindu temple. They reflect the diversity of Hinduism
itself, varying architecturally by region, town, or village of India, by
historical era and philosophical school of thought, or by a specific
diaspora's spiritual inclinations. However, there are three certain
features that a visitor has a high probability of seeing when stopping by
any Hindu temple.
First and foremost, architecturally, a temple features either one or
several shrines containing murtis, images of Hindu Deities, to whom the
shrines are dedicated. Often, a single shrine might dominate the others,
reflecting the temple's affiliation with a primary Deity.
To me, a general recognition of unity in diversity presides at nearly every
Hindu temple: an arena in which polytheism and monotheism fluidly interact.
Even as multiple shrines combine to form a single temple, several Deities
mirror the diversity of the indescribable Supreme God, the ultimate
consciousness underlying existence.
Next, inside a temple, perhaps the most colorful process that a visitor
might notice is the observance of rituals, or pujas, that represent
offerings to the divine. Typically, such rituals symbolize the relationship
between the Supreme and the individual, humanizing the Supreme and
conversely implying the presence of Brahman in the individual's heart.
Rituals involve invoking the Deity early in the morning with Sanskrit
chants, bathing the Deity with milk, clarified butter, and water and
dressing the Deity.
And thirdly, pilgrims attend a temple to receive darshan, meaning
"sight" in Sanskrit: a metaphorical connection with the Supreme.
The priest circles the Deity with a flame and then extends it to the
temple-goers. This is the arathi ceremony, which occurs multiple times a
day at nearly all Hindu temples, the apex of the worship ceremony.
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Posted on 2011/6/2 16:01:36 ( 1689
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www.hinduamerican.org
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 25, 2011 (Hindu American Foundation press release) :
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Badawi had just finished
addressing an audience of activists, community leaders, and scholars at the
University of Minnesota. He extolled what he called religious harmony and
co-existence in his country, and after the talk was approached by Suhag
Shukla, Esq., Managing Director and Legal Counsel of the Hindu American
Foundation.
"Your description of your country as a pluralistic Islamic democracy
is very different than what we are hearing from Hindus living in
Malaysia," Shukla stated. When he solicited examples, Shukla listed
cases of Hindu parents losing parental rights when a spouse converts to
Islam and native born Hindus and Christians being denied access to jobs and
education unless they are Muslim ethnic Malays. "We have been
reporting these incidences annually in our Foundation's human rights
report," she told Mr. Badawi.
According to the Hindu American Foundation (HAF)'s seventh annual human
rights report, Hindus in South Asia and the Diaspora -- A Survey of Human
Rights 2010,
the tragic stories of Malaysian Hindus, abused Hindu girls in Bangladesh,
and destroyed Hindu temples in Pakistan comprise a grim reality for many
Hindus across the world.
As in years past, the Foundation's 2010 report censures eight countries for
what it considers rampant human rights violations and discriminatory laws
that designate minorities as second class citizens. Advanced copies of the
2010 report were released to the U.S. State Department and several members
of the U.S. Congress late last week.
"I know that the work of the Hindu American Foundation is vital to
chronicle the international human rights of Hindus every year," said
U.S. Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), founder and former co-chair of the
Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans. "The 2010 report
provides important information to members of Congress, and I look forward
to continuing to work with HAF to improve the human rights of Hindus around
the world."
"The fact that Hindus and other minorities are routinely denied
fundamental human rights and religious liberty in countries such as
Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Malaysia is unconscionable," said Ramesh
Rao, PhD, HAF's Human Rights Coordinator and author of this year's report.
"The US Government is a major donor and benefactor to many of these
countries, and it is absolutely imperative that we leverage this fact to
demand accountability and protection of human rights." "I applaud
the hard work of the Hindu American Foundation in producing their annual
Human Rights Report," stated U.S. Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA),
Chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, after receiving the report.
"The first step in addressing the persecution of religious and ethnic
minorities is shedding light on these abuses - and the report does just
that."
The report further noted a lack of significant progress in resolving the
plight of Hindu refugees from the Kashmir Valley in India, as Kashmiri
Pandits continued to live in abject conditions in "refugee camps"
in the cities of Jammu and New Delhi.
The annual report will be the basis of discussions with congressional
leaders during HAF's annual visit to Capitol Hill later this fall. The
report has been cited as a resource by several U.S. government agencies and
added to the library collections on major university campuses.
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Posted on 2011/6/2 16:01:30 ( 1794
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Sometimes I wish karma could talk... That would take a lot of the guesswork
out of what we do.
-- Randy Hickey, TV character, brother of the eponymous star in the
American show "My Name Is Earl"
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Posted on 2011/5/30 20:37:08 ( 2158
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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, US, May 27, 2011 (Star Tribune): For Shalini
Thadani of Woodbury, shopping for Asian Indian groceries used to require a
special trip to Minneapolis. In the 10 years since she and her husband
arrived in the Twin Cities from Atlanta, she's watched with delight as more
Indian grocery stores have popped up in the metro area -- including one in
Woodbury.
The Thadanis are riding a wave of immigration that has propelled Indians
like themselves to become Minnesota's second-largest group of Asians in the
last decade, overtaking the Vietnamese (the Hmong are believed to be the
largest Asian group in the state). Most of that growth is in the Twin
Cities' suburbs.
From 2000 to 2010, the number of Minnesotans with roots in India nearly
doubled, from 16,887 to 33,031, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data
released on the state's ethnic groups. Though the group is still
comparatively small, such rapid growth places Minnesota among the leaders
of the nation's Asian Indian boom.
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Posted on 2011/5/30 20:37:02 ( 2951
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INDIA, May 2011 (Manorama): The craze for a foreign bride is not new in
India, especially among those who have lived abroad. Most of the older
'white wives' came from Europe or the US. And a majority of them were
college sweethearts. Many an Indian mother has admonished her son:
"Study abroad, but come back alone." Liberalization has softened
the stance across India, and, now, a number of videshi bahus (foreign
brides) come from the Commonwealth of Independent States--the erstwhile USSR.
Dr. Amitesh Tomar, hailing from a conservative Thakur family in Bhopal, and
his Russian wife, Natalia, said they have never faced any social problem.
Instead, Tomar's social stature has gone up a few notches after Natalia
adjusted to Indian conditions and accepted the traditions.
Earlier, the men would marry a foreigner to gain citizenship of her
country. But the new crop want to bring the wives home. Interestingly,
Russian girls, too, are on the lookout for Indian boys. Russian writer and
TV moderator Maria Arbatova, who married an Indian businessman, has been a
strong advocate of Russian girls marrying Indians.
In her recent book, Tasting India, Arbatova wrote that Indians and Russians
share many traits, especially the love for family and children. Also,
Indians and Russians are Indo-Europeans; many Sanskrit and Russian words
have the same roots.
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Posted on 2011/5/30 20:36:56 ( 1909
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UK, May 29, 2011 (BBC): The sea off Papua New Guinea is bubbling. Carbon
dioxide seeps into the water from the slopes of a dormant volcano here,
making it slightly more acidic. The resulting waters are a natural
laboratory for what marine life would be like soon, in an ocean like that
predicted by most models of global warming to be only decades away.
"This is the most realistic experiment done to date on this
issue," said Chris Langdon, a coral specialist from the Rosenstiel
School of Marine and Atmospheric Science in Miami, US.
Coral cannot form its shell in such conditions, and it either stops growing
or dies.
Seawater has an average pH of about 8.1 today, already lower than before
the industrial age. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
projects that by the end of the century, emissions may have risen so much
that pH may fall to 7.8 -- which happens to be precisely the general pH at
the Papua New Guinea site.
In an even more acid part of the study site, with a pH of 7.7, the
scientists report that coral is gone and seagrasses came to dominate the
floor - though they lack the hard-shelled snails that normally live on
their fronds.
"The results are complex, but their implications chilling,"
commented Alex Rogers from the University of Oxford, who was not part of
the study team.
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Posted on 2011/5/30 20:36:46 ( 2047
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Shouting to make your children obey is like using the horn to steer your
car, and you get about the same results.
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Posted on 2011/6/11 16:41:21 ( 1414
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Enquire: 'Who am I?' and you will find the answer. Look at a tree: from one
seed arises a huge tree; from it comes numerous seeds, each one of which in
its turn grows into a tree. No two fruits are alike. Yet it is one life
that throbs in every particle of the tree. So, it is the same atman
everywhere.
-- Sri Anandamayi Ma (1896-1982), Bengali mystic
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Posted on 2011/6/11 7:55:29 ( 1219
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www.hinduismtoday.com
KAUAI, HI, USA, July 10, 2011: The July-August-September, 2011 edition of
Hinduism's flagship spiritual magazine, Hinduism Today, has been released
in digital form and is now available for free on your desktop. This issue
takes you on a wondrous adventure through time as well as culture
showcasing nine historic sites of ancient India. Get ready for an awe
inspiring and thought provoking journey!
We start with true our feature article with a magnificence recognizable by
all of humanity. These nine ancient Hindu related sites demonstrate
craftsmanship and artwork so awe-inspiring that the United Nations's body
for education, science and culture, (UNESCO) has deemed them as worthy of
protection and care for the benefit of all. Our writers and photographers
explore these temples and caves, dating back as early as 200 bce,
introducing us to a depth and breadth of the rich Hindu landscape. You will
be charmed by the historical accounts from western explorers.
On a heart warming note, the middle section of this issue introduces our
newly published "Hindu Children's Modern Stories, Books One and
Two." These books bring the wisdom of the traditional yamas and
niyamas to a modern format that today's children will be able to understand
and apply. With these books, you can pass Hinduism's treasured values to a
new generation in a way that is fun and morally educational. The story
entitled "Be Satisfied with What You Have" is fully excerpted,
including ample illustrations, from the second book on the niyamas. Being
only one story out of 20, it's a taste of what is offered in the two books.
Prepare yourself for an enlightened moral teaching delivered in a fun and
contemporary way!
A 15-page collection of richly diverse articles spanning scripture, philosophy,
lifestyle, interview, pilgrimage, priesthood, and health will open your
eyes to new ideas and a different way to approach life's basic challenges.
Introducing a cutting edge perspective is Jay Lakhani's article entitled
"Challenging Materialism." In this thought-provoking journey, the
author takes you through the perspectives of physics, neuroscience and
biology, and shows how, from several different views, life itself points to
a non-material reality at its core.
Our next article could be called heart-provoking. Lavina Melwani writes
"How We Spiritualized Our Business," the story of a couple who
discovered the power of the Hindu faith, brought that power into the center
of their family business. The article expresses how little value luxury and
status have when one is unhappy. Gear up for a multi-aspected journey into
spiritualizing mundane life!
Our publisher, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, has uplifted the spirits of
many all over the world. In this issue's Publisher's Desk, he coveys how each
and every one of us can be an uplifter and spiritual leader to everyone we
encounter in life. Sharing how he realized the differences between a
religious leader and a spiritual leader, he says the qualities of a
spiritual leader can be cultivated and expressed by everyone, not just a
select few. He offers us several sadhanas to open your heart to
appreciation of yourself, which then paves the way to appreciation of
others. His practical editorial is a must read for all who wish to increase
the love and happiness experienced in their life.
Your an engineering academic, and your salary is not plush. Would you
bequeath a $7,000,000 fortune to establish a foundation that supports the
study of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism? Well, Professor Mahinder
Singh Uberoi did just that. This inspiring article by Katharine Nanda
examines Dr. Uberoi's vision of promoting true understanding, religious
tolerance and open communication among the diverse perspectives of the
world, as well as the legacy that to this day is alive and active. Being
aware of the vast mountains of misinformation, even at the university
level, the Uberoi Foundation is pushing forward to bring an accurate
understanding of these four major religions.
There's lots more, of course. A humorous cartoon, an opinion discourse by
Dr. Greesh C. Sharma, as well as many gems of wisdom in the form of quotes
and letters. It's all there in the current issue of Hinduism Today, where
you go to stay in touch with Sanatana Dharma. In print and online.
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Posted on 2011/6/11 7:55:23 ( 1465
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I am not young enough to know everything.
-- Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
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Posted on 2011/6/7 17:08:45 ( 1754
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RAJKOT, INDIA, May 29, 2011 (Times of India): The Somnath temple on the
Saurashtra coast will be brought under electronic surveillance and more
watch towers will be added to the already existing one. This comes after a
terror alert and admission of David Colemen Headley during his testimony
before a Chicago court that the temple was on Lashkar-e-Toiba's terrorist
radar.
"We have reviewed the security at the temple in Junagadh district and
for the last one year we have taken adequate measures to make security
foolproof so as to prevent any possible terror attack. Moreover, police are
always on alert," said Praveen Sinha, inspector general of police.
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Posted on 2011/6/7 17:08:39 ( 1381
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TEXAS, U.S., May 2011 (Religion Dispatches): A vote away from the desk of Texas
Governor Rick Perry is a bill that has ignited a debate over the so-called
"soul of yoga" and who, if anybody, is entitled to regulate it.
SB 1176, which recently passed both the Senate and the House committee on
Economic & Small Business Development, would exclude yoga from the
definition of "post-secondary education," thus exempting yoga
teacher training programs from career school licensing requirements.
In January of 2010, The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) informed the
program directors of yoga teacher training programs in Houston and Dallas
that they may be running career schools as defined by Chapter 132 of
theTexas Education Code. Arguing that the regulation of career schools
benefits consumers by monitoring programs, ensuring that they are legitimate
businesses, and providing an avenue for student complaints, the TWC
requested directors to choose one of the following: apply and secure a
career school license at the cost of up to $3,000 per year, close training
programs altogether, file for an exemption and secure it, or face a $50,000
fine. The directors were given 14 days to comply.
To be clear, there is no law, nor is the TWC attempting to establish a law,
regulating yoga teacher training curriculum. The current normative
guidelines in the American yoga community are set forth by Yoga Alliance,
the national education and support organization. But even those standards
and curriculum are not uniformly adopted in all teacher training programs
across the country, and yoga teacher training will continue to vary whether
or not states require career school licensing.
Nevertheless, concerned that the TWC's requirement will have undesirable
effects on the Texas yoga community, many yogis oppose it. They argue that
this is the first step toward requiring all yoga teachers to obtain state
licenses. And that under new restrictions and costs imposed by the TWC, the
result will be higher costs for teacher training and classes, less
diversity in the community, and the corporatization of yoga.
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Posted on 2011/6/7 17:08:33 ( 1583
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MUMBAI, INDIA, June 2, 2011 (Times of India): Called "Together
Quotient," a Nielsen study of more than 1,800 fathers and mothers in
six major metros reveals that a sizable number of parents feel unsatisfied
with the levels of involvement with their children.
The parents surveyed were between the age of 26 and 45 years, with children
in the age group of 6 to 12 years. The cities scanned were Delhi, Mumbai,
Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad, with an average household income
of US$400 a month.
Expectedly, 70% parents across the six cities complained that a
disproportionate work-life balance negatively impacts the involvement with
their child. The survey revealed that both working parents spent more or
less the same amount of time with their offspring--only two hours a day on
weekdays, and four hours on weekends.
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Posted on 2011/6/7 17:08:26 ( 1999
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HPI
KAPAA, HAWAII, June 7, 2011 (HPI): The editorial staff of Hinduism Today is
seeking testimonies for an article on the challenges of being a vegetarian
and eating a healthy, balanced diet as a college student. If you are a
current or recent student at a college in the US, please e-mail us at senthil@hindu.org with your name, the name
and location of your school and the years you attended, and a paragraph
describing your experience. Are a variety of nutritious, well-balanced
vegetarian options offered in your dorm cafeteria, or is it all pasta,
cheese pizza, baked potatoes and the occasional salad? Does your school
currently cater to vegetarian students, or do you know if such a program is
in the works? Do your parents ship Indian vegetarian meals to you at
school, or do they live nearby and frequent the campus to deliver sensible
meals to you, and perhaps your dorm mates as well? Let us know!
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Posted on 2011/6/7 17:08:20 ( 1511
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God Siva is Immanent Love and Transcendent Reality.
-- Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001), founder of Hinduism
Today
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Posted on 2011/6/5 16:52:06 ( 2006
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PUDUKOTTAI, INDIA, May 29, 2011 (The Hindu): The temple dedicated to Sri Athmanathaswamy
in Avudaiyarkovil, about 31 miles from here, is not only an engineering
marvel, but also a treasure house of murals of an ancient period. Although
the rituals are being performed as they were in ancient times, the murals
are in a bad condition. Deposits of soot, smoke, and humidity during the
monsoon, have caused extensive damage to a number of murals -- a condition
that plagues the art of many temples in the region.
Every mural depicts a specific legend from Tiruvilaiyadalpuranam, Periyapuranam
and also the 'murthy sthlam and theertham' of 1,008 Siva shrines across the
country, says Balasubramania Nambiar, chief priest of the temple.
With the temple associated with the life of Sri Manickavasagar, the
significance of the murals pertains to his life. The ancient rulers had not
only decorated the walls and ceilings of the temple with these murals, but
also had documented them.
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Posted on 2011/6/5 16:52:01 ( 2292
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TORRE A MARE, ITALY, April 17, 2011 (Torre A Mare blog): Each year the
Hindu religious ceremony, Sittrai Cavadee, is observed by the Mauritian
Community in Torre a Mare. The festival is celebrated amid bright colors,
flowers, fruits and folk songs and the hospitality of the local Mauritian
community. For a colorful slideshow click on source above.
The Hindu immigrants from Mauritius, now settled in the Puglia region of
Italy, celebrate Sittrai Cavadee in honor of Lord Murugan every year at the
seaside south of Bari.
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Posted on 2011/6/5 16:51:55 ( 2430
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, May 26, 2011 (Marketwire): Sari Closet launched a
nationwide online sari rental service to provide high-quality saris for
rent to those who want to look the part without paying the full rate.
Sari Closet is the brainchild students from UCLA's Anderson School of
Management, who wanted to showcase their South Asian culture through
fashion. What started out as an idea for a class project has developed into
the launch of SariCloset.com -- an online walk-in closet filled with
hand-picked high-end Indian saris purchased directly from Indian designers
which can be borrowed by anyone across the country.
Women of South Asian descent living in the U.S. typically need saris for
weddings, holidays, and formal social gatherings. Sari Closet takes away
the hassle and stress of finding the perfect outfit for these special
occasions by offering a diverse and beautiful collection of Indian saris in
a wide variety of styles, colors, fabrics, patterns, and embroidery work,
as well as free shipping and dry cleaning, all for an introductory price of
$79 per sari rental.
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Posted on 2011/6/5 16:51:49 ( 1696
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WASHINGTON, DC, May 31, 2011 (The New York Times): A cognitive
neuroscientist, Ellen Bialystok has spent almost 40 years learning about
how bilingualism sharpens the mind. Her good news: Among other benefits,
the regular use of two languages appears to delay the onset of Alzheimer's
disease symptoms. Here are excerpts from her interview:
"There's a system in your brain, the executive control system. It's a
general manager. Its job is to keep you focused on what is relevant, while
ignoring distractions. It's what makes it possible for you to hold two
different things in your mind at one time and switch between them.
"If you have two languages and you use them regularly, the way the
brain's networks work is that every time you speak, both languages pop up
and the executive control system has to sort through everything and attend
to what's relevant in the moment. Therefore the bilinguals use that system
more, and it's that regular use that makes that system more
efficient."
"On average, the bilinguals showed Alzheimer's symptoms five or six
years later than those who spoke only one language. This didn't mean that
the bilinguals didn't have Alzheimer's. It meant that as the disease took
root in their brains, they were able to continue functioning at a higher
level. They could cope with the disease for longer."
"Multitasking is one of the things the executive control system
handles. We wondered, "Are bilinguals better at multitasking?" So
we put monolinguals and bilinguals into a driving simulator. Through
headphones, we gave them extra tasks to do -- as if they were driving and
talking on cellphones. We then measured how much worse their driving got.
Now, everybody's driving got worse. But the bilinguals, their driving
didn't drop as much. Because adding on another task while trying to
concentrate on a driving problem, that's what bilingualism gives you."
"Many immigrants choose to teach their children their native language.
People e-mail me and say, "I'm getting married to someone from another
culture, what should we do with the children?" I always say,
"You're sitting on a potential gift. There are two major reasons
people should pass their heritage language onto children. First, it
connects children to their ancestors. The second is my research:
Bilingualism is good for you. It makes brains stronger. It is brain
exercise."
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Posted on 2011/6/5 16:51:44 ( 1559
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NEW YORK, June 3, 2011 (The New York Times): Once, we humans had to combine
hunting skills and luck to eat meat, which could supply then-rare nutrients
in large quantities. This progressed -- or at least moved on -- to a stage
where a family could raise an annual pig and maybe keep a cow and some
chickens. Quite suddenly (this development is no more than 50 years old,
even in America), we can eat animals at will.
Those who were born in mid-to-late 20th century America take this for
granted; this is the new normal. But the phenomenon is global: there's more
than twice as much meat available per person than there was in 1950.
Citizens of most developed nations have gone down the same path, and as the
poor become less so, they buy more meat, too.
Animals today are produced badly, cause immeasurable damage to both our
bodies and the earth, and -- highly processed-- they don't taste that good.
In much of the world, the local fish is mostly gone. A restaurant in Istanbul
that had blown my mind 10 years ago with its local variety of fish was
offering a few fish that the waiter kindly un-pushed: "These are from
the fish farm," he said, "so why bother?" Indeed. His advice
-- "why bother?" -- holds true for at least 90 percent of the
animal products we're offered, even if we are not vegetarians.
[HPI note: Though meat consumption in India is growing, this growth is from
a very small base. Fast-food outlets may be opening, but Indians are not
consuming on a western level. If India and China were both consuming at
western levels, that would have serious impacts on global food supply.
According to 2007 FAO data, Indians consume around 3.3kg of meat per
capita, per year. An American consumes that amount in about 10 days (122.8kg
per capita); an average Chinese citizen would take about a month (53.5 kg
per capita). See the source here].
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Posted on 2011/6/5 16:51:38 ( 1692
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Meditation on the Name (of God) quenches the thirst of the soul. Let us
drink together the Nectar treasure of the Lord's Name.
-- Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book
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Posted on 2011/6/4 20:39:21 ( 1849
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BRENT, GREATER LONDON, UK: June 2, 2011 (Harrow Observer): Thousands of
Hindus are urging Brent Council to continue funding a popular festival that
has been celebrated in the borough for 30 years. Brent Council wants to
stop paying for the Navratri celebrations, a nine-day annual festival in
autumn, in order to save 67,000.
Campaigners from the borough's Hindu community lined the steps of Brent
Town Hall, in Wembley, on Tuesday evening to hand in a petition signed by
6,000 concerned residents. Navaratri means 'nine nights' and is one of the
most popular Hindu festivals, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil.
Mehendra Pattni, spokesman for Hindu Council Brent, which organized the
petition, said: "The Hindu community is deeply concerned about the
devastating effect the cuts will have on the community and how it will
deprive children of learning about their culture. The festival allows
participation from all members of society, including women and children.
More than 6,000 Brent residents have now signed petitions and letters
calling for Brent Council to continue Navratri grants."
The cash-strapped local authority is trying to cope with severe funding
cuts from central government which means there is a smaller pot of money
available for arts and festivities. It pays for 14 festivals and events
each year, and says it needs to reduce that number to five in order to make
the necessary savings.
Other festivals whose funding is under threat are the Muslim community's
Eid festivities, which mark the end of the fasting season of Ramadan, and
the St Patrick's Day parade in Willesden - both of which attract thousands
of participants and play an important part in the borough's calendar.
Some money usually earmarked for Christmas celebrations also could be axed,
which would mean no Christmas lights throughout the borough if the plans go
ahead, saving the council 80,000. The celebrations which would continue to
receive grants would be the Respect Festival, Countryside Day, Holocaust
Memorial Day, a fireworks display and the Hindu festival Diwali.
A decision will be made on Monday, June 13.
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NEW DELHI, June 15, 2011 (IBN - CNN): It's the season of hunger strikes and
fasts unto death. Far from the spotlight though in the same hospital ICU as
the better known Baba Ramdev, Swami Nigamanand has passed away. Swami had
been fasting for two and a half months over illegal mining, looking to save
the Ganga,
While sadhus cajoled Ramdev, politicians pleaded with him, ministers
briefed him and finally, on the ninth day of his fast unto death, he
relented with a sip of fruit juice, Swami Nigamanand had a different fate.
He died an unsung death on Tuesday morning.
"He was on a hunger-strike for 68 days at his ashram. The reason for
his hunger-strike was saving the Ganges and stop mining in the Ganga,"
said Pratap Shah, ADM, Rishikesh. Swami Nigamanand of the Matra Sadan in
Haridwar was fighting a lone battle against stone crushers and illegal
mining on the river bank. No one paid heed - the miners and crushers got a
stay from the high court and mining continued unabated.
A month into the fast, Nigamanand's condition deteriorated. He slipped into
a coma and ironically shared the same ICU with Ramdev, who had been fasting
for only nine days.
When Nigamanand's body was taken from the hospital mortuary on Tuesday
morning, there were no ministers, no politicians and hardly any sadhus to
accompany him in his final journey.
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Posted on 2011/6/17 16:23:00 ( 1372
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JAMMU, INDIA, June 6, 2011 (Times of India): As many as 213,000 pilgrims
have registered themselves for the annual pilgrimage to the
13,500-feet-high cave shrine of Amarnath in the Himalayas in Jammu and
Kashmir.
The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) began the registration process on May
10 for the yatra which will commence on June 29 and culminate on August 13.
"The registration counters have been set up at 121 designated branches
of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank, 24 of the YES Bank and four of the District
Cooperative Banks," said a SASB spokesman. There has been no increase
in the fee of Rs. 15 (US$0.33) for registration.
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Posted on 2011/6/17 16:22:53 ( 1696
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INDIA, June 3, 2011: (by Reshmi Dasgupta, Economic Times) Luxury marketers
are perceptive. It pays to give reverential acknowledgement to our sacred
sentiments, especially with more and more Indians added to the
international rich lists. The recently launched Caran d'Ache limited
edition solid silver Balaji pen (adding to its Artiste collection
repertoire of Buddha, Ganesha and Shiva) is one such move.
The 108 individually numbered fountain pens for US$10,000 each and an equal
number of rollerball pens at $8,800 each should be snapped up in no time.
The made-on-order-only gold and diamond versions of the pen sell for
$51,000 and $85,000 each, respectively.
There is scarcely a wealthy Indian home these days that does not feature a
pleasantly pastoral Radha Krishna, serenely sated Ganesha, or Lakshmi from
a luxury brand. It could be called the coming of age of the Indian buyer, who
is no longer compelled to buy bucolic shepherdesses or other such favorite
western porcelain subjects. Or the coming of age of the western seller, who
now must look beyond time-tested stereotypes to appeal to culturally secure
and assertive new markets -- and finally has bowed to the Indian Gods.
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Posted on 2011/6/17 16:22:48 ( 2511
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Press Release
THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS, June 16, 2011: The Woodlands area Hindus will open
their newest temple, the only one on the north side of the city, on an
8-acre lot along tree-lined Woodlands Parkway this weekend. The
10,000-square-foot building has an unadorned stone exterior -- to adhere to
building codes - but will be home to the tradition's colorful, ornate
worship and Deities inside.
Though The Woodlands remains a heavily white and heavily Christian suburb,
an influx of Indian-American professionals in recent years has added
religious diversity to the picture-perfect master-planned community. The
Hindu population in The Woodlands has more than tripled in the past 15
years to about 350 families and continues to grow by 20 to 25 families
annually, Hindu leaders say.
After six years of planning, fundraising and construction, the new house of
worship in The Woodlands will be able to host holiday celebrations,
day-to-day devotionals and cultural events. The $3 million temple will
serve Hindus from several nearby communities. "Now, it's going to be a
lot easier to go more frequently," Abhinav Suraiya, 22, said.
Spiritual preparations for the temple's opening began last weekend, when
about 75 Hindus gathered as the new temple's priest, Pundit M.M. Chakrapani
Bhattacharya, prayed to cast away obstacles and blessed the water vessels
that will be used during the installation of the Deities over the temple's
opening weekend.
"We are looking forward to serving the community through charity
work," temple board member Nimish Dhuldhoya said. Since the Hindu
population in the area includes doctors, businessmen and educated
professionals, Dhuldhoya says they will try to reach out through schools
and hospitals.
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Posted on 2011/6/17 16:22:42 ( 1653
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INDIA, June, 2011: (by Anand Kalyanaraman, The Hindu Business) To an
observer, it would seem that the powerful and the wealthy are more
susceptible to the superstition phenomenon. And omens, superstitions and
quirks abound in stock markets. Here's a list of some interesting
'can't-be-proven-but-it-exists' phenomena which contribute to the song and
dance on the stock markets in Mumbai.
Well begun is half-done! So come "Muhurat trading" on the
commencement of the traditional New Year during Diwali every year, and the
Sensex invariably moves up. Many investors place symbolic buy orders that
day to mark their fresh trades. Since 2000, on all occasions but one, the
Sensex has risen on Muhurat day. Thus, in the belief that as Muhurat goes,
so goes the year.
There are investors who make stock market investments only in the name of
the lady of the house (Gruhlaxmi). This applies especially in the case of
fresh issues in the market. The belief is that when Laxmi, the Goddess of
wealth (symbolized by the lady in the house) makes an investment, the
chances of it appreciating are enhanced.
As an extension of the above sentiment, some investors are loath to making
sales on Fridays. It is believed that selling on a day Laxmi is
traditionally worshipped may not be a good idea. As the thought goes, it
just isn't worth the risk of antagonizing the Goddess of wealth!
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Posted on 2011/6/17 16:22:36 ( 1598
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The skeptic says, "I'll believe it when I see it." The mystic
says, "I'll see it when I believe it."
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Posted on 2011/6/12 16:50:00 ( 1784
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WASHINGTON, U.S., June 2, 2011 (Stripes.com): As a child in New Delhi and
other cities of India's northern Plains, Pratima Dharm moved easily through
a kaleidoscopic swirl of religions and cultures. "My close friends in
school represented all the different faith groups, and it never occurred to
me then that we were different or there was anything strange about
it."
She feels the same decades later. The U.S. Army, where she holds the rank
of captain, and the United States itself, where she immigrated just months
before the 9/11 attacks, were founded on the idea that people can be united
while worshipping differently, she said.
Dharm, 40, has been named the first Hindu chaplain to serve the Department
of Defense. Hinduism, with nearly a billion adherents worldwide -- but
fewer than 1,000 active service members, according to Pentagon statistics
-- was the largest of the world faiths not represented by a chaplain.
Dharm, a chaplain on the medical staff at Walter Reed Army Medical Center,
has started getting emails from Hindu service members around the world.
"I'm already on the job," she said. "There's this tremendous
sense of hope and relief that there is someone who understands their story
at a deeper level, coming from the background I do."
She's now sponsored by Chinmaya Mission West, a Hindu religious
organization that operates in the United States. The Air Force officer who
led the Pentagon action group that established Chinmaya West as a chaplain
endorsing agency said Dharm's story is testimony to American pluralism and
democracy.
"I get emotional when I talk about it," said Lt. Col. Ravi
Chaudhary, a cargo plane pilot and acquisitions officer. "When you
consider Pentagon bureaucracy ... when people here saw that in a
fundamental way this is an expression of American values, people moved so
quickly to accomplish this."
Dharm spent a year at a forward operating base near Mosul, Iraq, in 2007
and 2008. She received a Bronze Star and an ArmyCommendation Medal, among
other awards, but the most important thing she came home with was a deeper
understanding of what Army chaplains are there for. It isn't to advocate
for their own faiths, but to bind up the wounded spirits soldiers of any
background receive in the brutality of battle.
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Posted on 2011/6/12 16:40:00 ( 2303
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USA, June 12, 2011 (First Post): She spent two years earning a Masters in
Theology and training in a Protestant seminary, when a phone call from the
US Army in 2006 caught her by surprise.
"I was all geared towards hospital chaplaincy when I got a call,
asking, 'Would you be interested in joining the Army?' I said, 'What, no!'
It blew me away. I could only think to ask, 'How'd you get my number?' They
said 'Oh, we got your number as the Army goes into seminaries to look for
chaplains. I was surprised, even a little concerned. Gosh, am I committed
because the Army called? I was a US citizen by then. So, did I have to say
yes? It took me six months to decide."
Excerpts from the interview:
Question: Is it difficult to deal with soldiers, who are under stress
and facing death?
Answer: It is difficult. It is also a great honor. The beauty of the
job is that it gives me the privilege to be next to somebody I consider a
hero. It is almost like I am chosen to be there for that sacred moment.
There is a great bonding that occurs especially in a deployed environment
so it becomes an honor to be a part of a soldier's life. It is a big deal
for me that my soldiers trust me with their most profound secrets because
as a chaplain you are privy to a lot of information.
In Iraq, soldiers would come into my tent and say, 'Chaplain, I need to
talk to you' and start telling me things that are perhaps not spoken to
anyone. If it is their last day on earth, you say a prayer, you comfort
them. You are their mom, sister, friend for that moment. It is a faith
moment.
Question: What about your family?
Answer: I left a five-month-old daughter at home with my husband and
went to Iraq. There were other women who did the same. There were men who
did the same thing or hadn't seen the faces of their babies. I think we
were able to comfort each other because we were all in the same boat. The
army gave me four months to get ready to go to Iraq after my second
daughter was born. My husband, a great guy, took charge of our family. My
mom was there to help. My mother-in-law pitched in too.
I have to thank my mom for raising me with a lot of faith. She is a simple
person, not highly educated, but really wise. She is just so squared away.
She is the avatar of a good mom and wife. My sisters are also happily
married and have careers. I had good examples in my brother and father too.
Question: Since you are part-priest, part-spiritual advisor, did the
Chinmaya Mission have any hesitation endorsing a female candidate?
Answer: They were wonderfully supportive. I believe women are just
as empowered as men. It's not that I am a great adherent of the women's lib
movement. I just believe the role of women in the Vedas if you read them is
equal. Women read the scriptures in the old days. I love the way they
actually support that women are equally called by God to be the best they
can be.
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Posted on 2011/6/12 16:33:41 ( 1810
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WROCLOW, POLAND, June 2, 2011: In a sign of growing interest in the study
of Indian culture in European universities, the Jagiellonian University at
Krakow in Poland will soon establish a Tamil Chair.
The announcement was made by First Secretary in the Indian Embassy in
Warsaw, Vikrant Rattan, at the third Middle European Student Indology
Conference (MESIC 3) held here on May 19 to 21.
Mr. Rattan said the decision follows a memorandum of understanding with the
Institute of Oriental Studies in the university. The Chair will facilitate
programs in ancient Tamil literature, culture and civilization. It will be
held by an associate professor.
More European students are taking up studies in oriental languages and
other languages of South India. The Indian Council of Cultural Relations
has awarded 11 scholarships to students from various Polish universities,
he noted. The MESIC-3 is unique in that it was organized by Indology students.
It has provided a platform to students and scholars of Indian culture to
discuss a broad range of topics such as Indian literature and linguistics
and political, religious and social issues.
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Posted on 2011/6/12 16:33:35 ( 1417
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INDIA, June 5, 2011: The Himalayan temple town of Gangotri is located at an
altitude of 10,300 ft. in the Garhwal Himalayas. This is the home of the
Ganga, India's holiest river, whose physical source at Gaumukh lies just 12
miles away. Looking at the river, Swami Sundaranand shakes his head sadly.
"This is not the same Ganga as earlier," he says. Sundaranand has
lived in Gangotri since 1948, when he became a renunciate and arrived here
from Andhra Pradesh. A lot has changed since then, he says. Although the
air is cold here, the sun is harsh. "It's becoming hotter every
year," points out the sadhu. "People say it is global warming. I
say it is a global warning."
Locally, the 85-year old is known as the " photographer baba" or
"the sadhu who clicks." His twin passions are environment and
photography. Over the past six decades, he has combined his interests to
raise awareness about the Ganga. "When I first came to this region, it
was one of the most beautiful part of the Himalayas," he says.
"It is difficult to imagine the purity of the Ganga and the abundance
of Himalayan vegetation and fauna that was prevalent then. We don't know
what we have cruelly destroyed."
The pollution of Ganga in the plains has been an oft-repeated refrain. But,
according to Sundaranand, a graver threat is its pollution at the source.
He attributes it to the unchecked construction of hotels and ashrams in
Gangotri and dumping of waste from these places directly into the Ganga.
"Many bhoj trees in Bhojbasa, en route to Gaumukh have been cut down.
Earlier, on my treks to the Gaumukh glacier, I could spot rare animals like
the snow leopard and musk deer. They are rarely visible now," he says.
You can see some of his photos here.
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Posted on 2011/6/12 16:33:30 ( 1483
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You are a being that has unlimited power within.
-- Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001), founder of Hinduism
Today
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Posted on 2011/6/11 16:41:43 ( 2321
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SALMON, IDAHO, June 11, 2011 (Reuters): A group of self-described
constitutionalists protested on Friday a northern Idaho city's dedication
of a sculpture depicting a Hindu Deity, Lord Ganesha. On its website, the
Kootenai County Constitution Party called on Christians to vent their dismay
about the "abomination" on a street in Coeur d'Alene and lashed
out at local arts officials as a "godless group of individuals."
"Ganesha," a blue-hued metal sculpture by Spokane, Washington
artist Rick Davis, represents the multi-armed, elephant-headed Hindu God.
It is one of 15 loaned artworks to be dedicated by Coeur d'Alene and arts
commission officials Friday evening, the kickoff of a program that
underwrites the year-long display in public spaces of sculptures that are
available for purchase.
Officials in Coeur d'Alene, an affluent, lakeside resort of 44,000, said
they are perplexed by the gnashing over Ganesha. They said it is an irony
that professed constitutionalists were not prepared to honor First
Amendment guarantees of religious freedom and would be met with a
counter-protest.
"People are coming to protest the protesters," said Steve
Anthony, city liaison to the Coeur d'Alene Arts Commission. "The
majority of residents here are very tolerant," Anthony said, adding
that citizen's committee was guided by criteria such as artistic merit in
selecting 15 art works.
On its web site, the Kootenai Constitution Party welcomes
"patriots" and describes its aim "to restore
constitutionally limited government" in a nation founded "not on
religions but on the gospel of Jesus Christ."
The controversy is a blow for a city that promotes itself as a destination
for international travelers and still smarts from the stigma associated
with northern Idaho as the historic home of the white supremacy group Aryan
Nations.
[HPI note: What follows is additional information from another report,
published on the local KXLY news channel]
The local Constitution Party's website says, "Christians of Kootenai
County should be dismayed at the appearance of a Hindu demon, Ganesh
statue."
The post urges Christians to protest at the art current's dedication
Friday.
Fifteen sculptures have been placed around the city, including two of them
with Christian references and another with a Native American reference.
Some people are a little surprised by this reaction from the Constitution
Party.
"To me, American values are tolerance of other people," Rick
Silverman said.
[HPI note #2: The first reader comment at the KXLY article says,
"Apparently North Idaho is just for Christians. So much for freedom of
religion." A heated debate, not necessarily enlightening, ensues.]
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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
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