News from Hindu Press International
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/13 15:38:23 ( 1104 reads )
|
Source
INDIA, July 11, 2012 (eurasiareview.com): The annual pilgrimage to
Amarnath, one of the holiest shrines of Hindus nestled in the Kashmir Himalayas
at a height of 12,750 ft. above sea level and dedicated to Lord Shiva, has
been caught in confusion again, mainly due to overcrowding and
mismanagement. The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) is responsible for
organizing the event which draws more than half a million devotees from
across India and abroad in summer. Apart from the visitors finding the
amenities available at various locations in the pilgrimage area
insufficient and facing other problems like scarcity of cooking gas and
overpricing, more than fifty pilgrims have died, most of them due to
cardiac arrest, during the first fortnight of the event which officially
began on June 25.
On Monday, as many as 43,401 pilgrims were allowed to perform darshan
(glimpse) of the Shivling at the sanctum sanctorum, taking the number of
devotees visiting the revered place of worship in first 15 days to 343,218.
This suggests that the SASB has allowed at an average more than twenty two
thousand pilgrims to pay obeisance at the cave-shrine every day which is in
total disregard of the rule book. In 1996, thousands of pilgrims on the way
to the Amarnath were caught in an untimely snowstorm resulting in the death
of 273 pilgrims. The Nitish Sengupta Committee, formed by the government
after the catastrophe, made several recommendations which included
regulation of the number of people visiting the cave-shine and making
registration of the pilgrims and allocation of fixed quota to various
states in India mandatory. The report had asked for allowing a total of 3,500
pilgrims to the cave-shrine every day-2,800 from traditional Pahalgam and
700 from shorter Baltal routes.
Health department officials found that the majority of pilgrims had not
bothered to get themselves properly checked up medically and were carrying
with them mandatory health certificates just for formality. Most of them
had not followed the 'does and don'ts' issued by the SASB yet they were
allowed to proceed beyond the base-camps. Also, a majority of the pilgrims
come from the low altitude and before embarking on journey in the high
altitude area should be made to acclimatize at least for 48 hours. But they
begin their trekking immediately after arriving at the base-camps in
vehicles.
Majuli Monks To Perform Unique Dance Drama In France And Switzerland
http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/o ...
states/article3516444.ece
INDIA, June 12, 2012 (The Hindu): A Sattriya dance troupe from Majuli
river-island will perform an innovative dance drama in France and
Switzerland based on the tales depicted on Vrindavani Vastra. Vrindavani
Vastra is a unique tapestry woven by skilled Assamese weavers in the
sixteenth century under the supervision of the medieval Vaishnavite saint,
social reformer and creative genius Srimanta Sankardeva and his chief
disciple Madhavdeva. It depicts scenes from Krishna's childhood home of
Vrindavan.
The ten-member dance troupe of bhakats (monks) of Uttar Kamalabari Sattra
(a Vaishnavite monastery) of Majuli, led by noted Sattriya exponent and
research scholar Bhabananda Barbayan, will give 22 performances -- 12 in
France and ten in Switzerland -- from June 14 to July 15 based on this
unique textile masterpiece that depicts the life of Krishna at Vrindavan.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/13 15:38:17 ( 1023 reads )
|
Source
CALIFORNIA, U.S., July 7, 2012 (neontommy.com): Planning a wedding is never
easy. But with 500 guests, two conflicting cultures and an elephant to
handle, things can get complicated pretty quickly. In India, lavish wedding
celebrations go on for weeks and guest lists top 1,000 -- but the country
is full of vendors and planners who know the ropes. In California, fiances
who want an Indian wedding don't have that safety net. The state has the
largest Indian population in the country, but planning a traditional Indian
wedding is still much more difficult when most wedding planners are more
familiar with white dresses and towering cakes.
Putting together days of ceremonies with intricate props and rituals
requires a threshold for stress and attention to detail that only comes
with years of experience. A network of more than a dozen Indian wedding
planners has developed in Southern California's most densely-populated
Indian areas -- San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles County -- to
capitalize on this niche market and finesse the differences.
"If you aren't experienced in a South Asian wedding, then it can seem
impossible to plan," said Mili Shah, the co-owner of Los Angeles-based
Planning Elegance. "There are so many different religious aspects,
different ceremonies at different times, different requirements." How
the ceremony works depends on the faith, sect and geography of the bride
and groom. Northern Indian weddings are different from southern Indian
weddings, and Indian expat, Indian-American and Indian-inspired weddings
each have their own list of demands.
Although budgets and guest lists can vary, just as with any type of
wedding, the minimum a couple should expect to pay for a Hindu wedding is
$50,000, said Bhanu Kotecha, who owns Diamond Bar-based Phoolwadi. Costs
can go as high as $300,000 for the most lavish ceremonies. The bride's
family traditionally pays for all wedding costs, Kotecha said, but modern
tradition has created more of a sense of equality between families.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/13 15:38:11 ( 971 reads )
|
Source
I have heard that man can acquire superhuman powers through it and perform
miracles. What shall I do with superhuman powers? Can one realize God
through them? If God is not realized then everything becomes false.
-- Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa (1836-1886)
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/9 15:32:01 ( 1192 reads )
|
Source
SHIMLA, INDIA, July 8, 2012 (nydailynews.com): Himachal Pradesh is set to
allow gold-rich temple trusts to melt tons of the precious metal in their
coffers to turn them into mementos as is done at the Vaishno Devi shrine in
Kashmir. The government is shortly going to sign an agreement with the
public sector Mines and Minerals Trading Corp (MMTC), said an official.
According to Rakesh Kanwar, director of the Language, Art and Culture
department, both gold and silver lying in the treasuries of 20 government-controlled
Hindu temples would be used for making souvenirs for sale. Besides
souvenirs, gold and silver coins would be minted. The coins and the
mementos would have inscriptions of the respective temple deities.
According to government estimates, more than 660 lbs. of gold and 50,000
lbs. of silver are with the 20 temples.
The government last year amended the Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public
Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1984, that allowed
conversion of 50 percent of the metal reserves in temples into mementos.
"Keeping the precious metal in safe custody is a costly affair. The
income from the sale of coins and mementos will be used for temple
development and social activities," state temple administrator Prem
Prasad Pandit said. The hill state, also known as the "Land of the
Gods," has 28 prominent Hindu temples that have a combined cash
reserve of US$18 million. According to the government proposal, only 50
percent of the total gold and silver lying with a temple would be converted
into coins and mementos. "Of the remaining 50 percent, 10 percent is
to be kept with the temple trust, 20 percent will be invested in gold bonds
of the State Bank of India and the remaining will be used to adorn the
deities," said an official.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2012/7/9
15:31:55 ( 1006 reads )
|
Source
SRINAGAR, INDIA, July 9, 2012 (business-standard.com): Concerned over the
deaths of pilgrims of all ages during the ongoing Amarnath yatra, Jammu and
Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra today directed the authorities to take urgent
steps to address significant health-related issues pertaining to the
pilgrimage. Vohra, also chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, chaired
a high-level meeting here in this regard, an official spokesman said. The
Governor said all possible causes for deaths should be analysed with a view
to reducing the number of fatalities. He directed SASB CEO N.K. Chaudhury to
issue immediate instructions to all concerned officials in yatra camps to
further augment healthcare facilities. The meeting was told that more than
1,000 oxygen cylinders had been made available on the two routes to the
shrine by the health department.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2012/7/9
15:31:49 ( 1252 reads )
|
Source
AHMEDABAD, INDIA, July 2, 2012 (indiatimes.com): When Sunita Williams is
thousands of miles above the Earth taking a bird's eye view of the universe
from her space shuttle window, she will try to understand universal truths
of the Upanishads. The Indian American astronaut -- who will spend six
months in space from July 14 -- is carrying with her an English translation
of one of the most important Hindu scriptures. Her father, Deepak Pandya,
is hoping that the farther she goes from Earth, the closer she will come to
understanding her Indian roots. It was his idea that she carry a copy of
the Upanishads with her. "The last time she went into space, I had
given her a copy of the Bhagavad Gita," Pandya said. "She was
full of questions when she came back. She wanted to know why it became
necessary for Krishna to narrate the Gita, what were its eternal teachings,
was it not possible to gain similar knowledge from other works, and many
such questions. I feel that she will find some of the answers in the
Upanishads." The astronaut is all set to go into quarantine ahead of
her second space odyssey after which it will become increasingly difficult
for the family to stay in touch with her. Williams last worked aboard the
International Space Station for six months in 2006. She will take off from
the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with two other astronauts, a Russian
and a Japanese.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/9 15:31:43 ( 1048 reads )
|
Source
HOUSTON, TEXAS, July 9, 2012 (artha R. Sarathy): There is a growing circle
of Houstonian Sanskrit-lovers who are determined to play a decisive role in
bolstering the prodigious efforts of a Sanskrit Institute in faraway
Chennai. Their passion and commitment were palpable at a recent
presentation in Sugarland by Dr. Sita Sundar Ram of Kuppuswami Sastri
Research Institute (KSRI), to an interested audience of Arsha Vidya
Satsanga (AVS) devotees, on the Institute's remarkable contribution and
plans to preserve its treasures of ancient knowledge and culture for future
generations.
With its vision to re-establish the cultural self-identity of Sanatana
Dharma, AVS aims to help KSRI's growth via ideas and tangible support with
an ongoing fundraising campaign.
In her lucid presentation, Dr. Sita explained that, since 1945, KSRI is
highly respected for its impressive library and research work, awarding
graduate degrees, and recognized as Adarsha Shodh Samstha (Ideal Research
Institute) by India Government. KSRI is sustained principally by ad-hoc
financial assistance from philanthropists from India and the USA, plus
non-regular Government grants.
Current KSRI research activities include Literature, Language, Grammar,
Yoga, Psychology, Law and Jurisprudence, Philosophy, etc.. A recent example
is the book publication "Bijapallava of Krsna Daivajna - A critical
study", resulting from the highly commended doctorate research study
of a 16th century algebra text in Sanskrit. Sanskrit Literature offers
abundant material for new research avenues, like Women's Legal Rights in
ancient Dharma-shastra texts, Dream Motif, Nephology (scientific study of
clouds), Chaturyuga calendar, Svarodaya (breath control) science, Town
Planning, etc..
KSRI has also hosted scholars from the Americas, Europe, Asia, and
Australia; organized over 300 lectures and several national/international
seminars/conferences; and will conduct Sanskrit classes for Oslo University
graduate students on alternate semesters.
The commitment of a small, dedicated staff has enabled concurrent doctoral
research by up to 24 scholars, plus the strong reputation of its library
for its impressive, and growing, collection of 50,000 books, research journals
and periodicals related to Sanskrit and Indological studies. The Institutes
also maintains an large collection of ancient palm-leaf manuscripts written
in Grantha, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Nandinagari and Devanagari -
containing material on Vedas, Epics, Shrauta Sutras, Dharma Sutras,
Philosophy, and Literature.
For more information email prsarathy@gmail.com
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/9 15:31:37 ( 1092 reads )
|
Source
"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks
that others throw at him."
-- Swami Chinmayananda (1917-1993), Vedantist writer, lecturer and
Hindu renaissance founder of Chinmaya Mission International
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/8 17:42:54 ( 1170 reads )
|
Source
PALERMO, ITALY, February 23, 2012 (ricerca.repubblica.it, translated from
Italian): A search began in 1997 when a group of Mauritians, residents in
Palermo, decided to found a temple called Ganesh Mandir, managed by the
religious association of the same name. They scoured the whole city before
finding a warehouse in the heart of the historic city center that suited
them. The temple, which has moved several times, is now located in a narrow
alley, Viccolo Guli, just a few steps from the Teatro Massimo [Palermo's
famous opera house].
The place, dedicated to the religious needs of part of Mauritian immigrant
community, also welcomes those of other nationalities who practice the
Hindu religion. Especially on the special days of prayer dedicated to Lord
Siva. The space, however, is very small. It is an old warehouse divided
into two rooms. The community, which has a thousand people, pays a rent of
US$615 per month, plus all expenses, for this warehouse converted into a
temple. To raise the money, all the members give a portion of their budget,
according to their income level.
The temple opens every evening at eight o'clock and on Sunday at five in
the afternoon. The space can accommodate a hundred people at a time, with
many having to wait their turn for prayer outside the door.
These Mauritian Hindus say, "Most of us live in the area, so when we
finish work in the late afternoon, we prepare ourselves and come to the
temple. It would be nice to have a bigger space. But it is not easy in
Palermo. Rents are expensive and we cannot afford one." To hear it
from this community, the ideal would be to have a single place large enough
to accommodate all of the Hindu immigrants from different countries, but
it's a fairly large number, more than 3,000 people. So what has happened is
that each group has started wtih a small place to use as a temple for now.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/8 17:42:48 ( 1198 reads )
|
Source
SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, June 27, 2012 (Times Union): Upward of 8,000 people
of Guyanese descent live in and around Schenectady in an immigrant
community that has been lauded by city officials for its resourceful
willingness to buy and rehab homes in blighted inner-city neighborhoods.
But recent cases of self-inflicted violence have raised concerns about
their likely connection to a dark heritage in Guyana, where the high rate
of suicide, which claims between 150 and 200 young lives each year, is
considered a public health crisis. With 45 suicides per 100,000 people, the
South American country on the Caribbean coast is among the top 10 on the
World Health Organization's list of suicide rates. There are no firm
numbers on suicides among the local Guyanese, in part because taking one's
own life is not a crime tracked by law enforcement agencies.
Pandit Jai Misir, the spiritual leader of the Schenectady Hindu Temple, has
seen the perils of suicide among fellow Guyanese back home and in the
Capital Region, where he has lived since 1969. "What I see here in
Schenectady has to do with this boyfriend-girlfriend situation," said
Misir, who is an adjunct professor at Hudson Valley Community College.
Misir, 65, said the problem is more prevalent among Guyanese of East Indian
descent. His congregation, made up mostly of members of that ethnic group,
has started a program called "Save a Life" to educate and train
people about suicide and dispel misconceptions about the Hindu religion and
reincarnation. "A person does not escape his or her own pain in
suicide," Misir said, noting that Hindus believe suicide actually results
in bad karma and that those who take their own lives "defer that pain
to their next reincarnation."
Schenectady Hindu Temple member Chris Knowles came up with the idea for the
"Save a Life" program. Knowles, who is a psychiatric nurse and
has been a youth suicide coordinator, is especially proud that the temple's
youth group is spearheading the effort to reach out to save other
youngsters who may be at high risk for suicide. The program began a few
months back, when Knowles drafted Hindu-oriented suicide risk education
brochures that she described as "clinically and spiritually
accurate." "It teaches young people to look for cues from their
friends that something is wrong," said Knowles, adding that studies
show that young people contemplating suicide "usually say something to
a friend, and it's not necessarily an overt system."
To date, 10 members of temple have become certified in the Columbia Suicide
Severity Rating Scale method of determining youngsters' risk level for
suicide. Additionally, the temple has a group of University at Albany
doctoral students in clinical and counseling psychology who will conduct
workshops starting next month on a variety of issues, including conflict
resolution, recognizing signs of depression and developing coping skills.
"We're starting with our community because our community historically
has a high rate of suicide," she said, "but we are not exclusive
of anyone," said Knowles.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/21 17:35:26 ( 853 reads )
|
Source
BANGALORE, NDIA, July 20, 2012 (India Today): The Karnataka government has
decided to spend US$3 million to ensure that the state does not face a
drought this year. However, the money is not being spent on
drought-proofing measures, rather the government is handing out this amount
for "special prayers and yagnas" to invoke the rain Gods. According
to the government circular, each of the 34,000 Hindu temples under the
purview of the department of religious endowments have to perform special
yagnas -- Varuna Homa and Jala Abhisheka -- on July 27 and August 2 as the
two days are considered auspicious. The government will grant between US$36
to $90 to each temple.
The opposition party leaders, who were able to grab a copy of the circular
issued by the department of religious endowments, criticized the minister
concerned for pushing "superstition". "We agree that divine
intervention is needed at every level. The state is facing a severe
drought. All of us will join the BJP leaders in praying for the Almighty's
intervention. But spending US$3 million for the same is ridiculous. The
government can utilise the same money for long-term drought proofing
measures," pointed out Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Revanna.
Following widespread criticism, the government agreed to review its order.
[HPI note: similar prayers at temples have worked just fine in the past
elsewhere in India.]
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/21 17:35:20 ( 822 reads )
|
Source
SYDNEY, AUSTRAILA, July 20,2012 (economictimes.com): India has topped
Britain and China to become Australia's leading source of migrants for the
first time, data revealed on Friday, with seven of the top 10 source
countries now in Asia. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said India
accounted for 29,000 of the 185,000 places in Australia's 2011-12 permanent
migration programme -- some 15.7 percent of the total and the first time
the country has come top. China was a close second with 25,500 (13.8
percent), followed by 25,275 from Britain (13.7 percent), according to the
2011-12 Migration Programme report.
Skilled migration accounted for the majority of the program's places, with
accountants the top profession followed by cooks, software and applications
programmers, software engineers and developers. "Skilled migration is
essential to support our economy and help overcome the challenges of an
ageing population," said Bowen.
The report confirms census data released last month showing that
Indian-born people were the fastest growing group in Australia, now
accounting for 5.6 percent of the population, preceded only by China (6.0
percent) and New Zealand (9.0 percent). Analysts said the strong migration
figures likely reflected a large number of Indians who had studied in
Australia qualifying for sponsored employment and family visas being
granted to their relatives.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/21 17:35:14 ( 858 reads )
|
Source
A Hindu devotee asked God, in the form of the multi-armed Lord Narayana,
this question: "My dear Lord, I understand that you have innumerable
inconceivable potencies. But out of all of them the energy of light seems
to be the most amazing. Light pervades the spiritual world, it illuminates
the material universes, and life is impossible without it." He
continued, "I would like to know how you make it work." "Oh,
that's easy, " came the reply. "Many hands make light work."
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/20 18:20:27 ( 914 reads )
|
|
Religion News
Service
UNITED STATES, July 2012 (RNS): The most comprehensive study of religion
and Asian-Americans to date finds them less religious than most Americans,
but also far more religiously diverse. Within that diversity, however,
researchers discovered a wealth of spirituality "Asian-Americans are
really a study in contrasts, with religious groups that are running the
gamut from highly religious to highly secular," said Cary Funk, lead
researcher on "Asian Americans: A Mosaic of Faiths," released
Thursday (June 19) by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.
Though a plurality of Asian-Americans are Christian, "it's a striking
difference" compared to the U.S. population in general, Funk said. The
3,551 Asian-Americans surveyed were 42 percent Christian, compared to 75
percent of all Americans. The next largest group of Asian-Americans
identified as unaffiliated (26 percent), followed by Buddhists (14
percent), Hindus (10 percent) and Muslims (4 percent). And though
Asian-Americans make up less than 6 percent of the population, their
numbers are growing, "contributing to the increase in Buddhists,
Hindus and other non-Abrahamic faiths in the U.S.," Funk said.
As for their religiosity, measured by standard questions asked by religion
researchers, religion seems less central in the lives of Asian-Americans
than Americans in general. But researchers also cautioned that such
measures of religiosity often fail to reveal much about the religious life
of Asian-Americans, in that such a line of questioning assumes a
Judeo-Christian approach to spirituality. "This is one of those
classic apples to oranges questions: How do you ask about God in a
tradition that has no Creator-God?" said Sharon Suh, a Buddhism
scholar and chair of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at
Seattle University.
So researchers also asked questions that often aren't part of religious
surveys -- questions that delve deeper into the practices of non-Christians,
said Luis E. Lugo, director of the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.
For example, though only 27 percent of Asian-American Buddhists reported
that religion is very important in their lives, 67 percent of
Asian-American Buddhists say they believe in ancestral spirits, and 64
percent say they believe in reincarnation. And though just 12 percent of
Asian-American Buddhists say they attend services weekly, 57 percent say
they have a shrine in their home.
Among Asian-American Hindus, the report similarly concludes that belief in
multiple gods and other differences from Western religion belie direct
comparisons to the religious life of American Christians. Nearly
three-quarters of Asian-American Hindus (73 percent), for example, see yoga
as a spiritual practice as well as physical exercise, and 78 percent have a
shrine in their homes.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/20 18:20:21 ( 1013 reads )
|
Source
Srinagar, Jul 19, 2012 (PTI) Chhari Mubarak, the saffron-robed holy mace of
Lord Shiva, was taken to the historic Shankaracharya temple here for
prayers as part of the ongoing Amarnath yatra. Mahant Deependra Giri, the
custodian of the mace, carried the Chhari Mubarak from its abode Dashnami
Akhara at Badshah Chowk to Shankaracharya temple this morning, officials
said. Chhari Mubarak will be taken to Sharika-Bhawani Temple at Hari Parvat
in interior city tomorrow to pay obeisance to the Goddess ahead of its
joining the Amarnath yatra later this month. The yatra commenced on June
and is scheduled to end on August 2 with the arrival of the Chhari mubarak
at the 3,880 metre high holy cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas on the
occasion of Raksha Bhandan festival. So far over 500,000 pilgrims have
offered prayers at the cave shrine.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/20 18:20:15 ( 985 reads )
|
Source
SAKHA, July 18, 2012 (indrus.in): Thousands of miles away from the
backwaters of Kerala, Kuttiyattam performers from the southern Indian state
staged performances of the Sanskrit theatre in the Russian Republic of
Sakha (Yakutia). The theatre-group was in the Russian internal republic for
the 'Masterpieces of UNESCO in Olonkho Land Festival' that was held on July
10-16. The festival was held alongside the Children of Asia sports
tournament that brought together under-16 athletes from across the
continent.
The Indian artists were joined by performers from Indonesia, Bhutan, South
Korea, China and Japan as well as groups from the Asian part of Russia. The
festival, which carried the same motto as the games, "From Friendship
in Sport to Peace on Earth," focussed on showcasing various Asian
cultures to the people of Yakuti.
The festival, which had performances from 13 countries, was inaugurated
with a Kuttiyattam performance. Kutiyattam is traditionally performed in
Hindu Temples in Kerala in the Sanskrit language and is about 2,000 years
old. Since Sakha doesn't have a Hindu temple, a jam-packed Yakutsk State
Opera and Ballet Theatre hosted the performances. The audience was stunned
by the power of expression displayed by the actors portraying Lord Rama,
Ravana and his wife princess Mandodari. The performers managed to convey
all the intricate emotions by their subtle mimicking and singing
accompanied by exquisite drumbeats.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/20 18:20:10 ( 971 reads )
|
Source
BHUBANESWAR, INDIA, July 18, 2012 (IANS): Odisha-based sand artist Sudarsan
Pattnaik's sculpture of the Hindu God Ganesha has won two gold medals at
the just-concluded Solo International Sand Art Contest in Marbella, Spain,
the artist said Wednesday. Pattnaik's 3.5-metre sand sculpture bearing
message - "Save The Sea Life" - won in People's Choice and Best
Positive sculpture categories. (A photo is available at
"source.") "The theme of the competition was Secrets of the
Sea," the sand artist, who belongs to beach town of Puri, about 55 km
from here, told IANS over the phone. Pattnaik used about 1,000 tonnes of
sand to build the sculpture. He was the only sand artist from India to
participate in the contest held July 9-17. Other participants included
artists from Spain, Italy, Ireland, Germany, Ukraine, Russia, Poland and Holland.
Pattnaik has participated in more than 50 international sand art
competitions across the globe and won many accolades.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/20 18:20:03 ( 924 reads )
|
Source
You are God. I am God. Only one. You cannot separate me from you.
-- Satguru Siva Yogaswami (1872-1964), Sri Lanka's most revered
contemporary mystic
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/17 16:23:09 ( 1284 reads )
|
Source
HOUSTON, TEXAS, July 17, 2012 (Sci-Tech Today.com): Researchers are
building a menu for a planned NASA mission to Mars in the 2030s, mixing and
tasting the vegetarian concoctions they hope to send with the astronauts.
Travel to Mars opens the possibility that astronauts can do things like
chop veggies and do a little cooking, according to Maya Cooper, senior
research scientist with Lockheed Martin who is leading the efforts to build
the menu.
Already, Cooper's team of three has come up with about 100 recipes, all
vegetarian because the astronauts will not have dairy or meat products
available. It isn't possible to preserve those products long enough to take
to Mars -- and bringing a cow on the mission is not an option, Cooper
jokes.
To ensure the vegetarian diet packs the right amount of protein, the
researchers are designing a variety of dishes that include tofu and nuts,
including a Thai pizza that has no cheese but is covered with carrots, red
peppers, mushrooms, scallions, peanuts and a homemade sauce that has a
spicy kick.
At the moment, Michele Perchonok, advanced food technology project
scientist at NASA, said about $1 million on average is spent annually on
researching and building the Mars menu. NASA's overall budget in 2012 is
more than $17 billion. She is hopeful that as the mission gets closer --
about 10 to 15 years before launch -- that the budget will grow, allowing
for more in-depth, conclusive research.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/17 16:23:03 ( 937 reads )
|
Source
BEJA/PAX JULIA, PORTUGAL, June 24, 2012 (Portuguese Yoga Confederation,
translated from Portuguese): The city of Beja was a center of International
Peace with the Celebration of the World Yoga Day. One thousand people
participated in the celebration with mass yoga demonstrations, synchronized
yoga, song and group prayer. Photos at "source" above.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/17 16:22:57 ( 958 reads )
|
Source
Give up everything to Him, resign yourself to Him and there will no trouble
for you. Then you will come to know that every thing is done by His will.
-- Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa (1836-1886)
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/16 18:28:16 ( 1030 reads )
|
Source
INDIA, July 13, 2012 (indianexpress.com): India topped a list of 17-nations
on best sustainable behavior, with consumers in the US last on the list,
according to a new survey. The global analysis by the National Geographic
Society found that Indian consumers were the most conscious about their
environment footprint and were more guilty about their impact despite
having the best sustainable behavior. Ironically, people in developing
countries like India, China and Brazil -- in that order -- were making the
most sustainable choices, while consumers in the rich nations had the least
sustainable lifestyles. India accounted for a Greendex score of 58.9,
followed by China at 57.8 and Brazil at 55.5, while the US was ranked the
lowest at a score of 44.7.
People in India and other developing countries were also found to be the
most "guilty about the impact" they have on the environment.
"Yet 45 per cent of Indian and 42 per cent of Chinese consumers feel
guilty about the impact they have on the environment - first and second
among those surveyed and two times higher than Americans (at 21%)," it
said. "In what may be a major disconnect between perception and
behavior, the study also shows that consumers who feel the guiltiest about
their impact - those in China, India and Brazil - actually lead the pack in
sustainable consumer choices. "The data suggest a significant divide
between how emerging markets and developed nations experience environmental
challenges," said Terry Garcia, Executive Vice President for Mission
Programs at the National Geographic Society.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/16 18:28:10 ( 968 reads )
|
Source
NEW DELHI, INDIA, July 11, 2012 (indianexpress.com): JD-U chief Sharad
Yadav today demanded that the government should "take over" the
large donations of famous temples in the country and use them for
improvement of pilgrim places to boost religious tourism. Mentioning
Padmanabha temple in Kerala and Mahalaxmi temple in Maharashtra, Yadav said
the value of assets in these temples are worth over thousands of crore
(hundreds of millions of US$). "Money and gold found in these temples
are the donations received from the public in large. Therefore, government
should immediately take over these donations.
Maintaining that God does not need money but desires the welfare of human
beings, Yadav said, "this purpose can only be served if these
treasures are taken over by the government". He also cited the example
of Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC), saying it has well
maintained all the Sikh religious places in the country. "Likewise,
the donations of gold and cash offered by pilgrims in these temples should
be used for the improvement of various Hindu religious places in the
country". Yadav noted that many of the Hindu religious places in the
country are in bad condition and "pilgrims are put to lot of
inconvenience during pilgrimage." He said donations received in the
religious places is public money and it should only be used for improving
the infrastructure of the religious places so that people in large numbers
can visit them conveniently.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/16 18:28:04 ( 1355 reads )
|
Source
HARIDWAR, INDIA, July 2012 (bbc.co): Genealogy is big business these days,
much of it internet-driven, but as the BBC's Anu Anand discovered in
Haridwar, if you are from a Hindu family tracing your roots in the
traditional manner can prove a little more demanding. By day, thousands of
Hindu pilgrims come to wash away their sins or to perform last rites with
the ashes of their deceased loved ones. My own pilgrimage to Haridwar is
for a different reason.
I grew up in the southern United States, where the past can be carefully
unearthed through public records. But my own past was a mystery. Neither my
parents nor I possessed birth certificates. My mother did not even know her
real date of birth. Like many of her generation, it had simply been
concocted when officialdom required it. It was only when I moved to India
in my 20s that I heard of the existence of a unique, ancient Hindu
genealogical tradition - a tradition that I had finally come to see for
myself. When Hindus make a pilgrimage to a holy place, they also reconnect
with their personal family priest, and record births, marriages and deaths
on long paper scrolls.
The earliest records, written on palm leaves, have been lost to the
elements, but there are sites across India where such records can still be
found, and Haridwar remains the most comprehensive and well-preserved
repository. Today there are some 300 hereditary priests, or pandas, still
at work. Hindu family history scrolls have been held in Haridwar for
centuries The only trouble is, in order to find your family historian, you
need to know something of your family's history." Without computerized
records or even a local registry, the search for the right priest could
take weeks.
In desperation, I phoned my father in Florida. He had met our family panda
once, after my grandfather died. Perhaps he would remember where. "All
I remember is a giant tree in a courtyard," he told me. A local man
overheard my entreaties and tapped me on the shoulder. "I know this
tree," he said. A few minutes later, he unlatched heavy double doors
into a hidden courtyard, and right in the middle was one of the thickest
banyan trees I have ever seen. Inside the courtyard was Mahendra Kumar, a
round, jovial man. Moments later, as my eyes watered with delight he
unravelled two scrolls, going back to the early 1800s. They contained
entries written in the hand of my father, grandfather, great-grandfather,
and great-great-grandfathers - going back a staggering ten generations. Mr.
Kumar then invited me to make my own entry in our family scroll. Under the
date, I put my name, as well as the names of my English husband, and our
two children.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/16 18:27:58 ( 951 reads )
|
Source
I do nothing but go about persuading you all, old and young alike, not to
take thought of yourselves or your properties, but to care about the
improvement of the soul.
-- Socrates, (470-399 bce) Greek philosopher
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/29 17:24:37 ( 911 reads )
|
Source
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, July 29, 2012 (NY1): An ancient form of exercise for
the body and soul is being used to help improve the lives of children with
special needs. For five-year-old Hiro Saburi, sitting serenely for even a
few minutes is no easy task. The Queens boy has autism. "He was really
like up and over there and there. So hyper he wanted to calm down but he
didn't know how to do that," said Hiro's mother, Mika Saburi. With
each conscious breath and held stretch, Hiro is learning how the body and
mind are linked. For the last two years he's been practicing a discipline
dating back to antiquity, but with a modern tweak, catering to children
with special needs like his. It's called "Yoga for the Special
Child." "They can concentrate better. They can learn quicker.
They become more peaceful," Yoga for the Special Child" Founder
Sonia Sumar.
Sumar founded the discipline in the 1970's after giving birth to a daughter
with Down Syndrome. Although she died at 15, Sumar says teaching her
daughter the basics of yoga enhanced the quality of what little life she
lived. Sumar trains occupational and physical therapists and teachers at
Integral Yoga Institute in the West Village. She's made it her life's work
traveling the world, helping special needs children. "By working with
all the other kids around the world, I filled up all the emptiness that
came with her passage and I feel her with me all the time, inspiring
me," Sumar said.
It's not always easy. On this particular afternoon, Hiro didn't make it
through his 30 minute session. But even in the short time he practiced
yoga, it seemed to have a calming effect. "The way it is to be more
balanced between mind and the body which is beneficial," Saburi said.
"This is a work that is soul to soul. When you establish that kind of
connection with someone, there are no limitations," Sumar said. Hiro's
mother hopes yoga will make his transition to kindergarten in the fall
smoother and life beyond much easier.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/29 17:24:28 ( 907 reads )
|
Source
You have to want the Self more than your life, because that's what it
is--more than your life.
-- Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001), founder of Hinduism
Today
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/28 16:02:04 ( 1120 reads )
|
Source
SRI LANKA, July 2012 (sundaytimes.lk): One monk's big idea will soon be a
reality as Sri Lanka's version of the Bamiyan Buddha -- a 67.5 foot high
granite Samadhi Buddha statue-- takes shape in a little village in
Kurunegala. Here, Ven. Egodamulla Amaramoli Thera relates the beginnings of
a gigantic task that started with the chance meeting of an Indian sculptor.
It's been eight years and four months since the day that renowned Indian
sculptor Padma Sri M.M. Sthapathi and his men took on the gigantic task of
carving out a 67.5 foot high Samadhi Buddha statue on a granite rock
situated within the land of a temple in the quiet village of Rambodagalla
in the Kurunegala district. The fruits of their labour have now taken the
shape of an impressive Buddha figure, the first of its kind to be attempted
since the Polonnaruwa era during which time the "Gal Viharaya"
was carved more than 800 years ago.
The idea for the gigantic Buddha statue first dawned on the chief incumbent
of Vidyasagara Pirivena Vihara, Monaragala, Rambodagalla, Venerable
Egodamulla Amaramoli Thera as he sat aghast watching the wanton destruction
of the gigantic Buddha statues at Bamiyan in Afghanistan. As the scenes of
destruction unfolded over TV, the Thera resolved that he would do whatever
possible to build a Buddha statue to rival those blown to oblivion by a
group of religious extremists. "Due to the destruction, I wanted to
begin a construction so that what befell the statues at Bamiyan would not
be forgotten. I also wanted to bring about an awakening among the people of
this country about their proud history during which period massive
constructions were undertaken and have been left for posterity and have
become a source of pride to all Sri Lankans."
More details on the project can be obtained at the website http://www.samadhibuddhastatue.lk.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/28 16:01:58 ( 769 reads )
|
Source
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, July 27, 2012 (New York Daily News): State Taxation and
Finance Department officials have ruled that that Yoga is not a "true
exercise" activity under the tax code and therefore not subject to
sales taxes. The Tax Department ruled that Yoga Salons, unlike gyms and
other fitness centers, practice more spiritual activities, including
"meditation and spiritual chanting." The ruling brings to a close
a dispute that erupted in April when the Tax Department notified Yoga
salons across the city that they could be audited for unpaid sales taxes.
"I am pleased that State Finance recognized the unfairness in treating
Yoga studios like gyms and other fitness centers, and will not be charging
independent studios the tax," said Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal
(D-Manhattan), who interceded on behalf of city Yoga owners.
The 4.5% tax still applies on yoga classes taught at gyms and fitness
studios.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/28 16:01:52 ( 869 reads )
|
Source
NEPAL, July 2012 (onenewsnow.com): 15 years ago, Christians were put in
jail for their faith. However, a change in government in 2008 meant that
Christmas could be openly celebrated. The Church and groups like the Nepal
Bible Society have been officially recognized. While persecution is less
acute than in the past, it remains. There are some who are hostile to those
who left Hinduism to follow Christ. And yet, the Nepal Bible Society says
over 95% of Christians in Nepal are recent converts.
Mawii Pudaite with Bibles For The World says their ministry launched an
ambitious project at the beginning of 2012. Their goal was to print and
distribute a million copies of the Gospel of John. "The Lord has
provided the funds to print the first 500,000 [copies of the] Gospel of
John," she says. Together with their partners, the Nepal Bible
Society, Koinonia Patan Church, and over 50 of their daughter churches,
BFTW is teaming up with other ministries to see this project through. The
idea is to deliver a copy to every apartment, every home, every family in
the target region. As of April, Bibles For the World already had 26,000 requests
for the resource. The ministry is now raising funds to do a second print
run of 500,000 copies of the Gospel of John.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/28 16:01:46 ( 770 reads )
|
Source
Actions are the louder expression of thought. The quality of thought is
ordered by the nature of our inner belief and faith.
-- Swami Chinmayananda (1916-1993), founder of Chinmaya Mission
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/27 16:25:26 ( 1053 reads )
|
Source
MUMBAI, INDIA, July 25, 2012 (ABC News): Oprah Winfrey is facing a barrage
of criticism from disappointed Indian viewers who say she resorted to
"stereotypes and cliches" in the episode of her show
"Oprah's Next Chapter" dealing with her visit to the
subcontinent. "Watching the Oprah in India thing on TLC and getting
more and more irritated by the minute," one viewer in India tweeted.
Aseem Chhabra, a freelance journalist and columnist for the Mumbai Mirror, told
ABC News he expected a lot more from somebody like Oprah Winfrey. Chhabra
was not alone in his skepticism, however. "Myopic, unaware, ignorant
and gauche. This was Middle America at its best worst," according to a
review of the show on Firstpost.com, an online news site based in Mumbai.
Indian viewers were perhaps most outraged by a scene in which Winfrey tells
an Indian family during dinner, "I heard some Indian people eat with
their hands still." After being advised to eat with only her right
hand, she uses both. Another polarizing scene is when Winfrey visits the
Hedges, a family of five living in a 10-by-10-foot room in a slum in
Mumbai. "When I stepped in the door I was thinking, 'OK, where is the
house? Where's the rest of the house?' And then I realized I was already in
it," Winfrey says in the episode. She also managed to avoid mentioning
the large LCD television screen on the wall of the otherwise humble home.
Many Americans had a different reaction to the episode when it aired on
U.S. televisions in April. "Love Oprah's experiences of traveling to
different cultures and the respect that she shows as she learns," one
viewer commented on Oprah's website. But with the backlash from Indian
viewers, the talk-show host might not be welcomed back to India with open
arms anytime soon.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/27 16:25:20 ( 815 reads )
|
Source
CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN, July 23, 2012 (diariodeavisos.com): On Sunday, July
22, over 2,000 people attended the celebration of the Ratha Yatra organized
by the local Hindu community in collaboration with the municipality of
Arona,. The Ratha Yatra is a very important holiday, which is associated
with Lord Jagannath, and held in Puri (India) during the months of June and
July. The celebration was attended by the councillor of Culture and the
councillor of Environment of the Municipality of Arona, Miguel Angel Mendez
and Antonio Sosa, respectively, who stressed that "events like this
confirm the multicultural character of the municipality of Arona, a trait
that has enriched us socially and culturally. "
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/27 16:25:15 ( 924 reads )
|
Press Release
DARTMOUTH, MASSACHUCETES, USA, July 25, 2012: Dartmouth, MA, July 25, 2012
- The World Association for Vedic Studies (WAVES) held a successful Tenth
International Conference at the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth MA
from July 13-15. This conference was co-sponsored by the Center for Indic
Studies at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth.
After holding its first International conference in Atlanta, GA in 1996,
WAVES has attracted scholars from all over the world to its ten conferences
which are known to feature open discussions and scholarly presentations on
topics generally related to the Vedas and Indology. Scholars present talks
on related topics from historical, linguistic, anthropological, gender,
archeological, astronomical, philosophical, and other perspectives.
Scholars traveled from many parts of the world to participate and present
at the conference, including from India, Spain, Canada, Russia, and
Australia.
The conference started with an invocation and Vedic chanting, and a blowing
of the conch which traditionally marks the auspicious beginning of an event
in Vedic culture. "I have attended many past WAVES conferences, but
this was by far the most attended, with a large number of scholars
gathering at one place" said Dr. Madan Lal Goel, Professor Emeritus of
Political Science at the University of Florida. About 250 people attended
this three-day conference. There were over 160 scholarly presentations, in
addition to Panel discussions, Keynote speeches, and the performance of a
Havan according to Vedic guidelines. Sanjay Saxena of the Gayatri Pariwar
gave a wonderful demonstration of Vedic havans that have been performed for
thousands of years, while explaining the significance of the various
mantras involved.
The main theme of the conference as envisioned by the general Chairman of
the conference, Dr. Shiva Bajpai, Professor Emeritus at California State
University was "Vedic Cultures - Epic and Pauranic Phase". Many
scholars had their paper centered around this main theme. "This is the
largest number of overseas presenters I have ever seen at any WAVES
conference" observed Dhirendra Shah, a WAVES founding member and its
current Treasurer. He added that with the help of current technology, some
presenters were able to present their papers remotely via satellite, and
were able to watch the proceedings of the conference via live streaming on
their computers.
This conference was the second WAVES conference where a special track was
designed for Youth presentations. Ravi Jaishankar and Sarika Persaud from
the Hindu Students Council (HSC) remarked that "It was nice to see the
younger generation presenting their views and findings on wide ranging
topics within the Vedic Studies fold." As part of the youth track,
over a dozen young students from the American Vivekananda Academy, run by
WAVES BOD member Pandit Ramadheen Ramsamooj, participated in the conference
and made heartfelt and thought-provoking presentations ranging in topic
from the plight of Hindu Bhutanese refugees in Nepal to the challenges of
practicing Dharma faced by youth in America.
Dr. Bina Gupta from the University of Missouri Columbia mentioned in her
speech that most conferences have a large slant towards Eurocentric concepts,
and that this conference was one of the few that presented ideas from an
alternative perspective. She mentioned that most PhD granting departments
do not introduce Indian Philosophy. The philosophy taught by most
institutions is generally analytical, theoretical and logical, whereas
Indian Philosophy additionally deals with the practical.
Contact: Aditi Banerjee, banerjeea@gmail.com
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/27 16:25:09 ( 733 reads )
|
Source
Seek the Infinite, for that alone is Joy unlimited, imperishable,
unfailing, self-sustaining, unconditioned, timeless. When you have this
joy, human life becomes a paradise; the light, the grace, the power, the
perfections of that which is highest in your inner consciousness, appear in
your everyday life.
-- Swami Omkarananda. founder of Omkarananda Ashram, Rishikesh
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/22 15:23:52 ( 999 reads )
|
Source
BANGKOK, THAILAND, July 20, 2012 (UPI): Thailand and Cambodia have pulled
back their troops from the disputed border area around Preah Vihear, a
ninth-century Hindu temple. Bangkok and Phnom Penh have been at a standoff
around the 900-year-old temple in the Dangrek Mountains on the
Thai-Cambodia border for several years and several military confrontations.
The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple -- since
2008 a World Heritage site -- was on Cambodian land. However, some access
to the mountaintop site passes through Thai territory, a route that Thai
troops occasionally seal off.
The recent agreement to withdraw troops is "the first step" in
following the International Court of Justice's order in July last year, a
report in The Bangkok Post said. The court, which sits in The Hague, agreed
on a vote of 11-5 that Thailand and Cambodia should immediately withdraw
troops from the disputed area and for the area to become a temporary
demilitarized zone. The ICJ will make its final ruling on ownership likely
late next year, the Post said.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/22 15:23:45 ( 1007 reads )
|
Source
VARANASI, INDIA,July 22, 2012 (indiatimes.com): The police succeeded in
recovering the stolen rare handwritten manuscript of Ramcharit Manas, the
epic authored by Goswami Tulsidas and other articles including a statue and
silver crown on Saturday. They arrested two persons in this connection. The
manuscript and other articles were stolen from the Hanuman Mandir at Tulsi
Ghat on December 22 last year. The theft evoked resentment among the
devotees. The police had been active to trace the stolen articles as well
as thieves. According to records, acting on a tip off, the police caught
two persons along with the stolen manuscript and other articles in a lane
near Gopal Mandir in Chowk area on Saturday.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/22 15:23:39 ( 1084 reads )
|
Source
UNITED STATES, July 19, 2012 (huffingtonpost.com): (HPI note: we're running
several different reports on this Pew Study, as each highlights a different
aspect of the report.) In a report on Asian America and religion published
today, the Pew Research Center offers new data that illuminate the
complexity and richness of our pluralistic democracy. Pew's national survey
is providing one of the first detailed glimpses into how Hinduism is
practiced in the United States. While temples representing many strains of
Hinduism have sprung up across the U.S. since 1965, the Pew report offers
the first data on where American Hindus locate themselves on the broad and
diverse field of Hindu belief. More than half (53 percent) identify as
simply "Hindu," but of the other half, about twice as many (19
percent) identify with the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism as with Shaivite
Hinduism (10 percent). Smaller percentages identify with Vedanta philosophy
(2 percent).
The Pew report also indicates how Hinduism is lived in the U.S. -- how it
plays out in the daily lives of individuals. The report tells us that nearly
half (48 percent) of Hindus engage in daily prayer, and another third (32
percent) pray weekly or monthly. More than three quarters (78 percent) keep
a puja (altar or shrine) in their home. A similar number (73 percent)
believe in yoga as a spiritual practice, and more than four in 10 meditate
daily (44 percent) or fast during holy times (41 percent).
To make the most of the Pew report, we need to bear in mind how the framing
and phrasing of the survey can affect not only the data but also the
conclusions some readers could draw from it. For example, consider the
large majority of Hindus who have an in-home puja, where devotional
activities can be carried out without being "affiliated" with a
mandir (Hindu temple) or attending group worship. Researchers who measure
religious engagement in Christian normative terms will inevitably
under-estimate the religiosity of Hindus: Hinduism doesn't have a weekly
Sabbath like the Abrahamic faiths, and Hindus are as likely to worship at
home or visit a temple to do darshan (the act of seeing and being seen by
God), which they may not identify as attending a "service."
Likewise, Pew found fewer Hindus (17 percent) than any other religious
group felt "living a very religious life" was "one of the
most important things in life." But the number of Asian Americans who
prioritized "being a good parent" (67 percent) and "having a
successful marriage" (42 percent) outpaced the general public
substantially. For Hindus, these are religious principles. Hindus recognize
the concept of dharma -- the obligation one has to family and community at
various stages of life. In India, where most of Pew's Hindu research
participants grew up, one speaks not of religion or religiosity, but of
dharma. Being a good parent and spouse are among the quintessential dharmic
duties of a Hindu; to prioritize them is to "live a very religious
life."
Nearly a third (30 percent) of the Hindus Pew surveyed say they sometimes
attend services of "different religions." That does not
necessarily mean that they are worshiping outside Hinduism. Hinduism is no
more monolithic or unified than any other religion. Vaishnavites and
Shaivites may see each other's houses of worship as a "different
religion." Also, Hindus of one type may attend another's mandir simply
because it is the only geographically convenient temple. Pew found 73
percent of Hindus and 76 percent of Buddhists surveyed "celebrate
Christmas." But even assuming that for most Hindu Americans,
"celebrating Christmas" is more about trees and gifts than the
Baby Jesus, this is a striking figure. The framers of the Constitution
could not have imagined America's religious diversity today, but they would
surely rejoice to see different religious groups celebrating with one
another.
Pew concludes that Asian American religions are being transformed in the
United States. The development of American Hinduism is being influenced by
the dominant culture and shaped by the experiences of young Hindus raised
in a Christian milieu. And Asian American religions are also transforming
the United States.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/22 15:23:33 ( 880 reads )
|
Source
"I went to the root of things, and found nothing but Him alone."
-- Mira Bai (1500-1550), princess of Rajasthan, Northwest India, a
saint celebrated for her lyrical poetry dedicated to Krishna
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/21 17:35:32 ( 818 reads )
|
Source
Srinagar, July 19, 2012( Mail Today): As the death toll of Amarnath
pilgrims mounted to 92 on Thursday, the 25th day of Amarnath yatra, the
state health ministry voiced concern that the pilgrims don't even take
basic health precautions and put their lives to risk. Dr. Anita Murthy, who
volunteered to serve Amarnath yatris at the Baltal base camp, said most of
the medical certificates given to the pilgrims certifying that they were
fit for the yatra were obtained through fraudulent means. "Their
medical certificates are not genuine. Action needs to be taken against
doctors who issue such certificates," she said.
According to her, most of the yatris have respiratory, cardiac and
orthopaedic problems. "Many yatris do not come with adequate clothing
and commence climbing without any acclimatization, attempting to complete
the yatra in the shortest possible time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/8/5 17:31:40 ( 875 reads )
|
Source
NEW DELHI, INDIA, August 3, 2012 (Indian Express):A special enclosure in
the courtyard of Tihar Jail was abuzz with a range of emotions as families
of nearly 4,500 inmates thronged the prison to celebrate Raksha Bandhan on
Thursday. The jail authorities implemented a unique "advance booking
system," allowing the prisoners' relatives to apply a
month-and-a-fortnight ago for the visit. "This reduced last-minute
confusion. But women without prior booking were also allowed in,"
Tihar spokesperson Sunil Gupta said.
"A total of 4,000 male prisoners met their families and friends today.
There were around 15,000 visitors. Of the 5,500 female inmates, 125
received visitors," he said. This is the only day in a year when
inmates are allowed to meet relatives in an open area, instead of the
designated room where they have to stand behind a wire mesh, with the
visitor on the other side.
"Three persons per family, excluding children, are allowed per inmate.
Around 30 inmates are allowed to meet their relatives for 20 minutes at a
time. This opportunity comes once a year". But the visitors are not
allowed to carry anything inside. "We provide them with rakhis and
puja material. We brought 850 packets of sweets from outside, besides 200
packets of petha that the inmates made. Relatives can buy sweets from
us," Superintendent of Jail No. 6 Shamsher Singh said.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/8/5 17:31:34 ( 847 reads )
|
Source
Find God.That is the only purpose in life."
-- Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886)
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/8/4 16:13:31 ( 862 reads )
|
Source
HYDERABAD, INDIA August 3, 2012 (Times of India): It was festival time in
the city on Thursday as families celebrated Raksha Bandhan with great
fervor. Most schools and colleges remained closed on the occasion while
sweet shops and gift stores cashed in on the festive boom to report 25%-40%
increase in sales. Gift boxes of assorted chocolates sold like hotcakes
this year according to some store managers.
While some celebrated at home in the traditional way with the sister
observing a fast until she tied the rakhi on her brother's wrist after
taking elders' blessings, others celebrated at their workplaces with their
co-workers. City roads were not as clogged as is usual and many restaurants
organized rakhi-themed lunches and dinners with special and traditional
items on their menu.
Rajesh Dadu, proprietor of Dadu's Mithai Vatika, said, "Sales today
are three times more than on a regular day and 25% better than last year.
We were not expecting such a good response from the public but customers
started pouring in from yesterday itself. We made the most of the rush by
making special festive sweets like sitaphal rasmalai, pineapple mazab,
badam and kaju sweets shaped like rakhis and other snacks like mini pizzas.
Meanwhile, gift stores in the city were crowded with customers looking for
the perfect gift for their family members. "We have never recorded
such high sales of chocolate during raksha bandhan. Our profits this year
are at least 50% greater than previous year's figures," said Sayeed
Abid, supervisor at Himalaya Book World.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/8/4 16:13:25 ( 895 reads )
|
Source
KARACHI, INDIA August 3, 2012 (tribune.com): Every year at Raksha Bandhan,
a middle-aged Padma dresses in her best red sari and comes to the Laxmi
Narayan Temple with a red rakhi, but without a brother. She goes up to the
room where the statue of Lord Vishnu resides and tries the thread around
its wrist. "He is my only brother," she says, and carries on with
her pooja.
The girls and women who don't have brothers or can't be with them, like
Padma, tie the rakhis around Deities at Raksha Bandhan, the festival which
celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters.
Meena, a young woman who has four sisters, says that the male Gods always
protect those women who consider the Gods as Their sibling. "When my
mother died, lord gave me the support and comfort I needed to bear the
loss," she says, while sitting on the stairs of Laxmi Narayan Mandir.
"Just like a brother would give to his sister." Besides Vishnu,
Meena also makes sure to tie the rakhi around the wrists of her cousin,
Raju, who presents her with a sari every year.
"The festival may seem light-hearted to some people," says Raju,
as he sits beside Meena. "But the responsibility a sister bestows on
him is huge. The brother will never leave his sister alone. This is not a
game for us. The thread brings with it a lot of prayers. Before the actual
festival begins, women fast for 17 days and pray for their husbands and
brothers.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/8/4 16:13:19 ( 980 reads )
|
Source
LONDON, ENGLAND, March 21, 2010 (mandir.org): The winning designs of the
Olympic Landmark London pin badges have been launched, with BAPS Shri
Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden featured as the selected landmark for the
London Borough of Brent. In September 2009, the London Organising Committee
of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and London Councils launched
the Landmark London competition. Londoners were invited to vote for the
most iconic landmark in their borough that they would most like to see
featured in an individual pin badge.
Each of London's 33 boroughs were required to shortlist four landmarks
which, in the eyes of Londoners, represents what "makes their borough
great". BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir - popularly known as the Neasden
Temple - won the popular vote for Brent, illustrating once again how cohesively
the Mandir has become a part of the local community.
Each of the landmarks has now been re-created into a metal pin badge
incorporating the London 2012 logo. Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG,
presented each London Borough with the first pin badge produced. He added:
"London is a fantastically diverse city and the variety of landmarks
chosen by Londoners to represent their local areas highlights this
perfectly."
Cllr Paul Lorber - Leader of Brent Council and keen supporter of the
Mandir's place in the community - presented the badge to BAPS Swaminarayan
Sanstha (BAPS) on Sunday 21 March 2010, saying: "The important thing
is that it is not just about a building. I have always been exceptionally
impressed by the community spirit that the Hindu community participates in,
in terms of the volunteering efforts and the community involvement in
ensuring that each and every one of you makes a contribution to the
well-being of our community."
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/8/4 16:13:14 ( 892 reads )
|
Source
KAUAI, HAWAII, August 4, 2012: Hinduism Today was gifted an unusual
painting of the 2010 Kumbha Mela and now offers it for sale on eBay to help
the magazine. The original, highly detailed oil painting is 8 feet long and
3 feet high, unframed, on canvas. To see bid or see photos on eBay, click
on "source" above. The painting is a collection of scenes from
the Mela, the bathing, royal processions, sadhus, saints and ordinary
devotees.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/8/4 16:13:08 ( 858 reads )
|
Source
-- "A" is the first and source of all the letters. Even so is
God Primordial the first and source of all the world. Tirukural
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/31 18:13:47 ( 877 reads )
|
Source
ALLAHABAD, July 31, 2012 (TNN): Devotees thronged various city temples on
last Monday of Shrawan to offer prayers to Lord Shiva. Even rain and power
failure could not deter their spirits and heavy rush of devotees was
witnessed in the Mankameshwar Temple and Padila Mahadeo temple at
Phaphamau. A large number of kanwariyas also gathered at Shiva temples to
offer holy water. Throwing light on the importance of Somvar, Dr Ram Naresh
Tripathi said that it is said that Lord Shiva showers blessings on all
those who remember him with true heart.
Millions of devout Hindus observe the Shrawan Somwar Vrat - fasting and
performing Pujas. In Varanasi, hundreds of thousands of devotees offered
water abhishekam at Kashi Vishwanath and other temples of Lord Shiva on the
last Monday of Shrawan. Massive turnout of devotees was also visible at
Markandeya Mahadeo temple, Kaithi, Mrityunjaya Mahadeo, Onkaleshwar,
Kedareshwar, Tilbhandeshwar, KVT in Banaras Hindu University, Rameshwar,
Shooltankeshwar and other prominent temples of Lord Shiva.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/31 18:13:41 ( 944 reads )
|
Source
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, July 31, 2012 (Manchester Evening News): (HPI is
struggling to find anything about the Olympics which might interest our
Hindu readers. Today we offer this historical tidbit.)
Emil Voigt, a Manchester journalist, a self-trained vegetarian and a radio
pioneer, was born in Ardwick and holds an Olympic record unlikely ever to
be broken. He raced to victory in the five miles event at the 1908 London
Games, clocking 25 mins 11.2 seconds. It was and still is an Olympic
record.
And in the 104 years since, no Brit has struck individual Olympic gold in
an event above 5,000 meters. The five-mile distance (8,045 meters) is no
longer run in the Olympics, but unlike many sepia tinged performances of
the past, Voigt's time still compares favorably with anything his modern
day counterparts can manage.
Voigt was something of a maverick. He preferred to train himself, running
three times a day, well into the night, in the weeks leading up to the
Games. He devised a special vegetarian diet and used self-massage as a
means of preparation.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/31 18:13:34 ( 887 reads )
|
Source
Lead me in the center of thy silence to fill my heart with songs.
-- Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) celebrated Bengali writer who won the
Nobel Prize Literature in 1913.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/30 18:14:10 ( 935 reads )
|
https://www.mpbn.net/News/MaineNewsArc ...
ItemId/22874/Default.aspx
MAINE, USA, July 20, 2012 (Maine News Archive): The former First
Universalist Church of Scarborough and South Buxton is a classic old New
England church, small, white, and wooden, with a tall steeple. It's been vacant
for the past few years, so it's a little worn around the edges. But last
night, the old church was brought back to life as Maine's first community
Hindu temple. It's a long-awaited moment for many Indian-Americans, who say
the temple was the missing piece they needed to complete their new lives in
Maine.
On Thursday evenings, the temple is filled with the sounds of kirtan, or
devotional singing. Inside, sandalwood incense infuses the room. Pews line
the outside walls, but devotees sit on a rug in the center. As they sing,
they face an altar that holds brightly colored flowers, candles, and
pictures of Ganesh and other Gods. Vani Kancharla said until now, there was
no common place for Maine Indians to meet for prayer. She said they've
moved from house to house, or made the two and a half hour drive to the
nearest temple in Boston.
There is a lot of work to be done on the temple. The roof needs fixing,
walls need painting. Devotees want to decorate it with more statues and
paintings. They also need to raise money for repairs and to pay back one
member who loaned the money to purchase the church. Sandeep Gandra said
they'll take any help anyone can give. As he finishes, as if the gods were
listening, Buxton resident Jeff Roberts walks up with a welcome gift.
"We brought a symbol of OM that we bought actually when we were in
India, my wife and I spent three and a half months while we were there, and
it's our favorite country to travel to on earth." Roberts said he's
glad to see the church being put to use, and the diversity the Hindu temple
brings to the area.
The Maine Hindu Temple will officially open on September 19, the birthday
of Lord Ganesh. Gandra said Ganesh is the God of good luck. A fitting way
to officially start what they hope will be an enduring legacy.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/30 18:14:04 ( 1091 reads )
|
Source
INDIA, July 14, 2012 (Ariseasia Blog): The ice-formation in Amarnath cave
is worshipped by believers to be the manifestation of Shiva in lingam form.
Though, this is not unique. The ice-formation in caves is found across the
world. The phenomena have been documented by the scientists. But, everyone
admits that it is rarest of the rare phenomena and it is also a very recent
phenomenon if one compares the geological formation of caves with the
appearance of ice formation.
I have tried to document ice-formations in caves across the world and only
two other places, both in Europe has ice formation very similar to that of
Amarnath. These are the Eisriesenwelt ice caves in Austria and Demaenovska
Cave in Slovakia. Eisriesenwelt ice caves are the biggest and the ice
formation here resembles more with a lingam in comparison with even
Amarnath Ice-lingam.
One thing is clear that like other two ice -caves, even Amarntah
ice-formation is a recent phenomena and would not be more than 500 years
old. Buta Malik was led to discover it almost at the same time when it
began to form during the 15th century. If it would have pre-existed the
period, surely the Kashmiri Shaivites like Vasugupta , Abhinavagupta,
Kallata, Utpalacharya would have discovered and mentioned about the
gigantic caves. Kashmir was also a famous centre for Buddhists. The
Buddhists explored far flung caves like Dunhuang, Karle, Ajanta to build
magnificent monuments. It is surprising that the huge Amarnath cave escaped
their attention.
For the rest of this long post, click "source" above.
****************
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/30 18:13:58 ( 1072 reads )
|
Source
LONDON, ENGLAND, July 30, 2012:
Lizzie Armitstead was just 10 years old when she told her parents she
wanted to become a vegetarian. Yesterday, she won Great Britain's first
medal of the Olympic Games, taking silver in the grueling 87-mile road
cycling race, no less.
She said, "I was brought up as vegetarian from birth and have been a
long distance runner for most of my adult life. One of the most common
misconceptions I've come across is that vegetarians are pallid, gentle
creatures who would recoil in a tough sporting arena. Despite the fact I
was breaking school records on the track, people still questioned my diet's
ability to make me strong.
"I spent six months last year living and training with some of Kenya's
greatest long-distance runners, for my book, Running With the Kenyans. The
athletes (from the Rift Valley) were not strictly vegetarian, but ate very
little meat, which is usually reserved for special occasions such as
weddings or funerals. Although there were occasional non-vegetarian meals
served in the athlete training camps, we lived mostly on a diet of rice,
beans, ugali (a dough made of maize flour and water) and green vegetables.
The list of gold medals the Kenyan athletes have won on the track is almost
endless. (On a personal note, I returned home to run a marathon in under
three hours.)"
The article goes on to list other vegetarian olympians, including Paavo
Nurmi who won nine gold medals in long-distance running events during the
1924 and 1928 Olympics, including the 1,500m and 5,000m on the same
afternoon in Paris in 1924.
Here, you can read about Dylan Wykes, a Canandian
marathon runner in the current games, including his advice on diet.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/30 18:13:52 ( 976 reads )
|
Source
Remain calm, serene, always in command of yourself. You will then find out
how easy it is to get along.
-- Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952), Founder of Self-Realization
Fellowship
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/7/29 17:24:43 ( 1085 reads )
|
Source
HYDERABAD, INDIA, July 27, 2012 (India Today): The Tirumala Tirupati
Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the affairs of the country's richest
temple of Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh, has now banned the entry of all
non-Hindus into the temple if they do not declare their faith in Lord
Venkateshwara, the presiding Deity. The decision was taken by the TTD at a
meeting on Thursday, apparently in the wake of recent controversy over the
entry of YSR Congress Party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, a devout
Christian, into the Tirumala temple without bothering to sign the register
declaring his faith in the Lord despite repeated appeals by the temple
authorities.
According to TTD joint executive officer K.S. Srinivasa Raju, non-Hindus
must necessarily sign the declaration form at the Vaikuntam queue complex
before having the darshan of the Lord. Though the practice had been in
vogue for several decades, it was only followed as a tradition and not a
rule by only those who volunteered to give the declaration. Now, the TTD
authorities have made it compulsory as per the government order (GO MS No.
311 of AP Revenue Endowments-1) under Rule no. 16. "It is now a
mandatory rule for all those belonging to various faiths other than
Hinduism to sign a declaration form before entering the hill temple stating
that they have faith in the presiding Deity," Raju said.
The TTD also took a serious note of the attempts by certain people
representing evangelist organisations to propagate Christianity on the
Tirumala hills. Last week, the TTD vigilance authorities caught red-handed
three TTD employees who were in possession of literature, CDs and pictures
pertaining to Christianity. The employees were found to be clandestinely
propagating Christianity among the pilgrims coming from different parts of
the country. The TTD authorities transferred them to the head office in the
Tirupati down the sacred hills.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/8/12 18:06:21 ( 776 reads )
|
Source
Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions: Why am I
doing it? What might the results be? Can I be successful? Only when you
think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, then
proceed.
-- Chanakya (350-275 bce), Indian politician, strategist and writer
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/8/11 16:42:46 ( 933 reads )
|
Source
OAK CREEK, WISCONSIN, August 10, 2012 (yahoo.com): Hundreds of people
streamed into a Wisconsin high school Friday to pay their final respects to
six worshippers gunned down by a white supremacist at a Sikh temple in
suburban Milwaukee. Somber, tearful mourners, most wearing scarves on their
heads in the Sikh tradition, greeted victims' family members with hugs at
the Oak Creek High School gymnasium. Six open caskets were arranged inside
the gymnasium, with flowers adorning the bodies. A large video screen
flashed photos of those killed and injured. Mourners took their seats as
Sikh singers sang hymns in Punjabi, an Indian dialect. One of the singers
paused to translate some lyrics into English. "Dear God, you have
given me this body and this soul. This body is doing whatever you want me
to do. You take this soul, this is your soul," he said. Wisconsin Gov.
Scott Walker addressed the crowd, telling mourners the Sikh community has
shown others that the best way to respond to hate is with love.
US Attorney General Eric Holder, US Rep. Paul Ryan (just chosen as Romney's
running mate for the upcoming presidential elections) and other dignitaries
also addressed the gathering.
After the service, mourners planned to return to the Sikh Temple of
Wisconsin where the six died and three others were critically wounded
Sunday morning. There, priests will read the Sikh holy book from cover to
cover in a traditional rite honoring the dead called "Akhand
Path." That process takes 48 hours. The members have been repairing
and repainting the temple, leaving a single bullet hole in a door jam as a
memorial to the shooting victims.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on
2012/8/11 16:42:40 ( 956 reads )
|
Source
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, August 3, 2012 (Sydney Morning Herald): The National
Gallery of Australia has been embroiled in a drama over the alleged
trafficking of artefacts and antiquities. Subhash Kapoor, 63, an American
citizen who deals in Indian artefacts and owns two galleries in Manhattan,
is being held in prison in Tamil Nadu, southern India, accused of
trafficking antiques and antiquities. One of the works alleged to have been
stolen is a statue of Shiva as Nataraja, Lord of the Dance, dating from the
11th to 12th centuries, which the NGA bought from Mr Kapoor in 2008. The
gallery said in a statement it had done all the required provenance checks
before acquiring the piece from Mr Kapoor, owner of the Art of the Past
gallery on Madison Avenue. "As with all leading art institutions
around the world, the gallery is committed to strict due diligence when
acquiring works of art, particularly with regard to determining
provenance," Mr Radford said.
With only fuzzy internet images to go on, the gallery cannot confirm if the
Shiva statue in question is the one in its collection. "It is yet to
be determined if this work is one of the stolen works as has been
speculated about in certain media outlets The New York Post quoted the
Tamil Nadu deputy inspector general, A.G. Pon Manickavel, as saying:
"From what Kapoor told us, he earned more than $US11 million by
selling ancient idols stolen from temples in Tamil Nadu." The
allegations have reverberated around the international art world. Dozens of
high-profile museums and galleries have acquired works of art through gifts
or purchased from Mr Kapoor, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in
New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts in
Boston, the Musee des Arts Asiatiques-Guimet in Paris and the Royal Ontario
Museum in Toronto.
|
|
No comment
|
|
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)
No comments:
Post a Comment