News from Hindu Press International
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Posted on
2012/8/11 16:42:35 ( 1082 reads )
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JAFFNA, SRI LANKA, July 24, 2012 (nalluran.com): Jaffna Peninsula's famous
Nallur Kandaswamy Temple is geo-politically and religiously occupying a
special status among Hindus. Marvelous video is available at
"source" of the annual grand festival or Varsha Maha Brahmotsavam
of this temple for the present Tamil year which began on 24th July, 2012.
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Posted on
2012/8/11 16:42:29 ( 857 reads )
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As long as someone cries out "O God! O God!" be sure that he has
not found God, for whoever has found Him becomes still.
-- Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa (1836-1886)
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Posted on
2012/8/8 18:31:01 ( 995 reads )
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NEW YORK, PTI, 27 July 2012: The US authorities have issued an arrest
warrant against an Indian antique dealer, who is currently in prison in
Tamil Nadu, after they seized statues and artifacts stolen from Indian
temples and valued at over USD 20 million from his Manhattan store. US
immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) division of the homeland security
department executed a search warrant at the storage unit owned by Subhash
Chandra Kapoor, 63. Kapoor was arrested in Germany in October last year
following an Interpol red corner notice for smuggling antique idols
allegedly stolen from temples in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. He was extradited
to India two weeks ago and is currently in custody in Chennai.
Investigators said Kapoor, who has done business in the city since 1976,
had been importing into the US stolen Indian antiquities for several years.
Kapoor owns a gallery known as Art of the Past and is understood to have
sold Indian art to prestigious museums like New York's Metropolitan Museum
of Art, the Smithsonian Institute in Washington and the Museum of Fine Arts
in Boston. ICE said some of the artifacts previously seized in the probe
had been displayed in "major international museums worldwide,"
and that other pieces that match those listed as stolen "are still
openly on display in some museums. "The statues and sculptures
recovered today are worth millions in the antiquities business, but they
are priceless to the nations that they were robbed from," special
agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New York James Hayes
said. "These seizures send a clear message to looters, smugglers and dealers
to think twice before trying to profit from illicit cultural property in
the United States
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Posted on
2012/8/8 18:30:55 ( 877 reads )
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NEW JERSEY, U.S., August 3, 2012 (Financial Times): Congregants are
expected to throng the Shree Swaminarayan temple in New Jersey this Sunday
to ceremonially weigh their guru, Swami Purushottampriyadasji, in honor of
his 70th birthday. But because of recent US financial reforms and the
"war on terror," members of the Hindu temple had to jump through
an inordinate number of hoops to borrow 175lb of platinum, worth $3.9m, to
place on an ornate scale as a counterbalance.
It will be the temple's first such rite in 11 years and the sect's first to
use platinum to weigh a living guru since 1967. The ceremony aims to
celebrate the guru's works by placing him on a scale with holy items
including coconuts, flowers and platinum. But preparations did not jell
until a week ago, highlighting how much extra regulatory red tape has
entered the bullion business since 2001.
Dilip Patel, a temple board member and New York trust lawyer, said that
beginning in January he reached out to more than a dozen banks, metals
dealers and refiners including Credit Suisse, HSBC, JPMorgan Chase and
ScotiaMocatta for a loan of bullion. "I literally went to all the top
banks," he said. "Almost all of them said, look, we can't deal
with you." In the end Canada's TD Bank agreed to lease the platinum in
the form of 24 Impala South Africa bars and 400 one-ounce coins after
temple members deposited $4.7m to meet a collateral requirement of 120 per
cent of the value of the bullion.
In an interview translated from the Gujarati, Swami Purushottampriyadasji
said that by being weighed against platinum, "our prayers are that we also
become as valuable if not more valuable than the platinum and add value to
our lives and those around us".
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Posted on
2012/8/8 18:30:49 ( 914 reads )
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HOUSTON, TEXAS, July 15, 2012 (Press Release): Hindus of Greater Houston
held its second annual Hindu Youth Awards 2012 gala at India House on July
15th 2012 at India House, Houston. Seven outstanding Hindu youth and one
Hindu youth organization were among the recipients of the awards. Hindu
Youth Awards are dedicated to the Hindu youth who have the spirit of
contributing selflessly to the community. This year recipients of the 2012
youth awards are Vidha Dixit, Yagnesh Patel, Divya Kompella, Ruchita Naik,
Ramesh Cheruvu, Supriya Aggarwal, Komal Bhandari and the Arya Samaj of
Greater Houston. Sugar Land City Councilman Himesh Gandhi was the chief
guest, and in his keynote speech praised the hard work and commitment shown
by the youth in preserving Hindu culture. "What you have been doing is
absolutely critical for the future of Hindu religion and culture. Carry on
the torch....absorb the wisdom from the legends in the community. You will
go far and wide. You are an inspiration to all of us," Gandhi said.
The awards night seemed to be a rewarding night when the jubilant youth
recipients accepted the awards with pride and promise of upholding the
tenets of Hinduism. Their commitment to spread awareness of the Hindu
traditions and culture to the mainstream society was outstanding, said
Thara Narasimhan, Secretary of HGH. It was also notable that the youth
actively participated in many social and environmental issues. One of the
2012 Youth award recipients from Hindu Temple of The Woodlands, Divya
Kompella, not only talked about the temple's recycling initiative, but collected
two large bags of water bottles at the event to recycle when she found that
there were no plans to do so. She has been actively involved in educating
youth and adults about the importance of recycling and in conserving
resources for the future and coordinating various youth activities at their
temple.
All of the youth awardees have been participating in weekly prayer
services, annual youth gatherings, camping trips and volunteering to
community organizations. One of the award winners, Komal Bhandari, a
Bhuatnese refugee resettled in Houston, is now doing his engineering at UT
Austin. His compelling story gave a glowing testimony to his contribution
to the Houston community.
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Posted on
2012/8/8 18:30:43 ( 812 reads )
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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.
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Posted on
2012/8/8 18:30:37 ( 808 reads )
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It is not in books, you fool. Satguru Siva Yogaswami
-- (1872-1964), Sri Lanka's most renowned contemporary spiritual master
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Posted on
2012/8/6 17:03:15 ( 1176 reads )
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WASHINGTON, D.C., August 6 (Huffington Post): President Barack Obama
ordered flags at all U.S. government facilities both at home and abroad to
be flown at half-staff Monday, a response to a mass-shooting at a Sikh
temple in Wisconsin over the weekend.
"As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of
violence perpetrated on August 5, 2012, in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, by the
authority vested in me as President of the United States by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order
that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the
White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military
posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal
Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and
its Territories and possessions until sunset, August 10, 2012," Obama
wrote in the proclamation.
He continued: "I also direct that the flag shall be flown at
half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies,
legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all
military facilities and naval vessels and stations."
Most state governments are following suit with their own proclamations for
flags at state facilities.
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Posted on
2012/8/6 17:03:09 ( 960 reads )
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MADURAI, INDIA, August 4, 2012 (The Hindu): A US$717,500 project to replace
all 74 pillars in the South and East Corridors around the Golden Lotus Tank
of the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple here, which are estimated to be more
than 200 years old and had developed cracks, is under way.
In the first phase, a total of ten pillars would be removed along with the
beams, roof-top slabs and the nearby wall, temple sources told The Hindu on
Friday. The South Corridor has a total of 42 pillars and the East Corridor
32 pillars. The first phase is likely to be completed by September with the
total project likely to be completed by December 2013. In the second phase,
12 pillars will be replaced.
Many of these pillars have already gone past their life period and are worn
down. Several temporary pillars have been erected between them to serve as
props, which will be removed once the new pillars are in place.
A team of 40 sculptors and workers headed by Kumaraguru Stapathi from
Panruti, Cuddalore district, is working on the temple premises and eight
pillars have already been completed. Great care is taken to ensure that new
pillars resemble the old ones exactly and that the tradition is retained.
The stones for the temple works were procured from a quarry at Koyra near
Bangalore. A speciality of the stones is that they are not blasted using
explosives, but chiseled out either manually or mechanically.
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Posted on
2012/8/6 17:03:03 ( 885 reads )
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Only when man realizes the Self does he attain his full maturity and find
completeness.
-- Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001), founder of Hinduism Today
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Posted on
2012/8/5 17:31:52 ( 1007 reads )
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CHENNAI, INDIA, August 4, 2012 (The Hindu): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.
Jayalalithaa today approved an allocation of US$224,200 towards subsidizing
the travel of Hindu pilgrims to the holy sites of Mansarovar and Muktinath,
both in foreign countries.
The State Government will bear US$717 of the US$1800 estimated per
individual for air travel to Mansarovar in China and US$179 towards those
visiting Muktinath, one of the 108 Vaishnavite shrines which is located in
Nepal.
A total of 500 beneficiaries, 250 each for either destination, would be
covered under the scheme. Selection of pilgrims will be done by the Hindu
Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) Department from October 15
by issuing print advertisements. The department will select the
beneficiaries under relevant guidelines, it said.
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Posted on
2012/8/5 17:31:46 ( 831 reads )
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SRINAGAR,INDIA, August 3, 2012 (Economic Times): A massive sanitation drive
has been launched en route to the 12,700 feet-high Amarnath cave shrine in
south Kashmir Himalayas to safeguard environment and ecology of the area.
"A post-yatra sanitation drive has been launched in collaboration with
the security forces and development authorities to clean up the camp sites
and tracks," Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) Chief Executive
Officer N. K. Choudhary said.
Several Hindu religious leaders and environmentalists have expressed grave
concern over tons of wastes like plastic bottles, wrappers and other
non-biodegradable pollutants left behind by the pilgrims at base camps and
various halting stations en route to the cave shrine, thereby threatening
the ecology of the yatra area.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir governor and SASB chairman N. N. Vohra has
convened a post-yatra review meeting here on August 8 to assess camp-wise
and route-wise the adequacy of the arrangements that were made for the
conduct of 2012 yatra. Over 621,000 pilgrims visited the holy cave during
this year's yatra, which culminated yesterday, coinciding with the occasion
of 'Raksha bhandan'
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Posted on
2012/8/15 9:53:08 ( 996 reads )
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NEW ZEALAND, August 10,2012 (stuff.co.nz): A new community centre will be
key to linking West Aucklanders with the local Indian community, says the
president of the Shri Ram Mandir Charitable Trust. About 500 people
witnessed the ground breaking and blessing ceremony at the site of the
future community centre and temple on Brick St. in Henderson.
The trust's president Pravin Kumar aims to build a place where people can
pray in the temple and learn about Indian culture as well as creating a
place where the community can congregate regardless of race or religion.
The two-story building will include a temple and hall on the top floor and
a community centre on the ground floor. The basement will be a parents
room.
The project is expected to cost $3.5 million, with $1m going toward land
acquisition and consents. The community centre will be able to cater to
around 500 people and is expected to be completed within 18 months.
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Posted on
2012/8/15 9:53:02 ( 789 reads )
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CHENNAI, INDIA, August 12, 2012 (deccanchronicle.com): It is a dream come
true after half-a-century for the devotees and locals of Korattur (just
outside Chennai). The ancient Seyathamman temple, which has been managing
without a chariot, since 1961, has finally got a new wooden chariot built
at a cost of US$108,400, thanks to the generous contribution of the
Ambattur legislator.
"The temple discontinued the use of the worn out chariot in 1961, when
the last car festival was held. Since then, the devotees have been
demanding a new car but to no avail," says Mu. Ta. Pachaiyappan,
chairman board of trustee of the temple. The new chariot is 25-feet high
signifying the height of the temple where the deity is said to be suyambu.
The chariot was made by Lakshmanan Sthapathy. The trial run of the chariot
was held on August 9 and the excited devotees witnessed the event near the
banks of the lake, close to the temple built during the Pallava period.
"The temple was built during the reign of Nandivarman. Originally, the
presiding deity was called Seikatha Amman and gradually the goddess was
known by the present name," Mr. Pachaiyappan said.
"I and my relatives merely fulfilled a long pending wish of the
devotees," legislator S. Vedhachalam, modestly says and adds that the
chariot was made as per the Agama Sashtras. Saint Thirugnana Sambandar sang
in praise of this Amman, the MLA belonging to the ruling AIADMK said.
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Posted on
2012/8/15 9:52:56 ( 719 reads )
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Eternal, pure, groundless, death-and-birth free, pervasive, ever
immaculate, distant, near, enveloping effulgence of void, the support of
all, the fullness of bliss, the consciousness-form beyond thought and
speech, That which thus stood, the expanse vast that generates bliss, let
us contemplate.
-- Tayumanavar (1706-1744), South Indian devotional poet
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Posted on
2012/8/14 17:50:00 ( 970 reads )
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HAMM, GERMANY, August 14, 2012 (YouTube): An informative and entertaining
five-minute report in English (click "source") by Deutsch Welle
TV on the very popular Amman Temple built by the Sri Lankan Community eight
years ago.
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Posted on
2012/8/14 17:48:04 ( 872 reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, August 14, 2012: India has been taken by surprise by the
recent development of a large number of Pakistani Hindus declaring their
wish to stay on its soil after crossing over and will look into the issue.
Government sources said today that Hindus from Pakistan who are visiting
India for pilgrimage were given visas like any other Pakistani nationals,
and the developments that followed were somewhat unexpected. "This
comes unexpectedly that such a large number say they do not want to
return," the sources said.
"In terms of the people turning up, there has been an element of
surprise for all of us. Last year too we had visitors, but there was no
influx, apart from one particular case". They said the families, who
had communicated their desire to stay through the media, were yet to
approach the Indian government officially, and once they do, the issue and
its implications would be looked into. Commenting on India's overall
refugee policy, the sources said by and large India does not send back
people fleeing persecution but deals on a case by case basis. "At the
same time, we try not to become a magnate," said sources, pointing out
that India is currently also dealing with the issue of Rohingyas from
Myanmar, a dispute it is not party to. A large number of Pakistani Hindu
families have crossed over into India in recent days, and Pakistani
Interior Minister had alleged that he suspected a "conspiracy" in
the giving of visas to a large number of people.
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Posted on
2012/8/14 17:47:58 ( 759 reads )
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AMRITSAR, Aug 13, 2012 (PTI--an earlier report): The third batch of Hindu
families from Pakistan today crossed over, with members claiming that
minority communities were living in oppressive conditions there and urged
the Indian government to facilitate immigration of Hindus and Sikhs. Over
250 Hindus belonging to Balochistan and Sindh provinces, where the community
has been the target of extortions, kidnapping and forced conversions, have
crossed over to India since August 10 amid reports of exodus following the
kidnapping of a Hindu girl was kidnapped in Sindh province.
A woman, on condition of anonymity, alleged that the members of minority
community "were treated worst then slaves by the fundamentalist groups
who kidnap females on gun point." Struggling hard to hold back her
tears, Ramandeep (42) from Balochistan said, "Many worst incidents
have occurred with the minority in the Pakistan which cannot be shared
publicly for the sake of future of our family".
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Posted on
2012/8/14 17:47:53 ( 1017 reads )
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KAPAA, HAWAII, August 14, 2012 (HPI): As we at Hinduism Today researched
our upcoming feature on Swami Vivekananda, we came across an apparently
famous Hindi movie of Swami's life, which in part two (source above), from
59:00 to the end (about ten minutes), is almost entirely in English. It
includes a very good rendition of Swami address to the Parliament of
Religions, then speeches he gave in South India upon his return. A bit
corny at times, it does give a sense of what his impact must have been.
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Posted on
2012/8/14 17:47:41 ( 823 reads )
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Guyana, November 3, 2011 (Guyana Times International--an old report):
President Bharrat Jagdeo presented the Arrow of Achievement (AA) award to
Spiritual Head of the Guyana and America Sevashram Sangha, Swami
Vidyanandaji Maharaj, at a special ceremony held in Queens, New York on
November 2. An award ceremony befitting that of a Swami whose exemplary
life, religious and spiritual contributions to Guyana are incomparable, was
held November 2, 2011, at the America Sevashram Sangha in Queens NY.
President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo bestowed on Swami Vidyanandaji Maharaj, the
most prestigious Arrow of Achievement award. Swamis of the Ashram,
distinguished dignitaries from the City of New York including Queens
Borough President, Ms. Helen Marshall, representatives of the Guyana
Consulate in New York, Guyana's Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce
Manniram Prashad, prominent businessmen and hundreds of devotes of the
Ashram from the Tristate area and Canada, all attended the event.
Almost 60 years after his initial encounter with the Ashram, today Swamiji
continues to serve the Hindu community in Guyana and in the USA. In the
feature presentation, President Bharrat Jagdeo illustrated Swamiji's
achievements and contributions to Hinduism. He related his encounters with
the Saint through the years and the reasons for bestowing the award on
Swamiji. "The Cove & John Ashram, under the leadership of Swami
Vidyananda, has made such a positive change to society in Guyana."
President Jagdeo went on to describe Swamiji's strength and resilience to
promote and preserve Hinduism over the decades.
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Posted on
2012/8/14 17:47:35 ( 669 reads )
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Your actions express your priorities.
-- Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
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Posted on
2012/8/13 16:53:03 ( 838 reads )
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LONDON, ENGLAND, August 7, 2012 (Hindu Forum Britain press release--HPI
only just learned about this effort): We have established a Hindu Mandir in
the Multifaith Centre at the Olympic Village. The temple is staffed by
volunteer Chaplains, who do puja in the mandir and offer spiritual care and
pastoral support to all who come to us. Or we meet on our daily walks
around the Olympic village.
There are many Hindus in the Village; they are athletes, coaches, members
of the various teams and staff and volunteers of LOCOG (London Organizing
Committee of the Olympic Games). We have provided puja for teams before
competitions, a listening ear for tired and disgruntled volunteers and
place to come and meditate or read the Gita for those who want a quiet
haven.
The four Chaplains who have given their time free to do this work are Sachi
Kishor, Atmaram Dahal, Bhadresh Trivedi and Bharti Tailor. Atmaran Dahal is
a Nepalese Hindu who lives in the North of England. He serves as an Army
Chaplain and as such is known to the Gurkha regiments. He had come to
London to volunteer his services to Hindu Chaplaincy over the Olympic
fortnight.
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Posted on
2012/8/13 16:52:57 ( 841 reads )
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UNITED KINGDOM, August 1, 2012 (bbc.co.uk): The monk in charge of the
Buddhist shrine inside the Olympic Village says it is a privilege to look
after the psychological well-being of more than 500 Buddhists in the
Village. It is, however, not only the Buddhists who seek his spiritual
guidance, says the Most Ven Bogoda Seelawimala Thera. As well as the
athletes from Buddhist countries such as China, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan,
Korea and Sri Lanka, there are others also who regularly visit the shrine.
"And there are non-Buddhists in the delegations of those Buddhist
countries," he told BBC Sinhala service.
"When whoever comes to my shrine first of all I welcome them, and
discuss whatever their problems are and then encourage them to do a little
meditation which is helpful for them to balance their mind and relax their
mind," the most senior Sri Lankan monk in the UK added. "As they
are under immense pressure sometimes they are stressed due to their
competitions so following meditation technique I do a chanting to confer
blessings to them. My aim is to give them strength in their search of
Olympic medals."
The monk says he is delighted to be the only Buddhist monk in the Village
having been picked by London 2012 after a lengthy selection process.
"I am very proud about that. As a monk this is a great opportunity for
me being able to extend my religious services is a great privilege and
opportunity for me. I am very fortunate," the monk said when asked
about his selection ahead of many other Buddhist monks in UK from Thailand,
China, Japan, Burma among others.
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Posted on
2012/8/13 16:52:52 ( 813 reads )
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BANGALORE, INDIA, August 5, 2012 (dnaindia.com): Swami Vishnumayananda of
Ramakrishna Mission has played a key role in developing a barren piece of
land into a forest near Shivanahalli in the vicinity of the Bannerghatta
National Park. It happened after the Ramakrishna Mission adopted a
government primary school in 1986. The school building was in a dilapidated
condition. But Swami Vishnumayananda took up the challenge of bringing
about a positive change with the help of a few committed villagers.
Today, the thickly wooded forest on about 80 acres of land has become a
favorite destination for many people from Bangalore and other areas.
"We welcome people who want to visit the forest on every third
Sunday," Swami Vishnumayananda says. "We provide food and other
facilities for them provided they do not bring mobile phones, plastic bags
and bottles."
The forest has 150 different species of trees and 120 herbal plants. Many
bird watchers too visit the forest, which is home to 175 varieties of
birds. Swami Vishnumayananda plans to plant 20,000 saplings on another 120
acres of land donated by devotees, and develop a butterfly park on three acres
of land.
Along with the forest, the primary school was also developed with the
support of villagers and devotees. The number of students has gone up from
70 in 1986 to 300 today and the institution has been upgraded to an upper
primary school. "The school is known as Sri Ramakrishna Vidya
Kendra," says the swami. "It is the first school in rural areas
to get a Quality Council of India certificate in the country."
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Posted on
2012/8/13 16:52:46 ( 840 reads )
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He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to
perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really
cooperating with it.
-- Martin Luther King (1929-1968)
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Posted on
2012/8/12 18:06:33 ( 1041 reads )
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BALI, INDONESIA, August 4, 2012 (sbs.com): The "Island of Gods."
For ages, this pearl of the Lesser Sunda islands, an Indonesian
archipelago, has embodied the archetypal land of plenty: the natural
splendor of its tropical landscapes, its dreamy white beaches, the beauty
of its Hindu temples, the friendly and tolerant reputation of its
inhabitants. All of the necessary ingredients for the Garden of Eden brought
together.
But this idyllic description may soon be a thing of the past. Bali is
threatened to the point that it could soon be unrecognizable: the cumulated
effects of mass tourism, frenzied consumption and an ecological disaster
are forcing the most clear-sighted Balinese to sound the alarm.
"Bali really became a touristic destination in the 1970s," says
Wayan Suardana, a manager at the Walhi NGO, which fights to preserve the
environment. "But in the beginning, it was mostly cultural tourism.
Today, we are witnessing mass tourism. And that's the very problem!
Indicators aren't very encouraging: hundreds of hotels absorb a large part
of the fresh water reserves. Each room in a four star hotel consumes 300
liters per day. "In 2015, Bali could face a drinkable water
crisis," says Wayan Suardana. Over a million tourists visited Bali in
2001, compared to approximately 2.5 million last year. All of this despite
the 2002 terrorist attack by a small Islamist group that killed 202 people,
including many Australians.
Each year, 2.7 sq. miles of land are converted into hotels, luxury
residences for rich foreigners, or roads to improve the communication
network of this 3.5 million inhabitants island. Each day, 13,000 cubic
meters of trash are thrown into the public dumps, only half of which is
recycled. Colossal traffic jams created by unchecked car growth congests
many arteries: there are 13% more cars every year, for a mere 2.28%
increase of roads suitable for motor vehicles.
To try and control the impact of mass tourism on the local Hindu culture --
an exception in the mainly Muslim Indonesia -- authorities came up with a
"Great Plan" aimed at passing an environmental protection law: a
150 meter mandatory minimal spacing between touristic resorts and the beach,
no hotel less than five kilometers away from Hindu temples -- or puras as
they are known -- and their intricate architecture. This nice idea went
unheeded: decentralization was conducted to such an extent in Indonesia --
an archipelago of 17,000 islands populated by 240 million people -- that a
disproportionate amount of power was vested in the bupati, the locally
elected prefects. They take a dim view of the legislation.
"We used culture like a merchandise," says Ketut Yuliarsa, a poet
and stage director from Ubud. The fifty-year-old is appalled by the
evolution of his island. "The Balinese are people who are still deeply
attached to their religion and culture, they spend a lot of time in
temples, they respect the rites. But mass tourism is disrupting their
practices: the diversity of local cultures and the specificity of rituals
is being unified, homogenized. We offer a standardized 'package' to
foreigners." One example: tourist guides use Polynesian practices,
like giving out garland of flowers to new arrivals -- as though it was a
Balinese custom!"
The entire (long) article is at "source".
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Posted on
2012/8/12 18:06:27 ( 1087 reads )
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HPI
NEW DELHI, August 9, 2012 (report by Hinduism Today correspondent Rajiv
Malik): "Today the greatest obstacles to happiness are not religious
beliefs and values, but intolerance and lack of an understanding of our
oneness. Fundamentalists of all types, including capitalists, marxists and
secularists of today all seem to miss that mark. We need to learn how to be
more accepting of others and their differences. Contemporary secularism,
like other forms of fundamentalist thinking, does not and cannot promote
happiness. That can only come from a tolerance born out of an understanding
of our unity, as beautifully mentioned in Rig Veda's verse, 'Ekam sat,
vipra bahuda vadanti' [Truth is one, sages call it with different
names]."
The speaker was Professor Ramdas Lamb of the University of Hawaii's
Department of Religion. The topic, "Does the secular state breed
immorality?" was the topic of an evening presentation arranged by
Professor Bharat Gupt of the International Forum for India's Heritage at
Delhi's prestigious Habitat Centre on Wednesday, August 8, 2012.
The session generated a high level of participation and interaction by the
audience, a select group of intellectuals, social activists and education
specialists. Moderator and chair Professor Bharat Gupt told attendees,
"The rise of immorality in India coincides with the preaching and
practice of secularism by the Indian State. This deliberate removal of
Hinduism from public discourse and the educational institutes has deprived
two full generations of the moral values that religions teach."
"Pure social equality," Dr. Lamb said, "is a goal of many
idealists but is not practically possible. There is no society in which
everyone has the same abilities, understanding, and maturity to function in
complete harmony without external forces and guidelines.
"In short, we need laws, and these must be based on something beyond
human whim. Ancient Indian philosophy provides some important and useful
guidelines in this regard, acknowledging an internal and ultimate unity and
equality but also emphasizing the need to look to the wise among us for
guidance. This hierarchy is not based on a narrow ideology or material
power, but rather on a belief in a transcendental yet immanent source from
which wisdom and knowledge are gained.
"Pearls of wisdom such as 'ekam sat vipra bahu vadanti,' 'tat tvam
asi,' and 'aham brahma asmi' can help us develop guidelines for a society
in which all are treated as inherently equal while their different levels
of physical and spiritual maturity are also acknowledged and
addressed."
Dr. Lamb discussed the treatment of religions as well as of individuals:
"Truly minority religious traditions have not been respected, compared
to those politically powerful enough to claim that label, such as
Christianity and Islam. Tribal traditions and other minority traditions
that fall within the rubric of Hinduism do not receive such recognition by
the government."
"Pluralism is grounded in the belief that a diversity of thought and
belief can coexist harmoniously in a society and enhance it. Upanishadic
and some Vedic philosophy promote this type of thinking, expressing an
understanding of an eternal unity that underlies a superficial and temporal
disparity. With this approach we can recognize a common set of values, as
we find in most religious traditions."
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Posted on
2012/8/21 17:26:02 ( 854 reads )
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The first day a guest, the second day a guest, the third day a guest, the
fourth day a calamity.
-- Indian proverb
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Posted on
2012/8/20 17:10:00 ( 1448 reads )
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HPI
NEW DELHI, INDIA, August 17th, 2012 (exclusive report by Hinduism Today
correspondent Rajiv Malik for HPI). " A truly dedicated and qualified
priest is supposed to create a new world for his client and his family
every time he performs a sanskar or conducts a puja. The job of a priest is
of lot of responsibility as he is carrying forward our ancient traditions
and culture. It is quite a challenging job and to do justice to it, the
priest has to have in-depth knowledge of Sanskrit language and our Agamas and
other scriptures. The main focus of the priest has to be on serving the
society and not making money, though if he does his job in a satisfactory
manner, he will never have any dearth of money. There is a big demand for
well-trained and experienced priests who have good knowledge of Sanskrit,
in all parts of the world including USA and Europe." These views were
expressed by eminent Sanskrit scholar and author, Professor Radhavallabh
Tripathi while delivering his presidential speech at a function organized to
mark the launching of Lal Bahadur Shastri Sanskrit Vidyapeeth's Purohitya
Prashikshan Pathyakram, or Priest Training Curriculum on August 16. Dr.
Tripathi is Vice Chancellor of Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan as well as Vice
Chancellor of Lal Bahadur Shastri Sanskrit Vidyapeeth A large number of
eminent Sanskrit scholars plus the students enrolled for the priest
training program attended the event. The function began with the collective
chanting of Vedic mantras and lighting of lamps worshipping the Hindu Goddess
of learning, Mother Saraswati.
Professor Radhavallabh Tripathi concluded his speech by stating, "It
is high time that our priests do not just perform routine sanskars and
pujas but dedicate and channelize their energy towards undertaking research
on our scriptures and Agamas. If this is not done seriously, then the time
is not far when Oxford professors will teach our priests about our ancient
agamas and scriptures as they will have more specialized knowledge about
them as compared to our own priests."
Chief Guest Acharya Ravindra Nagar, a world renowned Sanskrit scholar and a
practicing priest himself said in his speech, "Priests whose job is to
serve the society have to be highly qualified and knowledgable, but at the
same time possess human qualities such as humility and politeness. The
biggest quality that a priest should have is of being broad-minded and
broad-hearted. Only a broad-hearted person can work for the welfare of the
community and win their hearts."
Acharya is the former head of the Vidyapeeth's department of priesthood
studies and is a faculty member for the current course. He pointed out that
the Vidyapeeth was not making any distinction of caste and creed in
connection with the enrollment of students for this course. In fact, a few women
had also enrolled for the course--quite a revolutionary step as even today,
there are many who do not approve of women functioning as priests in the
hindu society.
Shri Ram Raj Upadhyaya, Associate Professor of Purohitya Department of the
Vidyapeeth, and head of the two-year part time priest training course, also
addressed the gathering. He said, "We are extremely fortunate to be
having a world-renowned scholar like Dr. Radha Vallabh Tripathi available
to us for the launching of this course. We assure Dr. Tripathi that we will
do our best to produce high-quality priests who will be able to create a
new world for their clients whenever they will perform pujas for them. Our
well-trained and qualified priests will be an asset for the society at
large and in particular the temples and institutions they will serve after
completing their course from this university. The present batch of thirty
has come from all parts of India. We also plan to do a refresher course for
all those belonging to other countries, who would be willing to come here
and learn priesthood from our highly qualified faculty."
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Posted on
2012/8/20 17:02:15 ( 883 reads )
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LOS PALMAS, CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN, August 16, 2012 (laprovincia.es,
translated from Spanish): Music, dancing, native foods and hundreds of
people of the Hindustani community came together last Friday in Infecar for
the birthday of the Hindu God Krishna. Over 750 people came to celebrate
Janmashtami, the birthday of the Deity which is held in August and is
celebrated around the world by millions of the faithful of all countries.
The children became the stars of the event with performances in their
native language as they remembered the life of this divine figure. His
teachings and stories of childhood and youth were repeated with grace and
self-confidence by over 150 participants, many of them younger than 10
years. After six months of rehearsal, the stage was filled with childish
glee with the representation of narrative of Srimad Bhagvat Purana, the
Hindu scripture which recounts the experiences of this God.
Attendees, many of them barefoot as usual in the temples and dressed in
their colorful costumes filled, enjoyed the show sponsored by the Indian
Religious Cultural Society Satnam Sakhi Mandir, with the work of 150
organizers and many other collaborators who have funded the event with the
cooperation of the entire community. This temple has been observing the
festival of the anniversary of Krishna for 28 years and "every time
there is more participation by young people," said Vindu, one of its
coordinators.
"The Janmashtami is more than just a festival for Hindus, is a way to
remember our culture and teach the little ones," said Vindu. In this way
hundreds of faithful recall their traditions. "And we transmit to new
generations," said, "is a way to keep our past alive and avoid
forgetting."
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Posted on
2012/8/20 17:02:09 ( 1061 reads )
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RAJASTHAN, INDIA, July 27, 2012 (The Christian Broadcasting Network): HPI
Note: Christian missionary accounts of their activities tend to be
exaggerated, if not outright fabricated. It is useful, however, for Hindus
to see what kind of information is being put out in the Christian
community, largely for the purpose of fund raising.
The report begins:
India -- A large portion of India still lives in tribes, and one of the
largest of these communities is witnessing a Christian revival. Hundreds of
men, women and children who used to follow Hinduism are now embracing
Christianity. Ask Dinesh Shur why so many tribal people are accepting Jesus
Christ and he gets teary-eyed. "When you do God's work for years and
begin to see the fruits of your labor, it is overwhelming," Shur told
CBN News.
Here, in a corner of Rajasthan where the majority follow Hinduism, a
Christian chorus is rising. "The transformation is almost
immediate," Shur said. "Families stop praying to their ancestors,
they stop drinking, they stop their witchcraft practices. Their entire life
is turned upside down when they accept Jesus."
The rest is at "source" above.
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Posted on
2012/8/20 17:02:03 ( 1024 reads )
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If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
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Posted on
2012/8/19 16:59:57 ( 976 reads )
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Religion News
Service
UNITED STATES, August 2012 (Religion News Service): Religiosity is on the
decline in the U.S. and atheism is on the rise, according to a new
worldwide poll. The poll, called "The Global Index of Religiosity and
Atheism," found that the number of Americans who say they are
"religious" dropped from 73 percent in 2005 (the last time the
poll was conducted) to 60 percent. At the same time, the number of
Americans who say they are atheists rose, from 1 percent to 5 percent.
The poll was conducted by WIN-Gallup International and is based on
interviews with 50,000 people from 57 countries and five continents.
Participants were asked, "Irrespective of whether you attend a place
of worship or not, would you say you are a religious person, not a
religious person, or a convinced atheist?"
Ryan Cragun, a University of Tampa sociologist of religion who studies
American and global atheism, does not believe the poll shows more people are
becoming atheists, but rather that more people are willing to identify as
atheists. "For a very long time, religiosity has been a central
characteristic of the American identity," he said. "But what this
suggests is that is changing and people are feeling less inclined to
identify as religious to comply with what it means to be a good person in
the U.S."
The current poll confirms a declining religiosity -- both at home and
abroad -- that's been detected in other polls. The 2008 American Religious
Identification Survey found that 15 percent of Americans said they have no
religion -- different from being a "confirmed atheist," but
nonetheless up from 8 percent in 1990.
Barry Kosmin, the principal investigator for the ARIS report, said he's
skeptical of the new study. "The U.S. trends are what we have found
and would expect, but the actual numbers are peculiar to say the
least," he said. "The drops in religiosity seem too sharp for the
time period -- people just don't change their beliefs that quickly. Most of
the trend away from religion has demographic causes and demography moves
'glacially.'"
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Posted on
2012/8/19 16:59:51 ( 863 reads )
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JALANDHAR, INDIA, August 17, 2012 (Times of India): Subway, the sandwich
giant and world's biggest restaurant chain with 37,000 outlets across the
globe, is now ready to roll out its first ever all-vegetarian outlet after
a private state university in Jalandhar convinced the U.S.-based footlong
franchisor on the benefits of vegetarianism.
Jalandhar-based Lovely Professional University, run by a strict Hindu
Mittal community, known for promotion of vegetarian meals on the campus
inked the deal with Subway in November 2011. The outlet will be operational
by mid-August this year.
This will be a marked change in form for the company that has established
very popular meat-based subway and has only two vegetarian products in its
American and European menus.
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Posted on
2012/8/19 16:59:45 ( 820 reads )
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In thinking 'This is I' and 'That is mine' one binds himself with himself,
as does a bird with a snare.
-- Krishna Yajur Veda, Maitreya Upanishad 3.2
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Posted on
2012/8/18 17:08:54 ( 931 reads )
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CHENNAI, INDIA, August 16,2012 (Murali Krishnan, ABC) : A shortage of Hindu
priests in India has seen members of the religious caste start to benefit
in very material ways. And many who once travelled abroad to service the
congregations of the Indian diaspora are now deciding it's much more
worthwhile to stay at home. This has become very apparent in Tamil Nadu,
the cradle of Dravidian culture. T. K. Ganapathy, a retired professor
explains the success of these priests." The priests who are performing
rituals, they are few and far between. And when there is a great demand for
priests, they are not able to cater to those who want and therefore they
demand more. Some of them fly to other countries but there are still some
priests who stay back in India and they say what they would earn in foreign
countries, they are able to earn here because of the limited supply.
For a fee ranging from a few thousand rupees to heftier undisclosed
amounts, the priestly class has hit pay dirt. Chief priest V. M. Sundaram
says there is a new found interest among young priests to learn scriptures
of Hinduism. Sriram, a 16 year-old Vedic student says " I did not like
studies in regular school. That is why opted to study Vedas in a town in
Salem. I developed an interest and now I have learnt quite a bit. I like
it." The growth of Hindu nationalism in India as well as the Tamil
Nadu state government's favorable religious policies have also contributed
partly to the success of Brahman temple priests. It is now a vocation that
many have taken to. Considering they are in short supply, priests have
become more "professional" and modern-minded while also insisting
on the legitimacy of tradition.
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Posted on
2012/8/18 17:08:49 ( 875 reads )
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TRINIDAD/TOBAGO, July 30, 2012 (newsday.co.tt): The Minister of Finance and
Economy Larry Howai had high praise for the executive committee of the
Freeport-based Lakshmi Narayan Temple. In addressing specially invited
guests at the opening of a vegetarian restaurant attached to the temple,
last Saturday evening, Howai said it was good to see the Hindu temple has
been developing ways and means to be self sufficient.
"I know five years from now this temple will be expanded, perhaps to
other businesses that are religious in nature," he said, noting it was
evident that God has a hand in the works of the temple. He complimented the
spiritual head of the temple, Shri Gajendra Kumar of Utter Pradesh, India
for his vision and hard work in making the temple more valuable to the
people of the country. Over the past five years, the temple has been
rebuilt and refurbished to accommodate more devotees visiting from across
the country.
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Posted on
2012/8/18 17:08:43 ( 810 reads )
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MUMBAI, INDIA, August 6, 2012 (Times of India): It's 3.30 am on Dharavi's
90 Feet Road. The street food stalls are ready to down shutters after
Sehri, the last meal Muslims eat before the break of fajr or dawn during
the month of Ramzan. But for its 1,000-odd idli makers, it's time to move.
The alleys that crisscross this 557-acre slum go from dark to glowing as
tubelights flare up in successive shanties. Inside, men who only use their
first names -- Chella, Chinna, Samta, Murugan, Karpan -- bow to a gigantic
aluminium steamer, and light up their stoves.
Between 500 to 700 families that live in over 60,000 structures, several of
them caboose-like, earn their living by making idlis and vadas, every South
Indian's staple breakfast. Each home whips up a minimum of 400 steaming, fluffy
rice cakes every day. A household with two or three men could take that
number up to 1,000. That's nearly 300,000 idlis leaving the shantytown,
wedged between Sion and Mahim, on trains along the Central, Western and
Harbour lines to satiate Mumbai's workforce.
This community is easily recognized by what they carry on their heads -- a
large aluminium vessel with idlis snuggled inside. Fastened to it with a
fat industrial-strength rubberband are smaller stainless steel containers
carrying coconut chutney and sambar, a heap of paper plates, and an
inimitable horn that announces the idliwalla's arrival in a neighborhood.
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Posted on
2012/8/18 17:08:37 ( 1111 reads )
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USA, August 18, 2012 (YouTube): In an intriguing program about Near Death
Experiences. Dr Jeffery Long from Louisiana, founder of the Near Death
Experience Research Foundation, provides evidence he considers proof of an
afterlife by sharing remarkable commonalities between NDE's. He discusses
that blind people experiencing visual perceptions during NDE's and children
having similar experiences to adults points to the authenticity of out of
body experiences. Detailed accounts are given of individuals experiences.
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Posted on
2012/8/18 17:08:31 ( 839 reads )
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The delicate anicham flower withers when merely smelled, but an unwelcome
look is enough to wither a guest's heart.
-- Tirukkural
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Posted on
2012/8/15 10:00:00 ( 1208 reads )
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TRINIDAD/TOBAGO, August 6,2012 (The Guardian): The Edinburgh Hindu temple
in Chaguanas will celebrate its 29th anniversary and this country's 50th
anniversary of Independence with the consecration of two life-size murtis
of Lord Shiva and Lord Hanuman on Sunday. Spiritual leader Pundit Ramesh
Tiwari told the T&T Guardian that the murtis were custom-made in
Jaipur, India, and were shipped last week to Trinidad.
"The consecration of the murtis will also mark our temple's
contribution and participation in our country's 50th anniversary of
Independence," he said. "Our Independence is a solemn affair and
it requires the serious and deep intervention of Lord Shiva and Lord
Hanuman to guide our people and our leaders to the next 50 years.
He said the program includes an open-air street parade, after the
consecration of the murtis at the temple, and an address by Indra Maharaj.
"According to the Ramayana, the Hindu religious text, Lord Hanuman was
mandated by Lord Rama to remain on earth and take charge of his devotees,
and hence so much prominence is paid to him," Tiwari said. Some 13
devotees of the temple will also be honored for their success at the
University of the West Indies, St Augustine.
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Posted on
2012/8/15 9:53:13 ( 796 reads )
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NEW JERSEY, U.S., August 9, 2012 (nj.com): More than 1,000 people from all
over the globe gathered inside the Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Community
Hall in Secaucus on Sunday to witness the once-in-a-lifetime event of the
weighing of Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa against pure platinum. More than
175 pounds of pure platinum mined in Africa was brought to the Shree
Swaminarayan Temple for the ceremonial weighing called a "Platinum
Tula." The event marked the 50th anniversary of the start of the sect,
the 25th anniversary of the leader's first visit to the United States as
sovereign and the 26th anniversary of Acharya Swamiji Maharaj's
establishment of the Sect in North America. The event was broadcast live in
India and other parts of Asia, as well as on the Internet.
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Posted on
2012/8/26 17:49:54 ( 956 reads )
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KATHMANDU, NEPAL, August 25, 2012 (Himalayan Times): With Teej, the biggest
festival for Hindu women, around the corner, Solid Waste Management
Technical Support Centre (SWMTSC) is gearing up for the preparation of
environment friendly Teej programme on August 31. Teej, which generally
takes place in August-September, is a three-day celebration with a
sumptuous feast known as Dar followed by fasting. This year, the festival
falls on September 18, a month later than the preceding year.
Hindu women celebrate Teej by fasting all day and worshiping Lord Siva
wishing long life for their husbands, while unmarried women fast wishing to
find a good groom. They also light an oil lamp throughout the night for
marital bliss and well-being of their spouses and children.
"However, this year we are celebrating the festival in a different
way," SWMTSC executive director Sumitra Amatya said. "The Teej
programme with an environment-friendly theme will be celebrated with
singing, dancing and awareness on waste management on the premises of
Kathmandu Durbar Square on August 31," she said. "We believe that
women should lead to make the environment clean like their homes," she
added.
Women dressed in red attire can be seen dancing and singing on the streets
leading to Siva temples on the day of the festival. Women circumambulate
the Lingam, the symbol of Lord Siva, offering flowers, sweets and coins at
the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, beseeching their blessing upon
husbands and families. More than 300,000 women throng the Pashupatinath
Temple on Teej every year, Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) said.
The government has declared a public holiday for the festival across the
nation.
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Posted on
2012/8/26 17:49:48 ( 1050 reads )
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA., August 24, 2012 (artdaily.org): Sculpture is an
essential part of Indian civilization; a culture that dates back to ancient
times and has flourished uninterrupted to the present. It is fundamentally
important to India's nearly one billion Hindu adherents. Consecrated images
and forms of the divine serve as the focal point for devotees to worship,
meditate on, or otherwise communicate with Hinduism's innumerable deities.
Many Hindus believe all are manifestations of one supreme, transcendent
force or power.
Indian Hindu sculpture and historic images from the collections of the
Asian Art Museum provide a glimpse at profound expressions of veneration
from the world's oldest living religion. The exhibited objects range from
seventh- and eighth-century temple images carved from stone to elaborately
rendered wooden sculptures made more than one thousand years later for use
in religious processions. All reflect the divine, here on earth and
throughout the universe, in its many manifestations.
Deities in Stone: Hindu Sculpture from the Collections of the Asian Art
Museum is located in Terminal 3, Boarding Area F from Saturday, August 25,
2012 through Sunday, February 24, 2013. The exhibition is located
post-security and is only accessible to passengers ticketed for travel
through Terminal 3.
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Posted on
2012/8/26 17:49:42 ( 902 reads )
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BANGALORE, INDIA, August 23, 2012 (India Today): Businessman Vijay Mallya
donated gold-plated doors worth US$134,000 to Lord Subrahmanya in Kukke,
Udupi district. Mallya made the offering on Thursday by following the
tradition and rituals at the Subrahmanya temple nestled in the Western
Ghats, one of the most popular pilgrimage centres in Karnataka.
The business tycoon is going through a rough phase of his life with his
flagship carrier Kingfisher Airlines on the verge of closure. Because of
several setbacks to his business, Mallya had visited the Subrahmanya temple
in April. He had vowed to donate the gold-plated doors. Reportedly, the
doors contain 5.5 lbs
"Mallya had prayed for prosperity and had sought divine intervention
to overcome the challenges in his business. He had also taken a vow to
donate the gold plated doors and accordingly fulfilled them," temple
authorities pointed out.
It is common for VIPs, sports personalities and celebrities from across the
country to visit Lord Subrahmanya, which is popular for Sarpa Dosha
Nivarana [a remedy for an adverse astrological combination] in order to
fetch good luck.
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Posted on
2012/8/26 17:49:36 ( 837 reads )
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Go beyond science, into the region of metaphysics. Real religion is beyond
argument. It can only be lived, both inwardly and outwardly.
-- Swami Sivananda (1887-1963), founder of Divine Life Society
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Posted on
2012/8/23 16:30:00 ( 979 reads )
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RICHMOND, TEXAS, August 23, 2012 (Indo-American News, by Puja Chugh): I
slowly removed my sandals and gazed at the white tables smothered in what
looked like hundreds of shoes. As I approached the "sign in"
table, I managed to put on an uneasy smile as I anxiously looked around for
my friends. It was my first year at Hindu Camp and I had no idea what to
expect.
I was worried about not knowing enough about Hinduism to be included in
discussions, or worse, what if everyone made fun of me? "What if I was
supposed to know everything about the Ramayan and bhajans and aarti? And
educations? What are those? Does that mean people can call on me for
answers? I can't have that. I cannot believe I just strolled into a Hindu
camp knowing just what I was taught in grade school; some of these kids
have been coming since 2nd grade!" These thoughts swarmed around in my
head as I sought out a familiar face for comfort.
Luckily, I found that comfort sooner than I thought. As I approached the
crowd of high school campers, little did I know that in this group I would
find brothers, sisters, and life-long friends. Not only had camp rewarded
me with new friends and memories, but it also revived my eagerness to learn
more about my religion and customs. I had been given the opportunity to ask
questions, seek meaning, and develop an understanding through deep
conversations.
Click "source" above for the balance of this interesting report.
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Posted on
2012/8/23 16:27:31 ( 1055 reads )
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NEW DLEHI, INDIA, August 23, 2012 (Indian Defence): Jitendra Singh, the
Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs announced in the upper house of
the Indian parliament that only 808 Pandit (Hindu) families remain in the
Kashmir Valley, according to the 2011 Census. He also said that another
59,442 Pandit families are living as registered refugees in regions such as
Jammu and Delhi. No information could be obtained for the number of Hindu
families without registration, who live outside the Kashmir Valley.
The minister also informed the parliamentarians that the government is
providing an allowance of Rs. 1,250 ($20) per month for every refugee. He
also said that the government is currently not planning any resettlement
drive for the refugees, and only voluntary return is possible now. The
minister conceded that 170 out of the 430 Hindu temples in the Kashmir
Valley are in a damaged condition.
The Kashmiri Pandits are the only remaining constituents of the Kashmiri
Hindu population, who formed the majority of the population in the Kashmir
Valley until AD 1500. By the mid-19th century, almost every other Hindu
ethnic group in the Valley became extinct due to forced-conversion,
genocide and immigration, but the Pandits survived due to their communal
cohesion. Thousands of Pandits lost their lives during the Kashmir war of
1947, and many more became homeless. At the time of Indian independence, the
Pandits constituted just 5% of the population of the Kashmir Valley.
During the 1989-91 period, more than 99% of the Kashmiri Pandits were
forced to flee their homes, when the militant organization Hizbul
Mujahideen threatened to kill any Hindu who remained in the valley. Most of
these refugees flocked to major cities such as Jammu and Delhi. According
to the latest census, only 808 Pandit families, consisting of some 3,445
people remain in the valley.
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Posted on
2012/8/23 16:27:25 ( 979 reads )
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ALLAHABAD, August,2012 (Times of India):"Clean and Green" should
be the buzzword for the Mahakumbha Mela slated to be held in January next
year and our topmost priority should be to undertake a massive sapling
plantation drive combined with effective garbage disposal and provision of
clean toilets, said Swami Chidanand Saraswati of Parmarth Niketan,
Rishikesh, during the course of his daylong visit here on Wednesday.
He informed that collective efforts have bore fruit at places like
Rishikesh where the level of pollution has come down drastically, and now
it is the turn of Allahabad. With an aim to develop the Kumbh Mela area,
eco-friendly, the Swami said that "We have submitted a proposal to the
district authorities requesting sanctioning of a piece of land in Mela area
which in turn would be developed as "Kumbh Smriti Van" where
devotees coming across the globe would plant saplings. This would also go
to a large extent in checking environmental pollution in the area."
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Posted on
2012/8/23 16:27:14 ( 875 reads )
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The present is the result of past action. Man is the architect of his
future.
-- Satguru Yogaswami (1872-1964), Sri Lanka's most revered contemporary
mystic
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Posted on
2012/8/22 18:17:29 ( 1155 reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, August 11, 2012 (Hindustan Times): A whopping 93% of Indian
youth consider religion to be a matter of faith and not of cultural or
social identity. 32% of them assert that they are staunchly religious,
while 59% say they are moderately religious. These are the findings of a
survey commissioned by HT and carried out by C fore to analyse the
religious outlook of young people in the country. One thousand youngsters
in the 18-30 age group living in major metropolitan cities and across a
cross-section of religions in India were surveyed.
HPI note: The rest of this report is dedicated to putting the above
remarkably positive findings in the worst possible light, for example by
noting:
"When the respondents were asked if they had read their religious
scriptures, only 15% answered in the affirmative. 48% say that they did not
know why certain rituals like fasting are practiced."
Toward the end of the article, however, they report how the results compare
to the West:
"An international survey on religion conducted last week by WIN-Gallup
International reveals that the average religiosity of 59% showed a decline
of 9% since 2005. The percentage of atheists also rose from 4 to 7% in the
same period, indicating, perhaps a crisis of faith."
And in a final paragraph, they offer an explanation for the low level of
religious knowledge among the youth:
"Professor Khanna says, 'In our country, there are no avenues to
understand the true leanings of religion. Every secular nation has a
department of religious studies at universities. India has none. Unless we
have educative channels the youth will continue to absorb colonial
knowledge. After all, if you flaunt the roots you must know what to
flaunt.' "
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Posted on
2012/8/22 18:17:23 ( 1076 reads )
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COLUMBIA, MISSOURI, USA, August 19, 2012 (Press Release by University of
Missouri): Despite differences in rituals and beliefs among the world's
major religions, spirituality often enhances health regardless of a
person's faith, according to University of Missouri researchers. The MU researchers
believe that health care providers could take advantage of this correlation
between health - particularly mental health - and spirituality by tailoring
treatments and rehabilitation programs to accommodate an individual's
spiritual inclinations. "In many ways, the results of our study
support the idea that spirituality functions as a personality trait,"
said Dan Cohen, assistant teaching professor of religious studies at MU and
one of the co-authors of the study. "With increased spirituality people
reduce their sense of self and feel a greater sense of oneness and
connectedness with the rest of the universe".
The MU study used the results of three surveys to determine if correlations
existed among participants' self-reported mental and physical health,
personality factors, and spirituality in Buddhists, Muslims, Jews,
Catholics and Protestants. Across all five faiths, a greater degree of
spirituality was related to better mental health, specifically lower levels
of neuroticism and greater extraversion. Forgiveness was the only spiritual
trait predictive of mental health after personality variables were
considered.
"Our prior research shows that the mental health of people recovering
from different medical conditions, such as cancer, stroke, spinal cord
injury and traumatic brain injury, appears to be related significantly to
positive spiritual beliefs and especially congregational support and
spiritual interventions," said Cohen. "Spiritual beliefs may be a
coping device to help individuals deal emotionally with stress."
"Health workers may also benefit from learning how to minimize the
negative side of a patient's spirituality, which may manifest itself in the
tendency to view misfortune as a divine curse." As the authors note,
spiritual interventions such as religious-based counseling, meditation, and
forgiveness protocols may enhance spiritually-based beliefs, practices, and
coping strategies in positive ways. The benefits of a more spiritual
personality may go beyond an individual's mental health. Cohen believes
that the selflessness that comes with spirituality enhances characteristics
that are important for fostering a global society based on the virtues of
peace and cooperation.
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Posted on
2012/8/22 18:17:17 ( 793 reads )
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Austerity is the powerful bath of fire and bright rays of showering light
that washes the soul clean of the dross of its many past lives, and of the
current life, which have held it in the bondage of ignorance, misgiving,
unforgivingness and the self-perpetu-ating ignorance of the truths of the
Sanatana Dharma.
-- Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001), founder of Hinduism Today
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Posted on
2012/8/21 17:26:21 ( 1051 reads )
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CHENNAI, INDIA, August 19,2012 (Times of India): The city is growing, but
many of its historic temples have not kept pace with the development. While
some have been demolished to allow smoother flow of traffic, a few others
have disappeared from public memory. For example, Koyambedu is known for
its vegetable market but not many are aware that it has two ancient
temples, Vaikunthavasa Perumal and Korungalishwarar, said historian Chithra
Madhavan in her presentation on Saturday about lesser known temples in the
city.
"Korungalishwarar was built during the time of the Cholas and has many
inscriptions that talk about the reign of Chola kings," she said in
her talk, organized as part of the ongoing Madras Week celebrations.
"The large mandapam of this temple with tall, monolithic pillars,
which belong to the Vijayanagar era, is full of sculptures depicting
episodes from epics and Puranas," she said.
The Thiruvalishwara temple at Padi and the Masilamanishwarar temple at
Tirumullaivoyal have Chola vestiges in the form of inscriptions and
sculpture, she said. There are more such examples all over the city.
"Madambakkam has Dhenupurishwarar temple dedicated to Siva. Many Chola
and Vijayanagara inscriptions on the walls reveal its antiquity," she
said.
Though Mylapore is known for its temples, the most famous being the
Kapaleeswarar temple, not many know that there are more ancient places of
worship. Although much renovated, the Karanishwarar and Virupakshishwarar
temples on Bazaar Street belong to an ancient time as understood from the
inscriptions found there, she said. You don't have to go to Thanjavur or
Madurai to see historic structures. It's all in your backyard, she
concluded.
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Posted on
2012/8/21 17:26:15 ( 905 reads )
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SRI LANKA, July 26, 2012 (Daily News): New stamps were issued to mark the
renowned Nallur Kanthaswamy Kovil Annual Festival 2012 on July 24 at the
temple premises. Under the guidance of Northern Province Governor G. A.
Chandrasiri, the Postal Department issued three types of Rs 5 stamps.
Nallur has an old and rich history. It is considered as a social, religious
and cultural place in Jaffna. Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil or Nallur Murugan
Kovil is one of the most significant Hindu temples in the Jaffna district.
The presiding Deity is Lord Muruga in the form of the holy Vel. The murti
of the Nallur Devi or Goddess was gifted to the temple in the 10th century
by the Chola queen Sembiyan Mahadevi, in the style of Sembian bronzes.
The Nallur Kandaswamy Temple was founded in 948 CE. According to the
Yalpana Vaipava Malai, the temple was developed at the site in the 13th
century by Puvenaya Vaku, a minister to the Jaffna King Kalinga Magha.
Sapumal Kumaraya (also known as Chempaha Perumal in Tamil), who ruled the Jaffna
kingdom on behalf of the Kotte kingdom is credited with either building or
renovating the third Nallur Kandaswamy temple.
Nallur served as the capital of the Jaffna kings, with the royal palace
situated close to the temple. Nallur was built with four entrances with
gates. There were two main roadways and four temples at the four gateways.
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Posted on
2012/8/21 17:26:09 ( 1091 reads )
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INDIA, August 18, 2012 (virsanghvi.com): Few restaurateurs understand the
taste of the Indian consumer as well as Jairam Banan, owner of the new
Rajastani restaurant in Delhi's Ashok hotel, does. His view is that more
and more vegetarians are joining the restaurant-going classes. Many of them
are conservative and do not like sitting in restaurants where the guests at
the next table are eating tandoori chicken. Some of them are apprehensive
about eating food cooked in kitchens where meat dishes are also being
prepared. And all vegetarians resent the fact that there are so few options
open to them on many restaurant menus.
There will be more purely vegetarian Rajasthani restaurants if the Delhi
venture succeeds. But Jairam is also betting big on south Indian vegetarian
food. His family is starting a second chain of Sagar-like restaurants and
the first phase should see the roll-out of 40 or more outlets.
Jairam is not the only one betting big on the emergence of the vegetarian
diner. At the top end of the market, ITC is rolling out several pure
vegetarian restaurants to be called Royal Vega. The first one will open in
Madras at the new ITC hotel. And the chain will clone the concept at its
other properties.
Why are vegetarian restaurants going to be the growth area in the coming
years? I can see three broad reasons. The first one is self-evident: a high
proportion of Indians are vegetarians. Secondly, as the economy grows many
vegetarians whose conservative parents rarely went to restaurants are now
eating out more often. They want places that cater to their needs. But
there is also a third reason. In my view, most Hindus (and Hindus
constitute the vast majority of restaurant goers in India) are
non-vegetarian only up to a point. At some deep and primal level, even
those Hindus who have been brought up as nonvegetarians are not entirely
comfortable with the idea of eating animals.
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Posted on
2012/9/2 17:05:12 ( 890 reads )
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ALLAHABAD, INDIA, September 2, 2012 (BBC): A controversial plan (see
earlier article below) to sell media rights to the world's biggest
religious festival in India has been put on hold, after opposition from
Hindu leaders. However, government officials say their proposal for the
Kumbha Mela festival has not been formally dropped either. The ancient
Hindu gathering takes place in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh,
attracting tens of millions of people. The state government initially
planned to offset the cost of the event by selling media access. Although
it is a religious festival, the state supports it by providing amenities,
from security to sanitation.
"The proposal to commercialise the Kumbha Mela has not been
approved," Uttar Pradesh's Development Secretary Praveer Kumar told
the BBC Hindi's Ram Dutt Tripathi. State government officials said there
were currently examining objections from Hindu saints and officials in
Allahabad - one of the four places where the festival takes place.
Allahabad's commissioner Davesh Chaturvedi said the local authorities had
written to the state government to voice their concerns. He said three key
points must be considered before implementing the proposal, including a
legal dispute whether the government owns the festival.
Hindu saints say Kumbha Mela belongs to them, and no decision can be taken
without prior consultations. They said earlier that commercializing the
festival would be highly offensive. In May Uttar Pradesh chief secretary
Javed Usmani sent a letter instructing the local administration to
"generate revenue by auctioning advertising and telecast rights"
to the event.
The Kumbha Mela has been held on the banks of the Ganges for thousands of years.
It is at its largest once every 12 years when it attracts tens of millions
of people. In 2001, more than 40 million people gathered on the main
bathing day at Allahabad, breaking a world record for the biggest human
gathering. At the 2013 event, the numbers are expected to be even higher.
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Posted on
2012/9/2 17:05:05 ( 917 reads )
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UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA, August 30, 2012, (BBC News): Should the religious
festival be a money-spinner? Indian religious leaders have reacted angrily
to a proposal to sell broadcast and advertising rights to the world's
biggest religious festival. Commercializing next year's Kumbha Mela would
be highly offensive, they say.The BBC has learned that the state government
wants to offset the cost of the event by selling media access -- critics
say they have no right to. In May, Uttar Pradesh chief secretary Javed
Usmani sent a letter instructing the local administration to "generate
revenue by auctioning advertising and telecast rights" to the event,
BBC Hindi's Ram Dutt Tripathi reports.
"In this mela different cultures come together -- and how can one
organisation monopolise it?" says Prof. Dhananjay Chopra of Allahabad
university. He says that although it is a religious festival, the state
supports it by providing amenities, from security to sanitation. Religious
leaders have always opposed attempts by the state or big business to cash
in on the event. They say the festival does not belong to the government
and they have no right to sell access to it. So the government plan leaked
to the BBC to raise money by auctioning exclusive broadcast rights is
already proving controversial. Senior state government officials, too, have
written to the Uttar Pradesh administration, expressing their reservations
over the proposals. When many millions of people gather in the open air, it
will be impossible, critics argue, to stop unauthorized people from filming
the main events. Analysts say the government plan is likely to cause
widespread offense and could spark a legal battle about religious freedoms.
"These days, when every citizen has tools to broadcast themselves, the
plan is impossible to implement."
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Posted on
2012/9/2 17:04:59 ( 904 reads )
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LONDON, U.K., August 29, 2012 (The Telegraph): The Paralympic Flame has
arrived in London ahead of Wednesday's opening ceremony. After an overnight
relay from Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire -- the spiritual home of the
Paralympic Games -- the flame reached the Shree Swaminarayan Hindu temple
in Willesden, Brent, amid cheers and traditional prayers. Hundreds of
people waved Union flags and drums played uplifting rhythms in the morning
sunshine as Antony Eames, 32, from Wokingham, held out a torch on a red
carpet at the top of the temple's staircase. From there it set off on its
journey through six host boroughs in the capital on its way to the Olympic
Stadium.
See the ceremony on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqDlUPuuxKo&feature=em-uploademail
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Posted on
2012/9/2 17:04:53 ( 1120 reads )
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August 27, 2012 (Yoga Journal): Yoga scholar Georg Feuerstein passed on
Saturday at the age of 65. Feuerstein was one of the most highly regarded
scholars on Hinduism in the West. He authored more than 45 books about yoga
including The Yoga Tradition: Its History, Literature, Philosophy, and
Practice (2001), The Deeper Dimension of Yoga: Theory and Practice (2003),
The Shambhala Guide to Yoga (1996), and The Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga
(1997).
His wife Brenda Fuerestein, who also co-authored several books, posted this
announcement on the Traditional Yoga Studies Facebook page: "It is
with great sadness that I announce that my husband and spiritual partner,
Georg Feuerstein, Ph.D., left his body on August 25, 2012 at 9:10 PM. At
this time, I would like to request prayers from the worldwide community for
Georg's transition through the afterlife states and for a swift rebirth. In
lieu of flowers and gifts, Georg had requested a scholarship fund be set up
to enable incarcerated people the opportunity to participate in our
distance learning courses."
Read more about Feuerstein and his contributions http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/348.
In recent years, Feuerstein has worked to promote the "authentic yogic
teachings" by offering distance learning courses -- including an
800-hour course on the history, literature and philosophy of yoga.
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Posted on 2012/9/2
17:04:47 ( 730 reads )
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Silence is the highest eloquence.
-- Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950), South Indian mystic
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Posted on
2012/8/29 15:35:05 ( 1299 reads )
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DELHI, INDIA, August 29, 2012 (The Indian Express): India's religious and
political sensitivities over what a cow can eat has cast a serious shadow
over efforts to provide American dairy produce access to Indian markets.
US President Barack Obama had identified market access for US agricultural
and dairy products as a major deliverable and even mentioned it to Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh in his recent communique.
At first, the problem was with the use of calf rennet in American cheese.
The US was told that it would have to disclose this prominently in a label
on the product, but the Americans argued that this would reduce their
competitiveness in the market. Finally, sources said, it relented on Friday
after explanations on how other countries followed the same practice.
The problem now is that cattle in the US are given animal feed which is
fortified with certain meat products. India requires any country sending
dairy produce here to certify that the source was "never fed feeds
produced from internal organs, blood meal and tissues of ruminant
origin." The US has conveyed that it cannot provide such a certificate
because its cattle is regularly fed such animal feed. Australia, New
Zealand and some European nations, sources said, give such a certificate
because their cattle are mostly reared on grazing.
India has told the US that the cow is a revered animal here and the notion
that it is fed feed containing meat products will hurt religious
sensitivities. The US side proposed it could ensure that the cattle is not
given this feed 30 days prior to sourcing dairy produce to India. This way,
the US could certify that it has "not" fed its cattle such feed
rather than using the word "never". But this has not got a
positive response from India.
There is also stiff opposition from Indian companies. "The US wants
full access to our market while it denies market access to our dairy
exports. They impose high tariff and non-tariff barriers. Indian cheese is
made using vegetarian microbial rennet as against calf rennet and other
animal rennets used in the US for cheese production," says R S Sodhi,
Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, which
markets its products under the Amul brand.
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Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(My humble salutations to Sadguru Sri Sivaya Subramuniyaswami ji,
Satguru Bodhianatha Velayanswami ji, Hinduism
Today dot com for the collection)
(The Blog is reverently for all the seekers of truth,
lovers of wisdom and to share the Hindu Dharma with others on the
spiritual path and also this is purely a non-commercial blog)
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