News from Hindu Press International
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Posted on
2012/8/29 15:34:59 ( 1202 reads )
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AUSTRALIA, August 28,2012 (The Age) Practising yoga is just ahead of
Australian rules football in the list of the most popular physical
activities among the citizens of this country -- at least according to
surveys. Researchers have also found that yoga and meditation can assist a
range of health problems and medical conditions, including chronic pain,
lower back pain, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, while also
reducing the need for pain-relief medicines.
New research at RMIT University has found that yoga can help older people
overcome insomnia and improve their mental and emotional health. The study
found that practising yoga for at least 25 minutes a day for 12 weeks
improved the sleep patterns of the volunteers taking part and enhanced
their psychological and emotional wellbeing.
Professor Marc Cohen, foundation professor of complementary medicine at
RMIT who supervised the research, says the findings show yoga is an effective,
affordable and safe exercise for older people with insomnia.
Insomnia is a debilitating problem and one of the most frequent health
complaints among the elderly, Professor Cohen says. "We wanted to
explore this because insomnia impairs daily function, reduces quality of
life and is a risk factor for other health issues for older people. Drugs
used to help treat this condition are only recommended for short-term use
and have limited effectiveness."
"Regular yoga practice may have multiple benefits to the individual
and to the community, and may reduce the burden on the healthcare system
due to associated lifestyle choices such as vegetarianism, non-smoking,
reduced alcohol consumption, increased exercise, reduced stress, and other
mental and physical health benefits," say researchers.
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Posted on
2012/8/29 15:34:54 ( 1003 reads )
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HPI
KAUAI, HAWAII, August 29, 2012 (HPI): In yesterday's HMEC report, Fred
Stella was incorrectly identified as a representative of the Self
Realization Fellowship. He was at the conference representing the West
Michigan Hindu Temple.
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Posted on
2012/8/29 15:34:47 ( 880 reads )
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When the fundamentalists of any religion teach an unrelenting duality based
on good and evil, man and nature or God and Devil, this creates friends and
enemies. This belief is a sacrilege to Hindus, because they know that the
attitudes which are the by-product are totally dualistic, and for good to
triumph over that which is alien or evil, it must kill out that which is
considered to be evil. The Hindu looks at nothing as intrinsically evil. To
him the ground is sacred. The sky is sacred. The sun is sacred. His wife is
a Goddess. Her husband is a God. Their children are devas. Their home is a
shrine.
-- Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001), founder of Hinduism
Today
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Posted on
2012/8/28 18:10:00 ( 1090 reads )
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SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, August 25, 2012 (Press Release): Over 350 adult and
youth delegates representing over 102 Mandirs (Temples) and Hindu
organizations from across the world attended the seventh annual Hindu
Mandir Executives' Conference (HMEC) August 17 and 18, 2012, in San Jose,
CA. The Seventh HMEC was hosted by the Fremont Temple and 22 other co-hosts
temples from around the San Francisco Bay Area. Participants came from all
across the United States, Canada, India, Trinidad and New Zealand.
Addressing the participants by video-conference, Swami Dayananda Saraswati
said, "This get-together is bound to create better bonds and good
networking among the people connected to the Hindu Mandirs in America."
The conference was a result of over ten months of preparation by a national
team and an enthusiastic host team in the Bay Area led by Dr. Umesh Shukla,
Dr. Romesh Japra and Rajesh Verma. The program consisting of over 25
sessions and 100 speakers & moderators was meticulously composed by a
national program committee led by Sant Gupta and Govind Pasumarthi.
"I would like to commend HMEC for conducting perhaps the best seminar
of its type that I have ever attended," says Robert Arnett, author of
India Unveiled. "Speakers provided a wealth of information on a wide
array of subjects that were both informative and useful. But what impressed
me the most was the spirit of unity and harmony that prevailed throughout
the entire conference. Everyone seemed keen on supporting each other's
goals, rather than the usual in-fighting and personal agendas found at most
conferences. I actually was sad to see the conference come to an end, and
know that I left having made several friends for life."
A record fifteen sadhus and sadhvis (initiated monks) attended the
gathering. The conference was inaugurated by Swamini Svatmavidyananda Ji
who effortlessly weaves humor into her speech calling Hindu Dharma the
Universal Dharma. She said, "Hindu Dharma is there in every heart,
regardless of whether we went to Sunday school, balavihar, or whatever, it
is there." The editor of Hinduism Today, a prominent Hindu magazine,
Paramacharya Sadasivanathaswami extolled the tolerance of Hindu Dharma when
he told the audience that, "Hindus are intolerant of one thing; we
can't tolerate intolerance." Sadhvi Bhagawati said that, "Dharma
is not like fossils or ancient archeological remains, Dharma is not
history, it's alive it is in the present." Swami Nikhilanand of
Radhamadhav Dham, Austin, shared his thoughts on the educational curriculum
for mandirs and also his kirtan.
Mandir issues were at the forefront of the discussion. Swami Mukundananda
of J.K. Yog, emphasized the mission of mandirs, "It is important to
educate about spiritual greatness and Vedic knowledge. It's mandir's
responsibility to instill pride." HAF's Sunil Shukla charged the
temples to be more relevant to the Hindu community and to all communities,
whereas, Senthilanathaswami urged the temple trustees to resist contention
amongst themselves. A special topic covered legal liabilities that can
impact mandir executives and how to ensure that the executives are
protected. Fred Stella, representing the West Michigan Hindu Temple,
emphasized the virtues of saatvik, organic food and advocated for better
treatment of cows, saying, "Mandirs should take the opportunity to
have relationships with local organic farms and educate the community on
treatment of cows."
There was a special emphasis on the role of priests at the conference. Pt.
Murali Bhattar, the chief priest from Minnesota Hindu Temple, wowed the
audience with his techno-savvy presentation and live demo of Vedic chants
from his iPad. Pt. Ram Hardowar, Surya Narayan Mandir, NY, stressed that
the priests should not be viewed as merely religious leaders but as
community leaders. He also announced his temple as the host of the 2013
Hindu Mandir Priest's Conference.
Members from Coalition of Hindu Youth (CHY) and CHERISH (Fremont Temple
Hindu Youth group) played a prominent role in organizing the conference.
The youth session's topic was "Igniting the flame within - redefining
the Hindu-American youth identity". This session comprised of three
portions: Q&A with Sadhvi Bhagawati, a break-out discussion session,
and a creative hour done by the local youth. During this time the youth
discussed what it meant to be Hindu AND American and how others see us and
our identities. "We have an identity. We are 100% Hindu and 100%
American. They are not mutually exclusive." This successful youth
session ended with group summaries of what it means to maintain our
combined identity, and a presentation of each group's discussion and
resolutions. The California youth then showcased the different activities
and insights of their mandir youth group.
Mihir Meghani of Hindu American Foundation urged the temples to involve the
younger generation in the leadership positions in temples and Hindu
organizations. Meghani charged the temples to become "centers of
activism, not just centers of rituals." Swami Vidyadhishananda drew
applause when he told the mandir executives that the, "Youth
participation in mandirs should go beyond 'organizing the shoes' - a deeper
involvement is needed." Youth representative and graduate student in
Sanskrit, Varun Khanna explained how Sanskrit language and Samskriti
(culture) are inseparable.
The Seventh HMEC presented an excellent opportunity for Hindu community
leaders to present their activities and thoughts advocacy of issues
pertinent to the Hindu community.
The seventh HMEC unanimously passed the following 4 resolutions:
1. Expressing condolence for the victims and the families of attack on the
Sikh Gurudwara in Wisconsin.
2. Condemning the persecution of Hindus in Northeastern India, especially
Assam due to the demographic change in the Assam population resulting from
illegal immigration from Bangladesh.
3. Urging the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate the
condition of Hindu temples and forcible abduction and conversion of Hindus
in Pakistan.
4. Expressing support for the purification of Yamuna River in India - a
river considered holy by Hindus that is now infused with sewage.
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Posted on
2012/8/28 18:06:17 ( 1129 reads )
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INDIA, August 27, 2012 (dnaindia.com): Come August 29, Malayalees the world
over will celebrate Onam. Though the origin of the harvest festival is
deeply rooted in Hindu legends and mythology, Keralites across the
religious spectrum celebrate the festival with traditional gaiety and
enthusiasm. Onam is a community event, a celebration of a time in the past
when all men (and women) were equal. The people of Kerala, irrespective of
their faith, caste and class, remember the golden era of the Asura (demon)
king Mahabali they all loved, and welcome him on his annual visit to their
homes with open arms. In almost all cultures, societies, and religions
around the world, there is some myth or memory of a distant past when
mankind lived in perfect happiness, equality, fulfillment and in harmony
with nature. "Maveli naadu vaaneedum kaalam," a very popular song
sung during Onam means, "When Maveli ruled the land, all the people
were equal. And people were joyful and merry; they were all free from harm.
There was neither anxiety nor sickness. Deaths of children were unheard of.
There were no lies. There was neither theft nor deceit, and no one was
false in speech either. Measures and weights were right. No one cheated or
wronged his neighbor. When Maveli ruled the land, all the people formed one
casteless race."
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Posted on
2012/8/28 18:04:55 ( 811 reads )
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Truth is not only Eternal but also unlimited and infinite. Sanatana Dharma
is very simple and natural because it is based on the Laws of Nature.
-- Swami Rama Tirtha (1873-1906), one of the first sannyasins to
bring Hinduism to America
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Posted on
2012/8/27 16:15:50 ( 1301 reads )
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CLAREMONT, CA., August 24, 2012 (Press Release): Claremont Lincoln
University and the Nalanda Confluence Institute (NCI) are pleased to
announce a new collaboration. Today, officials from each institution signed
an agreement that is an important step in establishing an accredited
graduate program in Hindu Dharma studies at Claremont. NCI will join the
Indic Foundation and other funders, with the goal of establishing a School
of Hindu Studies at Claremont Lincoln. Future plans call for offering MA
degrees in Hindu Studies, Hindu Clinical Pastoral Chaplaincy, and Hindu
Theology/Philosophy. Also Concentrations in Hindu contemplative, Yogic, and
Consciousness Studies, Applied Dharma, and other initiatives in Partnership
with Hindu spiritual institutions and community organizations.
"At the heart of Claremont Lincoln's mission lies the ideal of
building bridges of understanding for the purposes of improving and
repairing our shared society, environment, and world," said Dr. Philip
Clayton, Provost of Claremont Lincoln. "We are excited about this new
agreement with Nalanda Confluence Institute. It reaffirms Claremont
Lincoln's place as one of the most dynamic and collaborative centers for
religious education in the country."
"The Nalanda Confluence Institute is equally excited about the
agreement," said Dr. Rita Sherma, NCI President. "We see our
relationship with Claremont Lincoln University as a wonderful opportunity
to integrate the dharma-based insights and principles of the Hindu
traditions with Claremont Lincoln's innovative, engagement-driven focus on
the world's religions, with fidelity to their self-understanding and
experience."
Established in 2011, Claremont Lincoln University is an inter-religious
graduate school offering accredited degree programs, advanced certificates,
and custom-designed curricula for leadership that spans multicultural,
multi-religious, spiritual, and secular value systems. NCI is an
international onsite and online experiential academic teaching and research
institution that will affiliate with both Claremont Lincoln University and
Indian institutes of higher education and research.
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Posted on
2012/8/27 16:15:44 ( 1244 reads )
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Vermilion (kumkum) is a red colored powder that is applied in the parting
of the hair by married women [found as far back as Indus Valley]. This sign
of marriage is more or less consistent among women from all over India .
Sindoor is symbolic of the red flame of Sati and Parvati, both forms of
Shakti. It is supposed to give power and determination to a wife.
Mangalsutra is the thread that binds a woman forever to her husband. The
mangalsutra is not as universal as the sindoor. Women from the Eastern
parts of India do not wear it. Every community has its own kind of
mangalsutra but it is always made of gold and black beads. The black beads
of a mangalsutra are supposed to ward off the evil eye.
Thali is the South Indian equivalent of a mangalsutra. It is primarily made
of a cotton thread. In case of Tamilians the thread is yellowed with
turmeric. It contains many other elements like coral, black beads etc.
Most Indian women wear bichiya or toe rings on their second toe after
marriage. This symbol of marriage reminds a woman of her marital status and
the restrictions that come with it.
And bangles, after a Hindu marriage is communed, the wife is never supposed
to leave her arms bare. She must always wear bangles to signify that she is
married. Some women wear red or green glass bangles. It is called
'shringar' or making yourself attractive for your husband. Gold, silver or
bangles of other materials can also be worn for shringar.
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Posted on
2012/8/27 16:15:38 ( 1026 reads )
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"There will not be enough water available on current croplands to
produce food for the expected 9 billion population in 2050 if we follow
current trends and changes towards diets common in Western nations,"
the report by Malik Falkenmark and colleagues at the Stockholm
International Water Institute (SIWI) said.
Dire warnings of water scarcity limiting food production come as Oxfam and
the UN prepare for a possible second global food crisis in five years.
Prices for staples such as corn and wheat have risen nearly 50% on
international markets since June, triggered by severe droughts in the US
and Russia, and weak monsoon rains in Asia. More than 18 million people are
already facing serious food shortages across the Sahel.
Adopting a vegetarian diet is one option to increase the amount of water
available to grow more food in an increasingly climate-erratic world, the
scientists said. Animal protein-rich food consumes five to 10 times more
water than a vegetarian diet. One third of the world's arable land is used
to grow crops to feed animals. Other options to feed people include
eliminating waste and increasing trade between countries in food surplus
and those in deficit.
The report is being released at the start of the annual world water
conference in Stockholm, Sweden, where 2,500 politicians, UN bodies,
non-governmental groups and researchers from 120 countries meet to address
global water supply problems.
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Posted on
2012/9/6 18:15:52 ( 899 reads )
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MUMBAI, Sep 4, 2012 (TNN): Playgrounds and street corners are transforming
into oases of beauty as Ganeshotsav approaches on September 19. Palace and
temple architecture remain the favourite decor of most mandals that have
the resources to indulge their patrons. The muddy ground at Azad Nagar,
Andheri, is giving way to a replica of the fabled Dilwara temple of
Rajasthan. The Andhericha Raja mandal is recreating this masterpiece of
Jain architecture complete with 60 carved pillars on site. From Sunday, the
big icons began leaving the Lalbaug-Parel workshops to arrive at their
respective mandals.
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Posted on
2012/9/6 18:15:46 ( 1145 reads )
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WASHINGTON, D.C. September 5, 2012 (BBC): HPI note: We don't report on
national politics, but for those interested, BBC correspondent Seema Dirohi
has produced a insightful story on the political affiliation of
Indian-Americans, available at "source" above. A related report
with a more religious slant is here.
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Posted on
2012/9/6 18:15:40 ( 721 reads )
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Sectarianism, bigotry and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long
possessed this beautiful Earth. They have filled the Earth with violence,
drenched it often with human blood, destroyed civilizations and sent whole
nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human
society would be far more advanced than it is now.
-- Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), disciple of Sri Ramakrisha
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Posted on
2012/9/5 18:03:13 ( 876 reads )
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INDIA, September 4, 2012 (The Telegraph): McDonald's will open its first
vegetarian-only restaurants in India next year to cater for pilgrims to
sacred sites. Burgers and fries have proved a winning formula since the
McDonald brothers created their eponymous fast food franchise in 1955. But
now meat will be struck from the menu for the first time in an attempt to
woo devout diners at two Indian pilgrimage sites. The vegetarian
restaurants will open next year as part of a wider expansion strategy in
the country, where the chain has only 271 branches. The first will open in
Katra, close to the hill shrine of Vaishno Devi, which welcomes hundreds of
thousands of pilgrims a year. It will be followed by a restaurant in
Amritsar, home to the Golden Temple, the spiritual centre of the Sikh faith.
It has already altered its menu to reflect the tastes of Hindus, who eschew
beef and revere cows. Vegetarian patties are served alongside more
traditional fare such as chicken burgers and account for half of overall
sales. But the new sites will offer a larger meat-free range. "There
is a big opportunity for vegetarian restaurants as many Indians are
vegetarian," said Rajesh Kumar Maini, a spokesman for the company in
northern India. It is not the first time the American franchise has altered
its menu to adapt to changing demand. The chain first added salads in 1987
and has developed a range of coffees and smoothies in recent years.
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Posted on
2012/9/5 18:03:07 ( 830 reads )
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KASHMIR, September 4, 2012 (presstv.com): HPI Note: The following report
comes from a pro-Pakistan website favoring Kashmir "independence"
and should be taken accordingly.
After four years of relative calm, the issue related to a Hindu shrine in
Indian-controlled Kashmir seems to pop up again. This comes as the Supreme
Court of India issued orders to build permanent roads and facilities in the
ecologically sensitive area where the cave shrine is located. The cave
Shrine known as Amarnath is situated at an altitude of around 14,000 feet.
The pro-independence leader of Kashmir Syed Ali Shah Geelani has accused
India of politicizing the pilgrimage. Calling people to observe a close
down on Tuesday over this move of the Indian court, Geelani said New Delhi
must not create the image of pilgrimage as a military project. Geelani has
asked the government not to think of paving roads up to the shrine. In the
wake of the shut down, businesses, government offices, banks and schools
were closed and the vehicular movement was limited.
In 2008 the issue of allotment of land to the same shrine for building
infrastructures and facilities generated a stir in Kashmir dividing the
Jammu and Kashmir State on communal lines. The region of Kashmir witnessed
the biggest street protests in its history. Government closed down the
region for months and people were reportedly killed due to the use of extra
force. Now experts warn of similar repercussion. Other Kashmiri leaders
have also expressed their concern over interference of the state government
in the affairs of the shrine in Kashmir stressing that the increasing
number of pilgrims would wreak havoc on the fragile ecology of the region.
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Posted on
2012/9/5 18:03:01 ( 885 reads )
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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, September 4, 2012 (jsonline.com): The leader of a
Hindu sect in Milwaukee who was convicted of bringing sham priests to the
United States under a religious worker visa program will be sitting behind
bars as he awaits sentencing. Sagarsen Haldar was ordered detained last
week by U.S. District Judge Rudolph Randa, who cited the risk that Haldar
might flee to his native India before his sentencing in October. Haldar
faces up to five years in prison.
Haldar, 32, was convicted by a jury in November of conspiracy to defraud
the government. The prosecutor showed that over two years Haldar filed 25
applications with the State Department to bring people from India to work
at his temple in Milwaukee. They were not religious workers, however, but
more like indentured servants who were charged up to $30,000 by Haldar to
arrange their entry, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Haanstad.
The religious worker visa program was started in 1990 with prodding by the
Catholic Church and other entities that were having trouble filling
religious jobs. To qualify, candidates must already be part of the
religious order where they will work and cannot do other work once they are
in the U.S. The visa allows them to stay for 18 months but it can be
renewed for up to five years.
Haldar, also known as Gopal Hari Das, is a permanent resident of the U.S.
and lived in Milwaukee since 2003, leading the Gaudiya Vaisnava Society
here. Between 2006 and 2009, Haldar filed documents for two dozen people to
come to the U.S. from his native India. In testimony, the people said they
did not work at Haldar's temple, but rather at convenience stores or
driving cabs. They were paid in cash for those jobs and handed over the
money to Haldar, according to court documents.
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Posted on
2012/9/5 18:02:55 ( 699 reads )
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Do you want God to be yours? Then you must first become His!
-- Dada J.P. Vaswani, spiritual head of Sadhu Vaswani Mission
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Posted on
2012/9/4 16:29:10 ( 1080 reads )
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KOCHI, KERALA, INDIA, September 4, 2012 (Times of India): It may not be the
best of comparisons, and it does give an unflattering picture of the
state's public sector. If the 42 public sector undertakings in the state
together make US$45 million a year in revenues, the four devaswom boards
can boast of $180 million in annual revenues.
The richest devaswom is, undoubtedly, Guruvayur Devaswom, followed by
Travancore, Malabar and Kochi. Sree Guruvayurappan Temple has total assets
worth $450 million and makes about $71 million in both cash and gold
annually, according to unofficial estimates.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages about 1,240 temples,
closely follows Guruvayur. It has assets worth roughly $126 million,
according to official sources, and has no accurate revenue figures. Of this
about 25 temples make money for the upkeep of the rest, topped by
Sabarimala hill shrine which rakes in $36 million in annual revenues. This
is followed by Chettikulangara Devi Temple that brings in $18 million
annually, and Ettumanoor Siva Temple with about $11 million.
"From the $36 million we generate from the Sabarimala temple, $18
million is spent on other temples under the board," said a TDB
official.
Only about 100 temples under TDB can manage on their own. However, assets
each temple receives as donations and gifts are kept in safe custody. Gold
and silver ornaments, precious stones, and other assets of these temples
are kept under double lock and round-the-clock security in strong rooms
under 18 sub-groups of the board.
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Posted on
2012/9/4 16:29:04 ( 792 reads )
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UNITED KINGDOM, September 3, 2012 (surreycomet.co.uk): Thousands gathered
to watch a Hindu chariot procession pass through the streets of New Malden
last weekend. The 8th annual Murugan community chariot festival took place
of Sunday, September 2, in Burlington Road organized by the New Malden
Murugan Temple.
Stephen Hammond, MP for Wimbledon, attended the festival which he has
supported for a number of years. He said: "It embodies the best of
that community. "It's a great spectacle and it was great to see so
many people coming out of their houses to watch it as it went round.
"It's a really good multi cultural event."
Stephen Alambritis, leader of Merton Council, said: "We work with the
community to put it together with the local police and residents.
"It's a very gracious and generous event and contributes to community
cohesion and a sense of wellbeing and happiness in the borough.
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Posted on
2012/9/4 16:28:59 ( 876 reads )
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CASTEGNATO, ITALY, February 12, 2012 (bsnews.it, translated the Italian): A
huge bell, cast at the Poli Vittorio Veneto Foundry, has arrived in
Castegnato for final polishing and detail work. The bell is 2.85 meters
(9.3 feet) tall and 2.10 meters (6.9 feet) wide at the base. It weighs in
at 12,342 kilos (6-1/4 tons.) The bell's clapper alone weighs almost 600
pounds! The mayor of Castegnato, Giuseppe Orizio, turned out to
congratulate the craftsmen on the excellence of their work and their
entrepreneurial spirit. Giuseppe Sisti and his son David, of the TE.MA.
bell company, will do the finishing work and then install it at the Hindu Monastery
at Altare in Savona province. The bell will be placed outdoors not far from
a similar but smaller bell that the Sistis produced for the monastery in
2002.
A video of the bell, decorated with the image of Lakshmi and Ganesh and
encircled with Sanskrit slokas, can be seen here.
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Posted on
2012/9/4 16:28:51 ( 725 reads )
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The leaders of three religions A, B and C decided to convene a meeting to
bring about peace. God was so pleased with their efforts that He sent an
angel to them during the meeting. The angel asked the leaders what they
wished. The leader of religion A said, "Religion B is responsible for
all the problems. So please wipe them off the face of the Earth!" The
leader of religion B said, "Religion A is the cause of all our
troubles. You have to reduce them to ashes!" By now the angel was
disappointed. The angel turned expectantly to the leader of religion C.
With an expression of grave humility, C's leader said, "I wish nothing
for myself. It will be enough if you merely grant the prayers of my two
colleagues!" Children, we must first plant the seeds of love, peace
and patience within ourselves. The key to world peace is within every
individual residing on this planet. Peace is not just the absence of war
and conflict; it goes well beyond that. Simply transferring the world's
nuclear weapons to a museum will not in itself bring about world peace. The
nuclear weapons of the mind must first be eliminated.
-- Mata Amritanandamayi Ma, India's Kerala-based "hugging saint
"
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Posted on
2012/9/3 15:59:01 ( 930 reads )
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JORHAT, INDIA, August 22, 2012 (newstrackindia.com): A sacred lamp in a Vaishnavite
monastery has put Assam's Jorhat town on the world map. The lamp has been
burning continuously for the past 484 years, and has been officially
recognized by the Asia Book of Records. A temple official told reporters
that the authorities are hoping to approach the Guinness World Records to
register the record.
A Hindu scholar, Madhabdeva, the chief disciple of Assamese saint and
socio-religious reformer Srimanta Sankardeva, lit the lamp first in 1528 at
the Dhekiakhuwa Namghar Temple. A temple priest explained the objective
behind keeping the ancient lamp lit for hundreds of years. "Light is
burning only for religious persons, for the peace of the world and
Assam," said the chief priest. Temple priests along with the locals
have shown their devotion by keeping the lamp lit for well over four
centuries now, leading to massive popularity amongst devotees.
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Posted on
2012/9/3 15:58:46 ( 849 reads )
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THANJAVUR, INDIA, August 17, 2012 (The Hindu): As the puppets start dancing
on the stage - thanks to the dexterity of artists pulling the strings from
behind - the crowd at Sri Besant Lodge in Thanjavur on Sunday breaks into
peals of laughter. Sri Gananathar Bommai Nataka Sabha from Mayiladuthurai
presented the show Sivasakthi, a puppetry programme, as part of the music
and dance festival organized by the Thanjavur Thyagabrahma Sabha.
Thyagaraja Sharma, an English Professor, who introduced the show, said that
the art dated back to Indus Valley Civilisation. Excavations of clay dolls
from the site were an indication of this long tradition. Lots of
information about puppetry was seen in Sangam literature too. Started
initially as a medium of entertainment, puppetry became the media for
propagation ideas, dissemination of information and educating masses.
Kalaisudarmani Somasundaram, director, Sri Gananathar Bommai Nataka Sabha,
said that they have been performing the art for the past three generations.
Started in 1946 by Velu Nair of Kumbakonam, it was continued by
P.K.Ramamurthy Nair. Then his son-in-law A.S.Manikkavasagam continued the
tradition for 47 years. His son Somasundaram is now conducting the shows.
Initially puppetry was performed during temple festivals. Later it was used
by Life Insurance Corporation of India, social security departments,
tourism, and cooperative departments to spread the awareness of leprosy
eradication, prevention of female foeticide and family planning.
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2012/9/3 15:58:40 ( 780 reads )
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TBILISI, GEORGIA, August 31, 2012 (eurasianet.org): A growing number of
Georgians are turning to yoga to shake off the stress of daily life. But
their quest for inner calm and smaller waists is generating hostility from
the powerful Georgian Orthodox Church.
Over the past two years, yoga has gone from a largely unknown Eastern
tradition to a popular fitness routine in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.
Georgian National Yoga Federation President Giorgi Berdzenishvili, a
passionate practitioner for the past 15 years, called the trend a
"dynamic" process that started under former Soviet leader Mikheil
Gorbachev's glasnost' policies in the late 1980s.
During the Soviet era, when religious beliefs were discouraged, yoga tended
to be viewed as a fringe health-oriented practice, devoid of spirituality,
Berdzenishvili noted. But slowly, over the past several years, amid
increased Internet usage and travel abroad, yoga has moved into the
mainstream in Georgian society.
Today, yoga's popularity is at an all-time high, instructors say. Classes
are full, leading to the opening of several new studios in Tbilisi over the
past year. This phenomenon has some Georgian Orthodox priests worried, due
to yoga's spiritual roots in Hinduism, and its perceived association with
Buddhism.
While the Patriarchy, the body that governs the Georgian Orthodox Church,
did not respond to requests from EurasiaNet.org for the Church's official
position on yoga, dozens of websites devoted to the faith have published
articles and blogs that are critical of the practice.
Orthodoxy.ge, a website run by priests at Sioni Cathedral, the former
headquarters of the Georgian Orthodox Church, warns the faithful that yoga
is full of false "charms" that lure people away from God. In a
long entry entitled "Eastern Culture," the priests caution that
even people who perform "simple yoga exercises ... gradually develop
some spiritual thoughts" (a broad reference to meditation) that are
not compatible with Christianity.
Nonetheless, after conversations with priests, National Yoga Federation
President Berdzenishvili decided to develop a more culturally sensitive
version of yoga practice for use in the federation's classes; one that focuses
on fitness, rather than meditation, and does not encourage participants to
adopt yoga "spiritual names" or specific forms of dress.
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2012/9/3 15:58:34 ( 764 reads )
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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
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2012/9/11 16:53:58 ( 909 reads )
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NEW ZEALAND, August 24, 2012 (Indian Weekender): After 10 years, the Shri
Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan of NZ Inc. is finally on track in its mission to
begin work on its new temple in Church Str Onehunga. "We are finally
getting there," Sanstahan president Hari Gangisetty said. "Today
is a historic day for the Sansthan," he said, referring to the August
20 start date of the construction work. The building contract was signed on
August 19, and the construction started the following day. The targeted
completed date is 40 weeks from now, which is June 2013.
Originally the fixed price contract of US2, 259,000 was approved. The
executive committee and temple committee negotiated it down to $2,213,000.
The executive committee, on the recommendation of the Temple Committee,
authorized the signing of the contract with the builder, Shakti
Construction Ltd. What has been achieved today is only because of each one
of you. Over the last 10 years since the Sansthan's inception every one of
us has had only one common goal, that of having Baba's Mandir. The dream is
soon to be a reality," Gangisetty said.
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2012/9/11 16:53:52 ( 1047 reads )
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MALAYSIA, September 9, 2012 (Asia One): Malaysia has one million
vegetarians and the numbers are growing, steadily. Most Malaysians who
become vegetarians opt either for the lacto (who take dairy products), lacto-ovo
(dairy and eggs), vegan (no dairy products, eggs, onions or garlic), raw
food or even the fruitarian diet.
Malaysian Vegetarian Society president Dr. P. Vythilingam says many
Malaysians are also becoming vegetarian for religious and health reasons.
"By going green, Malaysians are realizing that they can stay healthy.
Vegetarians are also not worried whether they are getting a balanced diet
or enough proteins because studies have shown that we can get plant
proteins from soy and legumes."
Dr. Vythilingam, who is converting to veganism, says compared with 20 years
ago, vegetarian food is easily available in Malaysia but more could be done
to have eateries serving a good mix of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian
food. "The government also should promote vegetarianism because it is
good for the body to consume less meat and eat more greens and fruits.
Malaysia has three cabinet ministers who are vegetarians but the awareness
is still not up to par as many countries in this region."
Countries that are seeing a surge in vegetarianism include Taiwan,
Singapore, America and Indonesia. Asia's economic powerhouses India and
China, combined, have hundreds of millions of vegetarians.
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2012/9/11 16:53:46 ( 953 reads )
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GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, September 6, 2012 (Toronto Sun): Minority religious
communities in Pakistan are living in "fear and terror" of
Islamic fundamentalists amid abductions and forced conversions that the
government is helpless to stop, the World Council of Churches (WCC) said on
Wednesday. A statement from the WCC's ruling Central Committee declared
that Pakistan's small Hindu and Christian communities were increasingly
subject to "persecution and discrimination", with mounting
Islamization of a formerly more secular nation.
"Today a significant number of young women of religious minorities ...
face violence, including sexual assault, rape, threats and
persecution," said the WCC - an influential global organisation of all
Christian faiths except Roman Catholics. These women were "abducted,
confined, converted to Islam and forced to marry Muslim men," while
the authorities "seem to be powerless to stop the Islamist
fundamentalist forces that are responsible...and are freely
operating," the WCC said. The statement said minority faith leaders
had constantly tackled the Pakistani authorities over the situation but
they had been ignored. "This lack of protection of religious
minorities by the government of Pakistan is unacceptable."
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Posted on
2012/9/11 16:53:41 ( 815 reads )
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If it seems strange to you that the old Indian philosophers should have
known more about the soul than Greek or medieval or modern philosophers,
let us remember that however much the telescopes for observing the stars of
heaven have been improved, the observatories of the soul have remained much
the same.
-- Friedrich Maximilian Mueller (1823-1900), German philologist and
Orientalist
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Posted on
2012/9/10 16:52:34 ( 914 reads )
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DENPASAR, BALI, August 14, 2012 (The Bali Times): A major Indonesian
broadcaster has been forced to cancel one of its prime Ramadan TV shows
after angry protests from Balinese Hindus. The Indosiar historical drama
series Sembilan Wali was commissioned to run throughout the Muslim fasting
month, and features fictionalised adventures of the so-called "Wali
Songo," the "Nine Saints" said to have brought Islam to
Java. Indonesian broadcasters traditionally commission dramas and soap
operas with an Islamic theme as part of their Ramadan programming
schedules.
However, the serial earned the ire of many Balinese Hindus, who complained
about its allegedly negative and historically inaccurate portrayal of the
Hindu Majapahit Kingdom. Official protests were lodged with the Bali
Legislative Council by various organisations, including the Indonesian
Hindu Dharma Students Union, the Indonesian Institute of Hindu Dharma and
the Parisadha Hindu Dharma Indonesia, as well as by individual religious
leaders. Official complaints were also lodged by the Bali branch of the
Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI).
KPI head Komang Suarsana said that the series' portrayal of the Hindu
Majapahit forces as evil, and its scenes of violent clashes between Muslims
and Hindus, were both historically inaccurate and had the potential to
incite religious hatred. "The Bali branch of the KPI expressly
requests that the series be halted because of its harassment and defamation
of the Hindu religion and its symbols. This series is against the basic
teachings of Hinduism," Suarsana said. "In the story, Hindu
leaders are always synonymous with wickedness, and Islam is synonymous with
purity and so on." The station made an official apology to all Hindus
for any offence caused, and agreed to cease broadcasting the show as of
Wednesday.
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2012/9/10 16:52:28 ( 857 reads )
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BANGALORE, Sept 9, 2012 (Times of India): Come September 19 and eco
friendly icons of Lord Ganesha look good to find their way to homes of many
a devotee in Bangalore. Eco-friendly Ganeshas are 'in' this year, evident
by the advance bulk bookings. "People are now aware of being
environment-friendly, which the sale and booking figures clearly indicate.
We sourced more than double the number of icons than last year just to keep
up with demand," said Mala Dhawan, founder trustee of A Hundred Hands
who get their icons from North Karnataka, Shimoga and Maharashtra. They
have registered 100 icon bookings so far and are expecting the number to go
up manifold around the festival. "All you have to do is immerse the
icon in a bucket of water, which can then be used in the garden, it
nurtures plants and completing the cycle of nature," said Dhawan.
Lead-based paint used to make icons colorful and shiny is
environment-unfriendly as lead is a pollutant which is hazardous to health.
Plaster of paris, widely used to make Ganesha idols, contains sulphur,
gypsum, phosphorus and magnesium. While icons made of natural clay dissolve
within hours of immersion in water, these icons take several years to
disintegrate. This disturbs the water's ecosystem by reducing water levels
and also blocking water flow. The toxic paint used in making the icons form
a thin layer on the water surface, increasing the acidity level and
reducing oxygen supply to aquatic animals by about 50%. This often results
in the death of fish and others which depend on oxygen for survival.
"That's why shoals of dead fish are often seen floating on the surface
of water bodies soon after the festival," said Vinay Kumar C,
environmental researcher, National Referral Centre for Lead Projects in
India (NRCLPI), St John's National Academy of Health Sciences.
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2012/9/10 16:52:22 ( 842 reads )
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CALIFORNIA, U.S., September 8, 2012 (LA Times): California employers face
new restrictions against shunting Sikh and Muslim workers to backroom jobs
out of public view based on their wearing of turbans, beards and hijabs,
under a law signed Saturday by Gov. Jerry Brown.
"This bill, AB 1964, makes it very clear that wearing any type of
religious clothing or hairstyle, particularly such as Sikhs do, that that
is protected by law and nobody can discriminate against you because of
that," Brown told some 400 Sikhs and supporters at a rally of the
North American Punjabi Assn. on the steps of the Capitol.
Brown also signed SB 1540, which requires the state Board of Education to
consider a new history framework for schools that the governor said will
include "the role and contributions of the Sikh community in
California."
A series of court cases have muddied the water on what employers must do to
accommodate the religious practices of workers, and the new state law
clarifies the requirements, said Rajdeep Singh, director of law and policy
for the Sikh Coalition. The new law does not guarantee a positive outcome
for workers but requires employers to meet a higher standard of objectively
showing how religious accommodation would be a significant hardship, Singh
said.
The new law restricts employers from segregating an employee from customers
and the public as a means of accommodating the employee's religious
beliefs. It clarifies that employers must accommodate a worker's religious
practices unless it creates "significant difficulty or expense"
for the employer. It also specifies that religious dress and grooming
qualify as protected religious observances, according to Assemblywoman
Mariko Yamada (D-Davis), who wrote the bill.
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Posted on
2012/9/10 16:52:17 ( 767 reads )
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CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, August 24, 2012: Claremont Lincoln University (CLU)
and the Nalanda Confluence Institute (NCI) today signed an agreement to
have collaborative initiatives to strengthen and enhance the study of Hindu
Dharma in the United States and India through the implementation of
innovative programs in CLU. NCI is partnering with Dharma Civilization
Foundation (DCF), in order to bring a coherent and synergetic voice to
Hindu Studies. DCF supports NCI in its endeavor to establish Hindu Studies
and Applied Dharma Studies at CLU.
President of the DCF, Prof Shiva Bajpai, spoke on the subject of Dharma and
offered his views and definition on what it means and its practice:
"The truth of its value lies in the fact that every other great
civilization has disappeared while the dharma-based Indic civilization has
not only survived but flourished through five millennia. This collaboration
would enhance Hindu studies and drive it forward in new directions. DCF is
supportive of this new relationship as it is consistent with its own mission
of the unfoldment of dharma for the benefit of humanity."
Recent key initiations of the DCF include the Swami Vivekananda Visiting
Faculty in Hindu Studies at University of Southern California, the Dharma
Civilization Foundation Endowed Chair in Hindu Studies at the same school
and the Swami Vivekananda Fellowship in Dharma Studies at the University of
California Irvine.
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Posted on
2012/9/10 16:52:11 ( 717 reads )
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See yourself everywhere. You are the whole world.
-- Satguru Yogaswami (1872-1964), Sri Lankan mystic
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Posted on
2012/9/9 15:59:45 ( 949 reads )
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FIJI, September 6, 2012 (Radio Australia): Calls for Fiji to become an
officially Christian state have been rejected by one of the country's main
Hindu groups. It comes after the president of Fiji's Methodist Church
yesterday said the country was ceded to God by the chiefs and was therefore
a Christian nation.
Vijendra Prakash, general secretary of Sanatan Dharam, told Radio Australia
his members would prefer Fiji be a secular state where religion does not
mix with politics. "Because this country is multicultural religion and
a multilingual country, and we have been living so happily," he said.
"All the religious organisations are given respect and rights and no
one is given supremacy over another or try to undermine the others."
Mr. Prakash said all citizens had a right to worship, regardless of their
religion.
Fiji Methodist Church's new president, Tuikilakila Waqairatu, on Wednesday
said he supported the idea of of Fiji becoming a Christian state.
"Fiji was given to God," he said. "When we say that Fiji is
a Christian state ... we say it was decided by our chiefs who ceded Fiji to
Great Britain that Fiji be a Christian country. "When it was given to
God, it has already established its covenant relationship with God, and
that covenant relationship is eternal - it cannot be withdrawn."
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Posted on
2012/9/9 15:59:39 ( 846 reads )
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LEICESTER, U.K., September 7, 2012 (thisisleicestershire.co.uk): More than
2,000 people have signed a petition calling on council bosses not to axe a
grant for a major Hindu celebration. Leicester City Council has been
providing US$32,000 to help pay for an annual Navratri event at De Montfort
Hall, but is considering stopping the support from next year.
The organizers of the Navratri celebrations, the Leicester Hindu Festivals
Council, said the cut in funding, if approved, would mean it could not
afford to stage the nine-night celebration in 2013. The city council will
fund this year's event, but president of the festival council, Maganbhai
Patel, said it could not continue in the future without the grant.
He said: "This year, we are fine but next year, if we don't get the
funding, we won't be able to hold the event. That would be a huge shame because
it is enjoyed by about 9,000 people every year and is an important part of
the city's cultural and religious life.
The petition has triggered a debate among councillors which will take place
at the council meeting at the Town Hall on Thursday. The proposed cut is
part of a wider review of support the city council offers to festivals,
both that it runs itself - such as the Diwali celebrations - and those run
by community groups, such as the Caribbean Carnival.
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Posted on
2012/9/9 15:59:33 ( 937 reads )
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HPI
KAUAI, HAWAII, September 9, 2012 (HPI): The October/November/December 2012
issue of our flagship magazine is a special edition honoring Hindu temples
and those who build them. With all the other fascinating articles and
features you are used to.
Our Hindu of the Year
Since 1990 we have given our coveted Hindu Renaissance Award to the man or
woman spiritual leader who that year most impacted the faith globally. This
year, we took another tack. Our Hindu of the Year for 2012 is a remarkable
group, the clan of builders, architects and sculptors who have created
thousands of temples around the world. This group, known as the Shilpa
Parampara, are an unheralded force in the Hindu world. They build sacred
spaces and murthis from stone and wood, plaster and metal. Their skills
border on the phenomenal, and yet their names never appear on their
creations. Read the story of their craft in this issue. Their contribution
to the pride and presence of Hinduism around the world is perhaps
unprecedented and with this award we honor them and simultaneously honor
the ancient lineages that they represent which have preserved this
remarkable craft down through the ages.
Our Feature Article
The feature article is a fascinating tour of temples in North America, and
reveals how they are adjusting, adapting and evolving in ways that set them
apart from temples in India. Nowadays, temples are becoming community
centers and educational facilities. They are engaging in counseling
couples, arranging funeral rites, organizing blood drives, looking after
senior citizens and holding Sunday school for the kids. There are even
special initiatives to deal with crisis response, such as with hurricanes
or medical needs. Join us for a full-throated discussion of a sometimes
controversial subject.
Visiting a Hindu Temple
When first-time visitors enter a Hindu temple, they can go through cultural
shock. It's all so new to them, so foreign. Their many questions often
remain unanswered and they know little of the dos and don'ts of temple
protocol. To help, the Hinduism Today team in Hawaii got together to write
and design a simple manual for first-time visitors. We titled it
"Visiting a Hindu Temple, A Beginner's Guide." It's a 16-page
illustrated handbook in simple English that answers most of the Frequently
Asked Questions. It opens with a Quick Start guide for those who want only
the minimum, followed by a discussion of the several different kinds of
Hindu temples. There is a section about the the basics of puja and a
six-part overview of the Hindu deities. A two-page poster shows graphically
the many activities that can take place in a temple and it all ends with a
question and answer spread. It's everything a newbie needs to know, and
veterans will find it useful to share with associates or with the local
Rotary Club when it visits. This is definitely news you can use.
Predatory Proselytization?
IT professional Padma Kuppa writes about her disturbing encounter in India
with Christians trying to gain converts by questionable means. She defends
a Hindu's right to keep her religion as a fundamental human right, and
offers solid counsel on how to counter the never-ending unethical efforts
to turn Hindus away from their heritage and their faith. Padma takes a dark
and difficult subject and fills it with light.
Hindu Clergy in the US and Canada
When our editors visited Pittsburgh last April for a first-ever priests'
conference, we were impressed with the ways Hindu pandits and pujaris are
changing and expanding their duties in North America. One held up his iPad
and proudly proclaimed he had on it all of the Vedic chants, all of the
puja instructions he used to carry in multiple books. We flew back to our
little island to report on their challenges and opportunities, including
the disconnect that can happen between the priests' idea of what they do and
the management's expectations.
A Remarkable Conversation
When Albert Einstein and Rabindranath Tagore met in Germany in 1930, the
two discussed philosophy and science in what has been called "one of
the most stimulating, intellectually riveting conversations in
history." Tagore wrote it all down, and we share it, word for word,
with our readers on page 53.
Is Man a Sinner or Divinity?
Our publisher, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, asks that question and
proceeds to give the Hindu answer, discussing the soul of man which is
taintless and eternal, and comparing it to the Abrahamic view of original
sin. Along the way we learn that we possess a body, an intellect and a
superconscious intuition that we can tap into. The Hindu view that man is a
divine being has seldom been better expressed. A chart on the chakras helps
round out his insights.
And There Is More
Other major articles include the reopening of a major pilgrimage center in
Sri Lanka, a 23-year-old youth's return to his Hindu roots on the island of
St. Lucia, a look at one of India's greatest artists, a Kerala muralist who
will astound you with his skill. There is a piece on the Gundecha brothers
who follow a musical tradition that is deeply rooted in yoga, a disciplined
form that is all about God and devotion.
As usual, our Global Dharma digest tells you what's happening around the
world in the Hindu family, Quotes & Quips offers a humor-rich respite
from the mean-old-world and Digital Dharma gives you the scoop on how
technology is being used to support Hinduism. With stunning photos and
in-depth articles, you don't want to miss this issue!
The latest issue of Hinduism Today for October/November/December 2012 may
be ordered online at www.minimela.com in single copies and in
multiple copies at discounted prices.
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Posted on
2012/9/9 15:59:27 ( 815 reads )
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It is always good to endure injuries done to you, but to forget them is
even better.
-- Tirukkural
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Posted on
2012/9/6 18:17:10 ( 1127 reads )
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INDIA, September 5, 2012 (theprovince.com): HPI Note: Our readers have
expressed interest in the proposed McDonalds at two sacred spots in India,
so we are running a few more news items on the subject.
McDonald's, home of the Big Mac, is facing Hindu protests over plans to
open restaurants in two of India's most revered religious centers and
pilgrimage sites, despite promising that it will offer only vegetarian
menus.
Katra in Jammu and Kashmir is home to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, one of
Hinduism's four holiest shrines, and an unlikely site for a restaurant
chain that slaughters millions of cows every year. McDonald's also is
planning a second vegetarian restaurant in Amritsar, home of the Golden
Temple, the centre of the Sikh religion in Punjab. Although Sikhs are not
forbidden from eating meat, their temples serve only free vegetarian food
in their kitchens to pilgrims and visitors.
The openings mark the chain's latest attempt to win over people who have a
passionate love of their own distinct spicy cuisine. Beef has not been on
the menu since McDonald's opened its first Indian store in Delhi in 1996,
although it has kept its carnivore focus, serving chicken nuggets, sausage
muffins and fish burgers, its local stores have become largely
unrecognizable from their Western outlets.
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Posted on
2012/9/6 18:15:58 ( 1189 reads )
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USA, September 5, 2012 (Forbes): McDonald's plans to open vegetarian
outlets in two holy cities in India. Why is the company that perfected
burger flipping delving into the likes of McVeggie, McAloo Tikki and
McSpicy Paneer, after more than 16 years in India? Here's one possibility
-- global comparable sales were flat in July. The U.S. was down 0.1%, Europe
was down 0.6%, and Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa were down 1.5%.
In the release announcing July's disappointing figures, chief Don Thompson
said he had three global priorities: optimize the menu, modernize the
experience, and broaden accessibility to the brand. McDonald's has just 271
stores in India, according to the Financial Times. That leaves plenty of
room to grow.
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2012/9/18 17:20:20 ( 1042 reads )
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Press Release
AUSTRALIA, September 2012 (Press Release): Starting from the Sri Murugan
Temple in Westmead on Saturday September 29, a group of 108 will walk in
the age-old tradition of Hindu Yatra (pilgrimage) visiting 5 temples along
the way to finish at SVT Helensburgh on Sunday September 30, covering 43.5
miles over 2 days.
Pilgrimage on foot, Pada Yatra, to holy places is a special Hindu tradition
that brings about physical stamina and spiritual upliftment. Our
forefathers and sages have walked the length and breadth of India. Pada
Yatra 2012 is organized by a group of young men who have done this walk to
Helensburgh for several years. The event is well organized with approvals
from NSW Premier's Department, Police, RTA/RMS and various councils and
temples along the way. This is strictly a devotional, non-profit, endeavor
by Hindu youth of Sydney.
The Yatra starts at 6am at the Sri Murugan Temple and proceeds to BAPS
Swaminarayan Temple (RoseHill), Sri Mandir (Auburn), Karpaga Vinayakar
Temple (Flemington), Shirdi Sai Mandir (South Strathfield), then to
Helensburgh with an overnight stay at Sutherland.
Supported by all the Hindu temples of Sydney, this Yatra is held under the
auspices of the Hindu Council of Australia (HCA) and plans to be a regular
annual event. The Yatra is limited to the first 108 responders. To register
email: walk2temple@gmail.com with your name, phone and
walking experience.
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Posted on
2012/9/18 17:20:14 ( 800 reads )
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MAUI, HAWAII, September 17, 2012 (HPI): Patri McLaughlin of Maui
unexpectedly won the KSP World Tour Kitesurf competition in Mauritius,
which has a large Hindu population. According to his family
("source" above), "Prior to the finals, Patri was walking on
the beach there when a small Deity of Lord Hanuman washed up right in front
of him. Hanuman is considered the son of the Wind God, Vayu [auspicious for
a kite surfer--a variation on wave surfing where the surfer is propelled by
a large kite on a long rope tied to his waist]. It was a sweet blessing.
Patri is known for his sportsmanship. We have seen him in competition help
rescue an opponent's kite."
Born in 1989, Patri lived on Oahu from age 1 to 4 then moved to Maui where
he has resided ever since. Patri is a lifelong vegetarian and both of his
parents are Hare Krishna devotees. You can see him surf here and here.
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Posted on
2012/9/18 17:20:07 ( 782 reads )
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You are a being that has unlimited power within.
-- Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001), founder of Hinduism
Today
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Posted on
2012/9/17 17:06:07 ( 944 reads )
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THAILAND, September 14, 2012 (pattayamail.com): Hindu and Buddhists are
again celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi in Pattaya, using a 15-day festival at
Lan Po Public Park to immerse statues representing the "God of
success" in the sea to fete the son of supreme Deity Shiva. The Sept.
8-23 event organized by the city and the Pattaya Ganesh Lovers Club kicked
off with a parade through Pattaya on September 8, to display Ganesh's image
so followers could pray for their own success and obstacles to be removed.
A second parade will be held Sept 19 beginning at 4:19 p.m. at Lan Po
Public Park in Naklua. The parade will go around Pattaya, ending at Wat
Chonglom in Naklua. Religious ceremonies at Wat Chonglom will begin at 7.39
p.m. and will include Lord Graha prayers, 108 incantations, 21 kinds of
leaves prayers, Khrob Sian Khru and much more.
Following religious ceremonies, Lord Ganesh's statue will be released into
the sea behind Wat Chonglom in Naklua. This ritual immersion of Ganesha
images into the sea symbolizes a ritual see-off of the Lord in His journey
towards His abode in Kailash while taking away with hHim the misfortunes of
His devotees.
The festival -- the third year it has been held in Thailand -- will be the
country's largest celebration of its kind. Based on past years, the event
should be well attended, as Ganesh is among the most-transcendent of Hindu
gods, worshipped throughout western and southeast Asia. In Thailand,
Buddhists recognize him as the "God of success," appearing in
Mahayana Buddhism texts in the form of the Buddhist God Vinayaka.
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Posted on
2012/9/17 17:06:01 ( 721 reads )
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SUGAR LAND, TEXAS, September 13, 2012 (Indo-American News): As the South
Asian population has grown rapidly in the United States over the past three
decades, so has the proportion of its representation in the military and
para-military forces, a branch of the government in which they were
virtually non-existent in before the 1980s. Although exact numbers are hard
to find, these days it is not unusual to come across a South Asian enlisted
in the military, as cadets at West Point or as frontline soldiers in
conflict areas like Afghanistan and Iraq. When Capt. Rajiv Srinivasan, 26,
strode up to the podium at the meeting room of Madras Pavilion in Sugar
Land this past Friday, September 7, it was not unusual to meet another
South Asian military man; but what was unexpected was the fervor with which
he spoke about his Hindu faith and the turning points in his tour of duty
in Afghanistan that he contributed to his firm belief in Hinduism.
Srinivasan was in town to showcase the annual Houston area fundraiser for
the Hindu American Foundation, a Hindu advocacy and lobbying group based in
Washington, DC. In 2011, Srinivasan won the first essay contest sponsored
by the HAF about what it meant to be Hindu, and ever since, he has gone to
many cities across the US to help the HAF with their fundraising
activities. "HAF helps people like me who never embraced their faith
as a young person," said Srinivasan. "HAF gives us the tools to
find our Hindu faith again." HAF was able to raise over $65,000 during
the event.
Srinivasan, who is from Roanoke, Virginia, found the military life
ethically challenging to his beliefs, which he had suppressed. He found
that he could not really answer questions about his religion. So he turned
to the Bhagvad Gita and the sermon that Krishna gives Arjun on the
battlefield resonated with him. Krishna's admonishment to stand up and
fight for what is right gave Srinivasan a realization. "All of a
sudden, my views about the pacifist nature of Hinduism went out of the
window," he told the audience of about 150 people, "and I
understood that you have to fight for what you believe in."
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Posted on
2012/9/17 17:05:55 ( 772 reads )
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EUGENE, OREGON, September 12, 2012 (Press Release): A large interfaith
congregation at the First Christian Church in downtown Eugene observed the
11th Anniversary of September 11 with a somber and yet upbeat program of
multicultural music, prayers and reflections. The program was sponsored by
the Interfaith Prayer Services International, IPSI, a nonprofit
organization based in Eugene. The theme was "Unity in Diversity:
Interfaith Understanding."
Among the presenters were many religious and spiritual leaders from all
major faith traditions. Eugene City Mayor Kitty Piercy focused her talk on
"Challenges of a Human Rights City" which Eugene is. Among the
presenters were Rev. Dan Bryant of the First Christian Church where the interfaith
prayer program is held each month, Rabbi Yitzhak Husbands-Hankin, Ibrahim
Hamide of the Islamic faith, Tenzin Norris, a practitioner of Tibetan
Buddhism, and African American storyteller, Paulette Ansari. Hinduism was
represented by Swamini Svatmavidyananda of the Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam, who
offered "A Prayer for Universal Harmony from the Rg Veda."
Other faith traditions represented in the 110 minute program included Sikh
Dharma, Sufism, Baha'i and Native American. The coordinator for the evening
program was Arun Narayan Toke, one of the founding board members of the
IPSI. Arun, a native of India, is the founder and publisher of Skipping
Stones, a multicultural literary magazine based in Eugene since 1988.
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Posted on
2012/9/17 17:05:49 ( 749 reads )
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Love gives and gives and gives and seeks no return. Therefore, love has
nothing to lose--and consequently, nothing to fear.
-- Dada J.P. Vaswani, spiritual head of Sadhu Vaswani Mission
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Posted on
2012/9/14 17:05:43 ( 865 reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, September 11, 2012 (India Today): With just a week to go
for Ganesh Chaturthi, heavy rains have put a spanner in the works of
Ganpati mandals in several parts of Mahrashtra, where the festival is
celebrated with great enthusiasm. In Mumbai, heavy downpour has put a
wrench in the works of Ganpati mandals, who are approaching the BMC, MMRDA
and MbPT (Mumbai Port Trust) to address their grievances at the eleventh
hour. With just a week to go before Ganeshotsav, people are expecting only
divine grace for any improvement in the situation.
On the other hand, in Belgaum markets are flooded with Ganesha statues and
other decorative items used for the festival. Artisans are not only busy
giving final touches to their statues but are also busy taking taking
orders. Around 400 mandals install statues in the city while thousands of
families install Ganesha in their homes from 5 to 11 days. It is also the
time when traders, fire cracker shops, hotels and priests do a brisk
business. Hundreds of thousands are expected from neighboring Maharashtra
and Goa for the festival.
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Posted on
2012/9/14 17:05:37 ( 834 reads )
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CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, September 14, 2012 (Press Release): Claremont
Lincoln University and the Indic Foundation are pleased to announce a new
collaboration. On Sept. 18, 2012, at 2:30 p.m., officials and guests from
each institution will meet in the Haddon Conference Center at Claremont
Lincoln University to sign an agreement to establish an accredited graduate
program in Hindu Dharma studies at Claremont. The signing ceremony is the
culmination of long-term discussions between the Indic Foundation
leadership and Claremont Lincoln University. The Indic Foundation joins the
Nalanda Confluence Institute (NCI), which signed an agreement with
Claremont Lincoln on August 24, 2012, and other funders to establish the
new School of Hindu Studies. Future plans call for offering the following
degrees and concentrations: MA in Hindu Studies; MA in Hindu Clinical
Pastoral Chaplaincy; MA in Hindu Theology/Philosophy; along with
concentrations in Hindu Contemplative, Yogic, and Consciousness studies,
Applied dharma etc.
Established in 2011, Claremont Lincoln University is an inter-religious
graduate school offering accredited degree programs, advanced certificates
and custom-designed curricula for leadership that spans multicultural,
multi religious, spiritual and secular value systems. The University also
serves as the hub of a history-making consortium of professional schools
that educate religious leaders in their respective traditions while sharing
a common inter religious curriculum.
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Posted on
2012/9/14 17:05:31 ( 811 reads )
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SPAIN, July 12,2012 (ABC): The Regional Directorate of the National
Institute for Public Health (INGESA), the organization that manages
healthcare in Ceuta and Melilla, today introduced the first healthcare
professional manual for Hindu patients to be published in Spain. The
regional director of INGESA of Ceuta, Fernando Perez-Padilla, presented
this manual, authored by Juan Carlos Ramchandani, with the the cooperation
of Dr. Julian Dominguez and Carmen Maria Criado, both members of INGESA
(and based on a patient manual from Australia).
The writing of the "Healthcare Professional's Manual for Treatment of
Hindu Patients" began in 2010, when Ramchandani began collecting
information "in order to advise healthcare professionals on the
special needs of Indian patients (those who practice Hinduism)," said
the author during the presentation.
The manual has three sections: guidelines for health services, Hindu
beliefs affecting health care and additional resources. It gives practical
advice and answers to commonly asked questions. Download the manual here.
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Posted on
2012/9/14 17:05:25 ( 752 reads )
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"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
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Posted on
2012/9/13 12:06:37 ( 1115 reads )
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BALI, INDONESIA, September 8, 2012 (Jakarta Post): Streets are expected to
be empty and offices closed on Saturday as millions of Balinese Hindus
flock to the temples to pray and celebrate Kuningan. The festival marks the
end of ceremonies to celebrate the victory of dharma (virtue) over adharma
(vice) that began with the observation of Galungan on Aug. 29. The
religious festivals fall every 210 days according to the Balinese calendar.
Balinese Hindus will go to family temples and major temples starting at
sunrise. Dressed in traditional clothing, they will bring offerings,
including canang, the simplest of Balinese Hindu offerings, made of fresh
flowers and leaves placed on a square of coconut leaves; or gebogan, a
towering arrangement of fruits and traditional cakes.
One special offering for Kuningan is yellow rice. The name of the festival
is thought to take its name from the color of the rice. "The color
yellow [kuning] is a symbol of prosperity, as well as the rice itself. By
serving yellow rice on Kuningan, it symbolizes our gratitude to the Gods
for the prosperity they have bestowed on us," Hindu scholar I Ketut
Wiana told Bali Daily on Friday.
Kuningan is also associated with tamiang and endong, two kinds of
intricately carved young coconut leaves that are hung on shrines across the
island. The shield-shaped tamiang symbolizes security and protection, while
the endong symbolizes prosperity. "The victory of dharma lends us a
sense of security and prosperity. If we don't feel that way then there is a
possibility that we haven't actually won the battle," he added.
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Posted on
2012/9/13 12:06:31 ( 767 reads )
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ISLAMABAD, September 11, 2012 (Daily Times, Pakistan): Scores of Pakistani
Hindu pilgrims currently in India's Rajasthan have said they do not intend to
return to their country, a media report said on Monday. A group of 171
Pakistani Hindus travelled to Jodhpur on the Thar Express train yesterday.
Though the Hindus are on a pilgrimage, their leader said they would not go
back to Pakistan, according to BBC Urdu.
The Samenath Lok Sangathan (SLS), an organisation working for the welfare
of Hindus, has appealed to the Indian government to accord refugee status
to the pilgrims. The Pakistanis were welcomed at Jodhpur railway station by
SLS workers who made arrangements for their stay and food. A spokesman for
SLS said all 171 Pakistani Hindus were residents of Sanghar and Hyderabad
cities of Sindh province. They belong to the Bheel tribe.
Reports say Hindus, particularly those in Sindh, are victims of persecution,
including forced conversion to Islam, extortion demands and kidnapping for
ransom. Reports in the Pakistani media have said a sizable number of Hindus
are planning to seek asylum in India. On August 10, President Asif Zardari
formed a parliamentary committee to investigate the persecution of Hindus.
The committee comprising parliamentarians visited different cities of Sindh
and met Hindus.
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Posted on
2012/9/13 12:06:26 ( 1384 reads )
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It's a well-documented fact that people adopt aspects of other cultures
around them. The churches in Andhra Pradesh are following this custom and
Indianizing some practices. At St. Andrew's Orthodox Church, West
Marredpally, a Dwaja Stambam (symbolic flagstaff that is part of most Hindu
temples) has been erected. A common phenomenon in temples, and seen in the
Kerala churches, it is the first of its kind in the state.
With a cross on top, bells and imprints of the saints, the bronze Dwaja
Sthambam stands tall, highlighting how Indian Christians are adopting the
religious customs of their Hindu brethren. During parish feasts the
faithful light the multi-storied traditional lamp in front of it. Fr. Koshy
Thomas, the vicar at St Andrews, says, "The Dwaja Stambam flag pole is
seen in Kerala churches but in Andhra Pradesh we are the first ones to have
adapted this Indian tradition. For us, this is a flag-hoisting pillar, with
a cross on top and imprints of the martyrs of the Church. A flag will be
hoisted during festivals. This is one of our efforts to proclaim the Gospel
of the Lord."
Already, meditation rooms, small kiosks resembling Hindu shrines and lamps
are a part of churches. Fr. Anthony Raj, executive secretary of the AP
Federation of Churches, which has conducted several inter-religious
dialogues, says, "It is easy to relate Lord Jesus to local customs and
traditions and the adaptation of these, by the Church, has been taking
place from centuries." Catholic historians say that there are striking
similarities between the systems followed at shrines, in marriages and in
pujas. Mr. Gurram Pratap Reddy, a Catholic historian and writer, says,
"Adopting Hindu customs, though not new, has taken a new shape with
latest trends like the Dwaja Sthambam. In fact, French priests wore saffron
dress, three hundred years ago and they are called Swamis. Even today, in
villages, Fathers are called Swamuluvaru. In marriages too, several Hindu
traditions are followed, like wearing a mangalsutra and tying the knot
thrice. In a relatively recent trend, deekshas, similar to Ayyappa and
Bhavani deeksha, are being taken up like the lent season." He adds,
"At Christian shrines, devotees break coconuts, and tonsuring has
become common."
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Posted on
2012/9/25 12:58:09 ( 685 reads )
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CHENNAI, INDIA, September 19, 2012 (ndtv.com): Vinayaka Chaturthi, the
birthday of the Hindu God Ganesha, was celebrated with religious fervour in
Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. Special pujas were performed at various temples
across the state. In some temples Ganapathy Homam, a ritual seeking peace
and prosperity, was performed early in the morning. People offered prayers
to the God of knowledge and remover of obstacles and offered Him
kozhukattai, a sweet south Indian dish.
Famous temples across Tamil Nadu, including Uchipillayar Temple in
Tiruchirapalli and Vinayakar temple in Pillaiyarpatti in Madurai district,
wore a festive look. At Uchi Pillayar temple, a giant 55 lb. kozhukattai
was offered to the main Deity. In some parts of the state, the main Deity
was taken out in a procession through the streets.
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Posted on
2012/9/25 12:58:03 ( 784 reads )
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PAKISTAN, September 16, 2012 (business-standard.com): A Pakistani court has
stayed the demolition of a 200-year-old Hindu temple in the old area of the
city. A division bench of the Sindh High Court, headed by Chief Justice
Mushir Alam, issued a stay order on a petition filed by Kailash Wishram,
stopping the demolition of the Shri Laxmi Narayan Mandir near the
historical Netty Jetty bridge until the next date of hearing after 10 days.
The Karachi Port Trust and other respondents had sought to demolish the
temple in a bid to increase the area of a popular food street built under
the bridge.
The division bench also appointed a Nazir of the court for inspection of
the temple and directed him to submit his report after ascertaining the
factual position of demolition and construction activity at the site within
seven days. The directions came on a constitutional petition filed by Wishram,
a resident of the residential quarters on the temple premises. He said that
the Mandir was constructed much before the partition of the subcontinent
and for a long time Hindus performed their religious rituals at the temple
where access to sea water was one of the essential things to worship.
According to the Pakistan Hindu Council, the temple was constructed about
200 years ago and the festival of Raksha Bandhan, Ganesh Chaturthi and
every new moon night is celebrated there. It is a sacred place for performing
death rituals, funerals and other religious rituals also.
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Posted on
2012/9/25 12:57:57 ( 869 reads )
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INDIA, September 2012 (Tejomayanda): A recent survey conducted by Education
World (a reputed national magazine that provides education news and
coverage from all parts of the country), places Chinmaya International
Residential School (CIRS) at Coimbatore as No. 1 amongst all boarding
schools in the state of Tamil Nadu, and No. 9 amongst all boarding schools
across India. This is a heartwarming and most wonderful achievement. It is
a significant accomplishment as last year CIRS ranked No. 18 amongst boarding
schools across India and No. 5 in Tamil Nadu.
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Posted on
2012/9/25 12:57:51 ( 742 reads )
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Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does
not laugh, and the greatness which does not bow before children.
-- Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931), mystic, poet and artist
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Posted on
2012/9/20 17:50:00 ( 799 reads )
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MUMBAI, INDIA, September, 2012, (Gulf Times): Mumbai welcomed its favorite
elephant-headed Lord Ganesh as the 11-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival began yesterday
amid tight security. The police were on watch to safeguard the installation
of gigantic, medium and small statues of Lord Ganesh in different public
venues, housing complexes and individual homes. Security has been tightened
with the deployment of 19,000 police across Mumbai to prevent any untoward
incident, officials said.
The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm in the city and the entire
coastal Konkan since last week as over 300,000 big and small statues
started arriving in the city from artists' studios in different parts of
Mumbai and Raigad. At some places the statues have been installed with
thematic presentations replicating the likes of famous Dilwara temple of
Rajasthan, Nepal's Pashupatinath temple or Bikaner's Laxmi Vilas Palace.
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Posted on
2012/9/20 17:43:19 ( 876 reads )
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MUMBAI, INDIA, September 18, 2012 (boldsky.com): Ganesh Chaturthi is one of
the most popular festivals in Maharashtra. This is celebrated with great
pomp and grandeur all over the state and especially in the capital, that
is, Mumbai. People celebrate this ten days period with great splendor. Here
are a few of the most popular Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Mumbai:
Lalbaugcha Raja has seen some of the most famous Ganesha statues of all
times. This place in Chinchpokhli, Mumbai is filled with a huge number of
devotees from all round the country. People come with a belief that this
great God will fulfill all their wishes.
Mumbaicha Raja is also among one of the most popular Ganesh Chaturthi
celebrations in Mumbai. There are two reasons for its popularity. One is
that it one of the oldest places in Mumbai for Ganesh Chaturthi
celebrations. And the other one being that every year it replicates one
popular destination of India for the decorations.
The Gsb Seva Mandal's Ganpati is one of the richest Ganesha statues in
Mumbai. It is said that this statue is adorned with more than a 110 pounds
of gold jewellery. And to add to it there are also cultural functions organized
here during the festive occasion.
The Andhericha Raja Ganesha mandap in Mumbai is near the Andheri station
and the statue here is immensely popular. People come here for a visit
during Ganesh Chaturthi as the statue is said to be replete with powers.
What makes this place attractive is its unique theme decoration every year.
Last but not the least is the Khetwadi Ghanraj. This place has seen some of
the highest statues of the time, some as tall as 40 feet high. You also
find it decked with a lot of diamonds and gold.
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Posted on
2012/9/20 17:43:13 ( 1039 reads )
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ITALY, September 18, 2012 (ilsecoloxix.it, translated loosely from the
Italian): The road to the Gitananda ashram temple in the wooded hills above
Altare was lined with parked cars and buses for miles. More than 1,500
Hindus from all across Italy came to celebrate the festival of Ganesh
Chaturthi this year. Italians who have embraced Hinduism were among the
crowd, but most were of South Asian descent. Many came to pray for an
improvement in the dismal economic situation in Italy. Jograj, 29, recently
laid off from the farm where he milked cows, came to pray for "finding
a job, so I can continue to support my wife, Kunjal, and my two children
who were born in Italy, speak Italian and want to stay here." Hundreds
of people also participated in the special Yagna fire ceremony and
inter-religious gathering held on the beautiful ashram grounds. Ten
religious leaders from India and Sri Lanka and the local parish priest,
Paolo Cirio, attended as well as the youthful mayor of Altare, Davide
Berruti, and the commander of the local police force. The recently
completed meditation bell, largest in Italy, was also inaugurated at the
event. An ancient Hindu prayer that gives strength to the spirit is
engraved on the bell. "That (strength) is what we should try to
nurture these days, to have confidence in the future, knowing that God
Ganesh is the remover of obstacles, like those of material and spiritual
uncertainty" said the monks during the ceremony.
[See slide show at "source" above]
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Posted on
2012/9/20 17:43:07 ( 821 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
2012/9/19 18:04:55 ( 803 reads )
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PANAJI, INDIA, September 18, 2012 (India Times): Ganesh Chaturthi demands
an expansive spread of vegetarian delicacies and it is no surprise that
prices have shot up in the run-up to the festival. The hiked prices have
made grocery shopping an expensive affair not only for those celebrating
the festival, but for other households too. On the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi,
the Panaji market was abuzz with activity. The demand for a wide variety of
vegetables during the festival has seen the market overflowing with regular
as well as some exotic types of veggies. Pumpkins, cucumber, ladyfinger and
beetroot seem to be the hottest selling items for most vegetable vendors.
Cucumber, which was priced at 20 per kilo a few days ago, is now being sold
for as much as 30-40. The same goes for beetroot. Ridged gourd, ladyfinger,
pumpkin, elephant foot yam (suran) and french bean prices have also
increased sizably. Though prices may vary between markets, they are still
higher than usual. Sellers say that the price rise is inevitable and that
there will be a further increase in vegetable and fruit prices during the
start of the festival. "What can we do? Ganesh Chaturthi is one of our
main festivals. But we don't spend so much every day, so once in a while it
is okay," said Parab Chodankar, a man who had come along with his
family to buy fruits and vegetables. Along with the vegetables, prices of
flowers have also shot up.
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Posted on
2012/9/19 18:04:50 ( 949 reads )
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KAUAI, HAWAII, September 18, 2012 (HPI): You can join the HPI and Hinduism
Today staff at the monastery's celebration of Ganesha Chaturthi in the
12-minute highlights video at "source" above.
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Posted on
2012/9/19 18:04:44 ( 775 reads )
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INDIA, September 17, 2012 (rediff.com): Former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
chief K.S. Sudarshan, who passed away on Saturday, broke the barriers of
past burdens, dogmas and ritualism and often faced severe criticism from
various quarters. But once he took a stand, no one could make him go back
on it, says Tarun Vijay, a Bharatiya Janata Party member of the Rajya
Sabhain, in tribute.
Sudarshanji was like a family member. Sharing the good times and bad,
standing with us like a father figure and trying to help. For him
scholarship, organizational burden and national policies came after human
relations. An emotional person, he would often engage visitors in long
chats, and it was a great experience to listen to his words of wisdom on
science, spiritualism, metaphysics, environmental issues and almost
anything under the sun.
Even when he was the global chief of the world's largest Hindu
organisation, he remained the most accessible person on earth with whom we
could discuss, criticize, vehemently oppose organizational decisions, even
express disagreement on what he said or wrote, and yet be without the fear
of any 'disciplinary action'.
An ardent devotee of Sri Aurobindo, he would declare with a great
confidence -- a new India will rise, and soon. Happier, mightier and
wealthier. Hindus are born with the divine gift of science and mathematics;
no one can beat them in scientific pursuits. It's in our genes.
The article continues at "source" above.
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Posted on
2012/9/19 18:04:38 ( 883 reads )
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HESPERIA, CALIFORNIA, September 18, 2012 (CBSLA.com): A University of
California Riverside study found that commercially cooked hamburgers cause
more air pollution than diesel trucks. The study, which focused on
commercial charbroilers found in burger restaurants, said the equipment
generates grease, smoke, water vapors and combustion products, which emit a
large amount of particulate matter into the air. "For comparison, an
18-wheeler diesel engine truck would have to drive 143 miles on the freeway
to put out the same mass of particulates as a single charbroiled hamburger
patty," said Bill Welch, the principle engineer. Researchers also
found few regulations for the restaurant emissions. The UCR study is
co-funded by the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the San
Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
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Posted on
2012/9/19 18:04:32 ( 846 reads )
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In a day when you don't come across any problems, you can be sure that you
are traveling in the wrong path.
-- Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), disciple of Sri Ramakrisha
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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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