News from Hindu Press International
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Posted on
2013/4/4 17:57:43 ( 814 reads )
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LONDON, ENGLAND, April 1, 2013 (North London Today): Plans to build a new
Hindu temple with in Edmonton have sparked concerns among residents living
near the site. Managers of the Nagapooshani Ambaal, a Hindu temple, in
Church Lane, Edmonton, have applied for planning permission to Enfield
Council to demolish the existing building and build a new place of worship
and community hall.
The plans, which the temple representatives say will provide their
community with a modern, soundproof building, also include the erection of
the 16-metre tower, a number of new homes, a meeting area, a shop and a
computer room. The application to demolish the temple, which was converted
from a warehouse ten years ago, was submitted to the council in September.
But a group of people living nearby say the plans would be out of character
with other buildings in the area and would lead to traffic congestion.
"The situation with the temple has been going on for about eight
years. We have a huge problem with parking in the area as a result of
people visiting. "Whatever the outcome of the planning application, we
all live in the same community. There is no animosity between us and this
has nothing to do with religion or creed. It's not a personal attack."
About 130 people have signed a petition opposing the plans. On the other
hand, temple secretary Arumugam Murugesu said that a modern building was
needed and the new facilities would be of benefit to the wider community.
He told the Advertiser: "We are not expanding the temple, we simply
want to modernise our facilities and soundproof them. This is what the
proposals are for."
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Posted on
2013/4/4 17:57:37 ( 889 reads )
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MASSACHUCETTS, USA, April 4, 2013 (archinect.com, by Rahul Mehrotra): HPI
Note: This is a report given April 1 at Harvard's South Asia Institute
entitled "Kumbha Mela, Mapping the Ephemeral City." The project
specifically did not include any religious aspects of the Mela.
The introduction reads:
The research analyzes this ephemeral city from different perspectives.
Being the biggest public gathering in the world , the Kumbh Mela deploys a
pop-up city comprising of roads, pontoon bridges, tents of different sizes
and an array of social infrastructure like clinics, hospitals, and social
centers - all replicating the functioning of an actual city. The
disposition of the city seamlessly articulates various layers of
infrastructure and urban flows, serving apron 3 million people who gather
for fifty five days and an additional 10 to 20 million people who come for
cycles of twenty four hours on the main bathing dates. From the Kumbh we
can learn about planning and design, reflect on flow management and
infrastructural deployment but also about cultural identity and adjustment
or elasticity in an urban condition of flux.
Click source above for this fascinating overview of an important study.
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Posted on
2013/4/4 17:57:31 ( 695 reads )
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I do not want to foresee the future. I am concerned with taking care of the
present. God has given me no control over the moment following.
-- Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
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Posted on
2013/3/31 18:22:35 ( 802 reads )
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JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, March 30, 2013 (The Jersey Journal): Thousands of
people descended on Lincoln Park in Jersey City this afternoon for the 21st
Annual Phagwah Parade and Holi Hai Day festivities, a colorful Hindu spring
harvest tradition that is celebrated by revelers who playfully shower each
other with various colors of powder.
"The biggest significance of this is that everybody becomes a myriad
of colors," said Dayanand Mangru, an executive with the United Hindu
Association, adding that on such a holy day there are no racial
distinctions. "There is no brown, black, or white."
The parade began around 11:30 a.m. at Audubon Park at the intersection of
Kennedy Boulevard and Stegman Parkway as ten decorated floats blaring
traditional Indian dance music made their way down Kennedy Boulevard to the
fountain in Lincoln Park where the festivities continued into the
afternoon.
"The focus is to bring all together in unity," said Gireeraj
Beggs, president of The United Hindu Federation of New Jersey which led the
organizing efforts for the parade. "As Hindus we believe in the unity
of all people."
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Posted on
2013/3/31 18:22:21 ( 1082 reads )
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK, March 26, 2013 (New York Times, by Shivani Vora): How
do you teach your children about religion, particularly your own? Are the
parents responsible for this vital task, or should they call in some
outside help? It's a question I faced when I became a parent almost five years
ago. I am a Hindu who was born in New Delhi and lived in India until I was
8, before immigrating to the United States with my parents and younger
sister. Throughout my childhood, Hinduism wasn't something I formally
learned; it was a natural part of my everyday life.
My parents did pujas (prayers) with my sister, Aditi, and me every evening
in front of the makeshift mandir (temple) on top of their bureau in their
bedroom. We celebrated all the major holidays, including Diwali and Holi,
with parties and more elaborate pujas. Aditi and I spent Saturday mornings
in India watching episodes of the Mahabharata and Ramayana on TV and
listened intently to bedtime stories from our mother based on Indian
mythology.
Following this tradition became more challenging as I grew into adulthood
and got married. My husband, Mahir, who is from Mumbai, and I live in New
York City, where we have never been starved for an Indian community. But,
perhaps like many Indians who came to the United States as children, our
careers and mainstream life took precedence over our religion as we grew
up.
This slipping away of an integral part of my roots didn't bother me at all
until I gave birth to my daughter, Meenakshi. Sometime in her first year of
life, I started feeling urgently that she should learn all about her
religion. Mahir and I started doing a short puja with her before she went
to bed, but we felt inadequately equipped to be her sole source of learning
and wanted something more.
When it comes to kids' classes in New York City, there are almost too many
options, whether it's gym, music or art. That's not the case with those on
the Hindu religion - I could only find three for kids. We picked Bal Vihar,
one of the most popular offerings in the area. Part of the Chinmaya Mission,
a religious group founded in 1953 in Mumbai by Swami Chinmayananda, the
school is focused on teaching the age-old philosophy of Advaita Vedanta.
The school came to the United States in the early 1970s, according to
Runjhun Saklani, the secretary of the New York mission, when a handful of
parents said they wanted an organized way to teach their children Hinduism.
Bal Vihar started in 2002 in the New York City area in a small way: four or
five children met in apartments, where volunteer teachers taught them
devotional songs and prayers and the names and meanings of the gods and
goddesses. By the time we enrolled Meenakshi in Bal Vihar classes in 2011,
there were classes around the country, and Ms. Saklani estimates that more
than 5,000 children attend Bal Vihar in the United States today.
More at source.
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Posted on
2013/3/31 18:22:15 ( 859 reads )
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BA, FIJI, March 28, 2013 (Press Release): Preparations for the first
Pacific Regional Economic conference organised by the World Hindu Economic
Forum (WHEF) are well under way. Dr Neil Sharma, the Minister for Health,
Government of Fiji will inaugurate the conference. WHEF Pacific Regional
Forum will be held at Sheraton Fiji Resort, Denarau, Nadi, Fiji on
Saturday, 4 May 2013. The theme is "Making the South Pacific community
prosperous".
In a statement, Swami Vigyananand, the founder of WHEF, said, "The
primary objectives of WHEF are to promote activities for developing
enterprise and entrepreneurship globally; to develop solutions for the most
crucial of the issues confronting the world economy such as sustainable
development, education, eradication of poverty, climate change and
infrastructure development; and to promote a value based corporate
governance system through organizing seminars, conferences and research
activities."
"The aim of the Pacific Regional Hindu Economic Forum is to connect
well established and newly establishing business-persons of the South
Pacific and to facilitate sharing of knowledge through reputed economic
thinkers," said Jay Dayal, one of the coordinators of this forum.
If you are interested in attending this Forum, and for more information,
please email whef.pacific@gmail.com or contact Mr. Jay Dayal
on (679) 992 9605.
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Posted on
2013/3/31 18:22:07 ( 734 reads )
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You must not let your life run in the ordinary way; do something that nobody
else has done, something that will dazzle the world. Show that God's
creative principle works in you.
-- Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952), founder of Self Realization
Fellowship
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Posted on
2013/3/30 18:13:54 ( 992 reads )
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UNITED STATES, March 2013 (Hinduism Today): Holi is wild and raucous, a
frolic of friendly playfulness. During Holi, India's streets are overtaken
by crowds awash with colored powder. Not only clothes, but faces, arms and
hair are smeared and sprayed with every color of the rainbow. Holi is a
community's exuberant expression of joy to welcome the warmth of spring. In
a reflection of nature's abundance, Hindus celebrate with bursts of color,
camaraderie and shared abandon. It begins on Purnima, full moon day, in the
Hindu month of Phalguni (February/March) and lasts for as long as 16 days.
Many communities create a central bonfire on the night before Holi,
starting with kindling and logs and adding organic debris as they clean up
their property. The fire symbolizes the torching of negative or troublesome
experiences and memories. An effigy of Holika, a demoness personifying
negativity, is consigned to the flames, and freshly harvested barley and
oats are offered. The embers are collected to light sacred fires, and the
ashes are used to mark the forehead as a blessing.
On the day of Holi, people celebrate by playing, dancing and running in the
streets. Water pistols are filled with colored water and squirted on
family, friends and strangers alike. Dye powders and water balloons are a
big part of the play. The wise wear old clothes, usually white, in
anticipation of the mess! Virtually anything goes, including ribald humor,
practical jokes and sexual teasing--all excused with the saying,
"Don't mind, it's Holi!" (Hindi: Bura na mano, Holi hai.) Men are
at the playful mercy of women, who dance with them and even dress them in
drag. Especially in North India, people celebrate with abandon, even
splashing color on their homes as a prelude to the more sober custom of
renewing the paint with shell-based white. Deities and images of ancestors
are hand-painted and placed in beautiful altars. Dramatic events feature
devotional songs and the retelling of the love epic of Radha and Krishna.
Bonds are renewed, particularly among in-laws and the extended family.
Etiquette on Holi requires that one accept all overtures with an open
heart, burying grievances to begin relationships afresh. People of all
walks of life mingle and greet, applying vermilion on each other's
foreheads in an uninhibited exchange of goodwill.
Special sweet and savory treats including mathri, puran poli and vadai are
made. Many communities make an intoxicating, cooling drink, called thandai,
made of purified water, sugar, seeds of watermelon, muskmelon and lotus,
along with nuts, cardamom, fennel, white pepper, saffron and rose petals.
What is the meaning behind the bonfire?
Love, positive values and goodness are celebrated on Holi. Their triumphs
over divisiveness and negative forces have been reinforced in legends, such
as that of Holika and her brother Prahlad. The famous king Hiranyakashipu
had earned a boon that made him virtually indestructible. Blinded by this
power, he thought he was God, the only being worthy of worship. His young
son Prahlad was devoted to Lord Vishnu and refused to obey his father.
Infuriated, the king devised the cruelest punishments. In one attempt,
Prahlad's evil aunt Holika, who possessed the power to withstand fire,
tricked him into climbing a burning pyre with her. Prahlad's love for true
Divinity protected him from the flames. Holika burned while Prahlad lived.
The bonfire of Holi is symbolic of this victory of good over evil.
How did the frolicking with color originate?
Legend has it that Krishna noticed one day how much lighter Radha's
complexion was than His own. His mother playfully suggested that He smear
Radha's cheeks with color to make Her look like Him, which Krishna did. The
strong-willed Radha gleefully retaliated, and a merry chaos ensued. Another
legend has it that Krishna celebrated this festival with His friends and
the gopis. They danced and frolicked, filling the air with color in a
joyous welcome of spring.
More at source above--including making safe natural colors.
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Posted on
2013/3/30 18:13:48 ( 943 reads )
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Dr. Kumar
Mahabir
TRINIDAD, March 30, 2013 (by Dr. Kumar Mahabir): For the first time in multi-ethnic
Trinidad and Tobago, three religious festivals will be celebrated this
weekend: Spiritual Baptist Liberation Day, Easter and Phagwa. Phagwa or
Holi is the Festival of Spring in India, but it is the Festival of Harvest
in Trinidad. In both India and Trinidad, Phagwa is known as the Festival of
Color in which people play with pigment in all its forms. They squirt abeer
[coloured liquid] and smear gulal [coloured powder] on each other amidst
music, song and dance. On the eve of the celebration, a huge bonfire is lit
symbolising the destruction of the demoness, Holika. Special songs such as
chowtals are rendered, accompanied by two major instruments - the dholak
[small hand drum] andmajeera [small cymbals]. This musical genre is a mix
of Hindi and English ballads invented mainly as a response to the
derogatory calypsos about Hindus, and Indian in general, sung during
Carnival. The Kendra has also introduced Makhan Chor, a sport which was the
pastime of Lord Krishna when he was alive in India 5,000 years ago. In this
game, a human pyramid is formed with the strongest person at the bottom and
the lightest at the top. The objective of the game is to reach a pot tied
18 feet above the ground. The Kendra has also introduced Ranga Barase
[community dance in a shower of colors] and Bachon Ka Khel [exciting
novelty games for children].
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Posted on
2013/3/30 18:13:41 ( 780 reads )
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INDIA, March 30, 2013 (Hindu Janajagruti Samiti): In this festival the main
emphasis is laid on the burning of Holika or lighting of the Holi bonfire.
The origin of the traditional lighting of Holi is attributed by some to the
burning of evil demons like Holika, Holaka and Putana who troubled little
children or to the burning of Madan (the Deity of Beauty who tried to
distract Lord Shiva's meditation) according to others.
This particular full moon day carries special importance as this day holds
the Raja-Tama in the atmosphere in its original fire-form (Tej). This is
the day when the Principle of the Primal Shakti from the Universe, which
imparts dissolution, is active in a Marak form. The worship of this
Principle helps the jiva by purifying its subtle body and to a certain
extent the atmosphere around it is also purified. The worship performed on
this day liberates the jiva from its Raja-Tama orientation. Thus in a way,
the jiva is reborn after this Pournima.
Beginning from the full moon day (pournima) of the Hindu lunar month of
Phalgun till the fifth day (panchami) this festival is celebrated for two
to five days depending on the regional variations. It has various names
such as Hori, Dolayatra in North India, Shimga, Holi and Hutashani
mahotsav, Holikadahan (burning of Holika) in Goa, Konkan and Maharashra and
Kamadahan (burning of desires) in South India. One can also call it
Vasantotsav or Vasantagamanotsav that is the festival celebrated to welcome
the Vasant (spring) season.
Rangapanchami is celebrated on the fifth day (panchami) in the dark
fortnight of the Hindu lunar month of Phalgun by throwing a red, fragrant
powder (gulal) and splashing colored water, etc. on others.
Much more at source.
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Posted on
2013/4/16 18:30:10 ( 937 reads )
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THRISSUR, INDIA, April 14, 2013 (Times of India): A Sanskrit grammar
written by German born grammarian, lexicographer and philologist Jesuit
missionary Fr. Johann Ernst Hanxleden, popularly known as Arnos Padre, was
released in Belgium. The over 300-year-old work, considered one of the
earliest missionary grammars in Sanskrit, was released on April 10, Fr. Roy
Thottathil SJ, Director of Arnos Padre Academy here, said.
He told PTI that he received an official communication in this regard from
Prof Christphe Vielle and Prof. Toon Van Hal of the Catholic University of
Louvain, Belgium., editors and publisher of the book. The 88-page
manuscript of "Grammatica Grandonica" was found missing for over
three centuries and it was recovered last year by Hal from a Carmelite
monastery's library in Montecompatri (Rome), Thottathil said.
Born at Ostercappeln near Osnabruck in Hanover, Germany, Hanxleden arrived
in India on December 13, 1700, as a Jesuit missionary. Proficient in
German, Sanskrit, Malayalam, Latin, Syriac, Portuguese and Tamil, Hanxleden
compiled Malayalam-Portuguese and Sanskrit-Portuguese dictionaries. He
mastered Sanskrit even when learning it was taboo for non-brahmins and
wrote several essays in Latin based on Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
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Posted on
2013/4/16 18:30:03 ( 722 reads )
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I have heard that man can acquire superhuman powers through it and perform
miracles. What shall I do with superhuman powers? Can one realize God
through them? If God is not realized then everything becomes false.
-- Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa (1836-1886)
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Posted on
2013/4/14 17:48:59 ( 1267 reads )
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Hindu American
Foundation
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 12, 2013 (HAF): "We want justice, we want
justice," was the chant heard from a crowd of over 300 demonstrators,
mostly of Bengali origin, on Wednesday in front of the White House. The
rally, organized by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council
(BHBCUC) and the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), urged the United States
government to use its influence to stop the rampant persecution of Hindus
and other religious minorities in Bangladesh.
"The recent tragedies faced by the Hindu community of Bangladesh are
reflective of the violent attacks that we faced in 1971 and again in
2001," said Sitanghsu Guha, an advisor to BHBCUC. "In a report
presented to Congress, Senator Ted Kennedy shed invaluable light on the
targeting of Bangladesh's Hindu community during the country's 1971 war of
independence from Pakistan. There are details of the tremendous loss of
life, hundreds of thousands of women raped, and the nearly ten million
people displaced. It is in that spirit that we urge the U.S. government to
offer its support to Bangladesh in this critical time. If the U.S. fails to
act now, there may be no Hindus left in Bangladesh."
Protesters arrived in chartered buses from New York, New Jersey, Georgia,
and as far as California to join local DC area residents. Recent months
have seen a sharp rise in violence perpetrated against Hindus, Buddhists,
Ahmadi Muslims, Christians, and atheists in Bangladesh by Islamist groups
after the first of three Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) leaders was convicted for
committing war crimes during the country's 1971 War of Independence from
Pakistan. JeI and other groups are widely believed to have instigated the
current spate of violence.
"The situation in Bangladesh is getting worse by the day. The demands
of the protesters to President Obama and American lawmakers to stop the
violence in Bangladesh are urgent for not only the safety of Bangladeshis,
but U.S. security interests in the region." said Jay Kansara, HAF
Associate Director. "Bangladesh has witnessed increasing religious
fundamentalism for decades to the demise of all its minority communities
who have bore the brunt of violent attacks and killings."
Earlier in the day, a small delegation of leaders from BHBCUC and HAF met
with Congressional offices to request a hearing on the persecution of
religious minorities in Bangladesh in the House Foreign Affairs Committee
and Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. The delegation also requested
groups perpetrating violence against religious minorities in Bangladesh,
like the Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliates, be put on U.S. designated
terrorist lists.
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Posted on
2013/4/14 17:48:53 ( 803 reads )
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NEPAL, April 11, 2013 (BBC): The police force in Nepal has introduced yoga
lessons in an effort to slim down some of its heavier members. Officers at
the Kathmandu HQ said they were concerned some staff were becoming too fat
to carry out their duties.
Obesity is an issue for many of Nepal's male and female officers who, once
qualified, often forego the daily physical exercise they had to take to
qualify for the force. Many get almost no exercise while working, as their
jobs are desk-based. Added to this is the popularity of eating large
servings of white rice with every meal, as well as sweets loaded with sugar
and milk.
Police spokesman Keshav Adhikari said almost all police stations in Nepal
would start offering yoga to their staff. "The police have become
inactive because of unnecessary development of their body," he said.
Yoga classes have already begun in both Kathmandu and the east of the
country. In the eastern district of Jhapa, more than 70 police officers and
constables have been enrolled in a three-week yoga camp. "I have
ordered the officers and the constables who have large bellies to join this
camp," Senior Superintendent Keshari Raj Ghimire told the BBC.
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Posted on
2013/4/13 17:37:36 ( 937 reads )
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UNITED STATES, April 4, 2013 (Harvard): The Maha Kumbh Mela, an eight-week
Hindu festival held every 12 years in India and the largest human gathering
on the planet, ended three weeks ago. Already, the tent city that had
sprung up to accommodate millions of pilgrims is beginning to disappear
from the sandy banks of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, where the faithful
had gathered.
But back in Cambridge, the real work of understanding the vast temporary
city has just begun. Through January and February, nearly 50 Harvard
professors, students, doctors, and researchers made a pilgrimage of their
own to the festival, which housed roughly 3 million people for its 55-day
duration and drew as many as 20 million visitors on peak river-bathing
days. Now, those researchers are beginning to analyze the data they
collected there, from thousands of patient records at clinics and hospitals
to water samples from the Ganges to measurements of the pop-up city's grid
and elevation.
"For the pilgrims, bathing is the climax of the journey," said
Rahul Mehrotra, who has been spearheading the months-long interdisciplinary
project since last summer. "For many who participate in the melas,
however, these huge human gatherings are opportunities for the practice of
commerce, politics, services of many kinds, or public health" --
exactly the sort of interactions that bear fruit for academics across
Harvard's Schools.
That said, there was much to report. Presenters from the GSD, Harvard
Divinity School, Harvard School of Public Health, and the Francois-Xavier
Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights described their findings -- from
archival research into melas as far back as the mid-1800s to
epidemiological data on disease outbreaks at this year's festival -- all of
which the project's coordinators hope to make available online with the
help of the Harvard libraries.
More at source.
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Posted on
2013/4/13 17:37:30 ( 840 reads )
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SINGAPORE, April 8, 2013 (Straits Times): About 10,000 worshippers thronged
the Sri Vairavimada Kaliamman Temple on Sunday to bear witness to the
consecration ceremony and receive blessings.
The temple with a 150-year-old history has undergone a $2.5 million
refurbishment and is now equipped with a new glass panel roof to shelter
devotees plus other improvements to the entrance and main sanctum.
The consecration ceremony is a Hindu religious rite that infuses divinity
to a temple once every 12 years, or when it has been relocated or
renovated. This is the culmination of a year of prayers by priests and the faithful,
and follows a procedure laid out by age-old scriptures.
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Posted on
2013/4/13 17:37:23 ( 859 reads )
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CALAIS, FRANCE, April 8, 2013 (La Voix du Nord): In agreement with the City
of Calais, the Opal Coast Trail organization will launch a new race called
Holi Run on May 19 in Calais. The concept is quite simple: as the runners
reach every succeeding kilometer mark, they'll pass through coloring areas
where colored starch powder color is projected on to them. Green, red,
yellow, orange, they will see all the colors during their run.
To participate in this race, some conditions must be met: "The
participants need to be in good mood, able to walk or run, be dressed in
white at the beginning, wear eye protection and especially be the most
colorful possible at the finish line! The goal is to have fun with family
or friends!"
Like many celebrations in India, Holi originated in Hindu mythology that
celebrates spring, hope and fruitful harvest of fertile land. Indians,
dressed in white, throw colored powder or colored water at this event.
These pigments have a specific meaning: green for harmony, orange for
optimism, blue for vitality and red for joy and love. For a while now the
Holi festival of colors has been emulated in Europe and is now turned into
a race. Thus the Holi Run arrives for the first time in our country, a
national first!
Holi Run is open to all athletes, competitors or non runners, hikers and
walkers who want to experience a unique and colorful event! Participants
can choose between the 10 km or 5 km or a timed 5 km free style by hiking
and enjoying the journey! At all kilometers, participants will cross areas
where the organizers will throw colored starch powder on the competitors!
(The colored powder is 100% natural).
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Posted on
2013/4/12 17:31:31 ( 685 reads )
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INDIA, April 4, 2013 (Times of India): Tirupati's Lord Balaji continues to
command a premium. Even the banks oblige the Lord of Seven Hills, said to
be among the richest in the world, with higher returns for deposits. The
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, the trust that manages the money of the
Venkateswara Temple, secured 130 basis points more returns than ordinary
citizens for funds it keeps with banks. A basis point is 0.01 percentage
point
Banks have agreed to pay 9.8% to the temple trust for one year, said two
people familiar with the recent bids. In return, they get Rs 3,000 crore
(US$550 million) of deposits that remains stable, irrespective of the
financial conditions. Bankers said several banks participated in the
auction, but only a few were allotted funds. Banks pay 8.50% to 8.75% to
retail customers for one-year deposits
Bankers said TTD received a good rate due to the timing of the auction. It
called for bids from banks just before the close of the fiscal year, when
banks fall over each other to mobilise deposits. The aggressive bidding was
despite a directive from the government barring PSU banks from raising bulk
deposits. Last year, the finance ministry limited bulk deposits at 15% of
total deposits.
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Posted on
2013/4/12 17:31:25 ( 812 reads )
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LEICESTER, ENGLAND, March 30, 2013 (This Is Leicestershire): Up to 7,000
people are expected at the opening of a temple in the city centre today.
The Shri Shirdi Sai Baba temple, at the grade II-listed Guild of Disabled
building, in Colton Street, Leicester, is the second of its kind in the UK
and follows the teachings of Sai Baba of Shirdi, a Hindu guru who lived
from 1835 to 1914.
Worshippers from the organisation's temple in Wembley, London, have been
preparing for the big day and expect many people from other Hindu temples
around the Midlands to attend.
A temple management spokesman said: "Our organisation began in London
in 2010 and this is our first venture in spreading Baba's message around
the UK. "The message is about treating everyone politely and humbly,
helping the needy and having trust and patience.
"Part of our work will be sharing food with the poor and the hungry in
Leicester. We have a kitchen here and people coming to the temple will also
bring food to share. "Word will spread fast."
The Guild of Disabled building, completed in 1909, is believed to have been
the first building in Britain, and possibly the world, to be designed to be
wheelchair-friendly.
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Posted on
2013/4/12 17:31:18 ( 796 reads )
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INDIA, September 2012, (Daily Mail): Hindu Worshippers take to roads of
India clad in Saffron robes as they carry holy water from the Ganges to
their home temple. The Kawarias, as we call them, carry metal canisters
filled with holy Ganges water and take a ritual journey of the roads of
India which can be hundreds of miles back to their town.They fetch water as
a gesture of thanksgiving to Lord Shiva and walk for days, some braving
Indian roads and highways barefoot. Kawarias are named after the pole,
Kanwar which they sling over their shoulders to carry their metal pots.
This annual pilgrimage is known as Kanwar Yatra or Kavad Yatra and sees
them visit Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand to fetch holy
water of Ganges river.The pilgrimage always takes during the sacred month
of Sravan and has grown in popularity in recent years.
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Posted on
2013/4/8 18:00:43 ( 934 reads )
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BALI, INDONESIA, April 6, 2013 (The Jakarta Post): Balinese Hindus will
flock to temples throughout the island as they observe Kuningan on
Saturday. Kuningan Day is the end of a series of ceremonies to celebrate
the victory of Dharma (goodness) over Adharma (evil) that begins with
Galungan on March 27. Galungan and Kuningan are observed every 210 days, or
every six months according to the Balinese calendar.
Devotees carry colorful offerings in various shapes and sizes, such as
Sodan -- a small offering of fruit, cakes and flowers -- or the larger,
towering version Gebogan. Canang is the simplest offering made with fresh
flowers and leaves placed on a square of coconut leaves. A small portion of
yellow rice on sugar palm leaves is also placed on each offering,
especially for Kuningan Day.
The word kuningan (yellow) refers to the colored rice, which is usually
accompanied by traditional side dishes. These offerings are not only
dedicated to God but are also intended for the family feast. All the food
offerings are eaten once prayers are performed.
"Yellow is a symbol of wisdom. It reminds Balinese Hindus to be wise
at every moment. Every single problem should be solved wisely," the
Indonesian Parisadha Hindu Council (PHDI) Bali chapter, I Gusti Ngurah
Sudiana told Bali Daily on Thursday.
Kuningan is also derived from the word ning, which in the Balinese language
means clear. "It means that we have to keep thinking clearly,"
Sudiana explained. "Yellow is also a symbol of prosperity. It shows
our gratitude for the prosperity we have already gained," Sudiana
stressed.
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Posted on
2013/4/8 18:00:34 ( 858 reads )
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RAJKOT, INDIA, March 31, 2013 (Times of India): As you reach near the
entrance of the ashram of revered saint Bajarangdas Bapa in Bagdana town of
Bhavnagar district, you will find a notice board which says that
"those wearing half pants, night dress, gowns which are indecent in
nature, should not enter into the Ashram." The religious place is
extremely popular across the state where average 10,000 devotees pay that
visit daily.
According to sources, the dress code has been imposed for the last 12
months to maintain the "Indian culture" in the temple area.
Surubha Gohil, manager of the Bajarangdas temple, said that their
volunteers first make requests to devotees and offer dhotis before entering
into the temple. However, those women who enter which such dresses have
been asked to pray from outside the temple as there are no replacement
clothes offered to women.
The dress codes in temples are increasingly taking place in the state.
Recently, the trust managing Jain temples of Palitana have decided to
implement a strict dress code for visitors. "We want to maintain the
religious decorum and purity in our temples. For past many years, we have
been noticing that the dresses of many people do not go well with the
religious faith; the trust is providing dresses to the tourists and
pilgrims, who are seen wearing objectionable clothes. Men will be given
lahenga and kafni, while women will be provided with salwar-kameez" said
a source from Anandji Kalyanji Trust at Palitana.
Somnath temple, which is considered one of twelve Jyotirling temples of the
country, has also banned such clothes of visitors from 2011. Somnath
temple, ensure that visitors have removed belts and are not in improper or
disrespectful dress.
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Posted on
2013/4/8 18:00:20 ( 887 reads )
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INDIA, April 5, 2013 (Wall Street Journal): Sunita Williams addressed
students at the Science City in Kolkata, April 2, 2013. Ms. Williams, who
is on a weeklong trip to India, has also held talks at the Nehru Science
Centre in Mumbai and the National Science Centre in New Delhi.
A pendant of Lord Ganesha, a copy of Hinduism's holy book, the Bhagavad
Gita, and a box of samosas, are some of the items NASA astronaut Sunita
Williams brought with her on expeditions to outer space.
Last year, when the American astronaut ventured into space for the second
time, she carried a copy of the Upanishads, a Hindu scripture. "This
helps me feel closer to home," says Ms. Williams, whose father was
born and raised in the western Indian state of Gujarat. "It's a
reminder of who I am and where I belong," she adds.
The 47-year-old - who holds the record for the longest spacewalk by a
woman, totaling 50 hours and 40 minutes over two space missions - is
currently touring India as part of an initiative to promote space research
in the country.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Ms. Williams, who was born
and raised in the U.S., talks about her weeklong India tour, growing up
with an Indian father, and about her friendship with Kalpana Chawla, the
first Indian woman to travel to space.
For excerpts from the interview see 'source' above.
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Posted on
2013/4/8 18:00:13 ( 903 reads )
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Press Release
PARIS FRANCE, April 5, 2013 (Press Release): Vaithilingam Sanderasekaram,
founder of the Sri Manicka Vinayaka Temple in Paris, passed away on April
1, 2013. He was 68 years old. Sandera (Chandra), as he was commonly known,
was born in Sri Lanka in 1946. He arrived in France in 1975. In 1985, he
founded a small Ganesha Temple in the "Little India" La Chapelle
neighborhood. He moved the temple to larger quarters at 17 rue Pujol in
2010. In 1996 he started an annual Chariot festival which carried Ganesha
through the streets of Paris surrounding the temple. At the time of his
death he was making preparations for the 18th event. Because of this
festival the Sri Manicka Vinayaka Temple, and the presence of Hinduism in
Paris, was well known to the general public.
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Posted on
2013/4/7 16:47:23 ( 961 reads )
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BANGLADESH, April 3, 2013 (The Daily Star, Dhaka): Miscreants torched a
Hindu temple after vandalism of its three idols of God and Goddess in
Morelganj upazila of Bagerhat early Wednesday. Unidentified criminals broke
into the Sarbojanin Durga Temple at Herma Bazar of Teligati union in the
upazila anytime after midnight and wrecked the idols of Hindu God
"Ganesh" and, Goddess "Lakshmi" and
"Saraswati", said Khandakar Rafikul Islam, superintendent of
police (SP) in Bagerhat.
Then the miscreants left the scene after setting fire at straws in the
temple, the SP said adding police trying to arrest the culprits. Gopal
Gosh, president of Sarbojanin Durga Temple said he informed the law
enforcers after a devotee saw the matter at the time of pray in the temple
in the morning. Local parliamentary member Dr Mozammel Hossain, SP Khandakar
Rafikul Islam visited the spot, he said.
Miscreants also vandalized several idols of Gopalpur Sarbojanin Temple on
February 28, Dumuria Sarbojanin temple on March 1 and North Gopalpur Temple
on March 19 in the same upazila, reports our Bagerhat correspondent.
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Posted on
2013/4/28 17:35:46 ( 638 reads )
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HOUSTON, TEXAS, April 25, 2013 (Indo American News): An organization that
can speak for Hindus in the greater Houston area in one strong voice is
emerging. The board of advisors of Hindus of Greater Houston at its first
meeting held at Chinmaya Mission Houston recently laid the foundation for
the umbrella organization that will be an authentic and credible force,
protecting the cause and interests of all Hindus.
Dev Mahajan, chairman of the board of advisors, after the inaugural
meeting, addressed the invited representatives from about 60 Hindu
religious, social and cultural organizations in the Houston area. The
umbrella organization will unite all the Hindu organizations and each
organization will nominate one permanent representative to the team,
Mahajan said.
Mahajan said the board will shortly formalize the mission and objectives of
the new organization. The board of advisors comprises of Dev Mahajan ( Arya
Samaj of Greater Houston), Gaurang Nanavaty (Chinmaya Mission), Ramesh
Bhutada (Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh) , Prabhat C . Sharma ( Hindu Worship
Society), Jugal Malani (India House), Dr. Hansa Medley (Hare Krishna
Temple) and Dr. Venugopal Menon (Shri Meenakshi Temple).
Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, head of the Kauai Hindu Monastery in Hawaii
and publisher of Hinduism Today, was the guest speaker. "My guru was
keen on the concept of Hindu solidarity. The magazine was started for
making Hindus work together. Its motto is solidarity through
diversity." The magazine does not promote the Hawaii ashram or temple,
but promotes Hindus globally. Hinduism Today empowers the youth and its
efforts devoted to educating the youth. Hindus should come together with
what is in common and show that we are a force to reckon with when needed,
he said.
Bodhinatha Swami applauded the efforts of Hindus in Houston in solidarity.
"The Hindus in Houston are fortunate to have over so many
organizations conducting worship and teaching programs in the greater
Houston area. Normally, all that is needed is for these organizations to
perform well their respective missions. However, on occasion there is a
need for a united Hindu front, for all Hindus to come together to address a
pressing issue such as mistreatment of Hindu students, newspaper articles
grossly misrepresenting Hinduism or a natural disaster where Hindus want to
work together to create a joint response. The Hindus of Greater Houston, as
an umbrella organization, is ideally situated to do just that. We were
pleased to attend their recent membership meeting and see the diversity and
large number of organizations committed to its mission," Bodhinatha
Swami said.
Board Member Venugopal Menon said, "About 100,000 Hindus, with 18
established temples have established their presence and their significance
in Houston. It is only prudent and proper that we create a unified voice to
be heard, that our commitments and concerns are understood as an important
expression of the mainstream. With that motivating philosophy, the
organization of the Hindus of Greater Houston along with its Advisory Board
with representatives of all the Hindu establishments in the area is
created."
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Posted on
2013/4/28 17:35:39 ( 603 reads )
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TRINIDAD/TOBAGO, April 14, 2013 (Newsday by Vishnu Bisram): I write to pay
tribute to Guyanese Pundit Reepu Daman Persaud who passed away on April 7
and was cremated last Thursday. He is well known throughout Trinidad for
his expertise in Hinduism and for conducting yagnas in several parts of the
island.
He was one of the longest serving Members of parliament in Guyana -- over
40 years. During that period, he also served as deputy speaker of the
assembly and vice-president of the country between 1997 and 2004.
Pundit Reepu, as he was known, was enormously popular and was the most
respected pundit in Guyana and the Caribbean and among the Guyanese and
Indo-Caribbean diasporas. He was the quintessential Hindu leader for
non-Hindus as well during the period of the oppressive PNC dictatorship in
Guyana. He was a frontline soldier in the struggle for the restoration of
democracy during the 28-year period of authoritarian rule. He was seen as a
true patriot, taking on the British and the rigging of elections in his
homeland.
Pundit Reepu, as we fondly called him, was an icon held in high esteem in
North America and Trinidad where Hindu leaders have been speaking fondly of
him and tributes have been pouring in on Indian radio stations. He left
deep long-lasting impressions. He will never be forgotten.
See related story: http://www.guyanatimesgy.com/?p=8650
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Posted on
2013/4/28 17:35:33 ( 553 reads )
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In the four eternal Vedas; In the study and reading of scripts; In sacred
ashes and in holy writs and muttering of prayers you will not find the
Lord! Melt with the heart inside And proclaim the Truth. Then you will join
the light life without servitude.
-- Sivavakkiyar, 10th-century Tamil devotional poet and mystic
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Posted on
2013/4/27 17:20:25 ( 676 reads )
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MIDLAND, TEXAS, April 18, 2013 (My West Texas): In an effort to promote
peace and tolerance, leaders from different religious backgrounds met in
Midland on Wednesday night for an interfaith discussion. St. Nicholas'
Episcopal Church played host to leaders of the Baptist, Hindu, Jewish,
Muslim and Mormon faiths, and more than a hundred listeners.
The Muslim faith was represented on stage by Imam Wazir Ali, of Houston.
The imam was one of the six who responded to a set of questions surrounding
his faith and what role it plays in the day-to-day lives of people all over
the world. "It was the plan of God that the world is a pluralistic
place," said Ali. "What he wants us to do instead of looking at
pluralism and diversity as a problem, is look at it as an opportunity to
benefit from the genius of other human beings and other cultures."
Much of the night's messages -- from all religions -- had tones of
tolerance, love, acceptance and harmony. Questions ranged from how the
different faiths can co-exist peaceably in today's world to complex issues
such as what each religion teaches about death, resurrection and an
afterlife.
Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, of Kauai's Hindu Monastery, explained to
the West Texas audience that his faith does not teach about resurrection.
The resurrection is such a foreign concept in the Hindu faith that he took
time to explain the basis of it to people in the audience who might not
recognize the term or know its meaning. "This idea of the resurrection
is focused on what's going to happen to the body, ... where the Hindu idea
is focused on not the body, but the soul," he said.
Despite differing views on the specifics, all leaders seemed in agreement
on the existence of a higher power and that power's desire for humans to
live peacefully and in harmony, always caring for the needs of others.
Also participating in the discussion were the Rev. Randel Everett, of First
Baptist Church; Rabbi Holly Levin Cohn, of Temple Beth El in Odessa; and
Jerry Zant, stake president of the Odessa Texas Stake of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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Posted on
2013/4/27 17:20:10 ( 796 reads )
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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, April 19,2013 (Deseret News): Preeya Prakash is
difficult to define -- even for Preeya Prakash. "I consider myself an
American," she said during a recent break in classes at the University
of Utah, where she is a 24-year-old graduate student with a BA in
neuroscience from the University of Southern California. "And I'm a
Utahn. I was born here in Salt Lake City. I have lived here all my life.
I've got the accent and everything."
She is also Indian. Her parents were both born and raised in India, and her
hair, skin and handsome features bear the genetic imprint of a country in
which she has never actually lived. "When people ask me, 'Where are
you from?' I always say, 'Well, I was born here,'" she says with
characteristic wit and good humor. "And then they look at me and say,
'Well, yeah, but where are you ... you know ... from?'
Things get a little more complicated for Preeya when you throw her Hindu
beliefs and culture into the definitional equation. "Culturally, I am
Hindu -- and a pretty traditional Hindu, at that," she said while
relaxing in one of the Marriott Library lounges. "For me, I kind of
look to my faith as a guideline for how I should lead my life. It's the
part of me that keeps me grounded, that tells me who I am and that I am
part of something bigger than myself."
For Preeya, growing up Hindu in Utah has meant being part of a decided
minority -- racially, culturally and religiously. According to the U.S.
Religious Landscape Survey conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion &
Public Life, Utah's 9,000 Hindus comprise .5 percent of the state's
population -- a number consistent with the percentage of Hindus throughout
the United States.
"I credit my parents for teaching me how to balance our Hindu culture
with the culture of Utah," Preeya said. "We were Americans, we
were Utahns, we were Indians, we were Hindu. We were all of these things,
and we embraced all of them fully and completely."
Much more of the interesting article as well as a slideshow at 'source.'
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Posted on
2013/4/27 17:20:02 ( 557 reads )
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"Learn to make the whole world your own. No one is a stranger, my
child, the whole world is your own."
-- Sri Sarada Devi (1853-1920) wife of Sri Ramakrishna
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Posted on
2013/4/23 18:33:56 ( 1249 reads )
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BANGLADESH, April 20, 2013 (the Daily Star): Unidentified criminals set a
200-year-old Hindu temple ablaze at Rajoir upazila in Madaripur in the wee
hours yesterday. Police and locals said miscreants torched the Kali Mandir
at Mahendradi village sometime after midnight.
Dadon Kanta, chairman of Haridashdi-Mahendradi upazila, suspects that
Jamaat or BNP men are behind the attack. Police, meanwhile, arrested
Haridashdi-Mahendradi union unit BNP President Abul Kalam Azad yesterday
afternoon suspecting his involvement in the incident. Mofazzal Hossain,
officer-in-charge of Rajoir Police Station, said they were yet to identify
the attackers and that they were investigating the incident.
Uttam Banerjee, president of the temple managing committee, said locals
rushed to the spot on seeing the flames but the temple had been badly burnt
before they could bring the flames under control. In December last year,
miscreants vandalised some statues of the same temple, he added. Hindu
temples in several districts have come under attacks in the past few mont
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Posted on
2013/4/23 18:33:50 ( 771 reads )
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RUSSIA, April 18, 2013 (Elena Krovvidi,RIR): This week, the Jawaharlal
Nehru Cultural Centre at the Indian Embassy in Moscow, the Ramakrishna
Society - Vedanta Centre and the Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian
Academy of Sciences, jointly commemorated the 150th birth anniversary of Swami
Vivekananda. Academics, Indologists and religious leaders speak of the
relevance of the great Indian sage's teachings in modern day Russia. In his
opening remarks, India's Ambassador to Russia, Ajai Malhotra, dwelt upon
the contributions made by Swami Vivekananda, one of the most influential
spiritual leaders of the 19th/20th centuries. The sage was a social
reformer and a great scholar whose teachings influenced many across the
globe and continued to do so even today. The Indian ambassador highlighted
the message propagated by Swami Vivekananda that "service to God can
be rendered by service to mankind." Other prominent speakers on the
occasion were Swami Jyotirupananda, Rostislav Rybakov and Mark Mokulsky who
highlighted various aspects of the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda
and their enduring contemporary relevance.
Swami Jyotirupananda, president of the Ramakrishna Mission in Moscow, was
the first speaker. He emphasised Vivekananda's role as a fighter for the
rights of the suppressed members of society in India. Jyotirupananda
reminded that in India that April 15 - the birth anniversary of Swami
Vivekananda - is celebrated not only by holding lectures and functions but
also by holding charitable activities.
Mark Mokulsky, Prof. and Dr. of physical and mathematical sciences at the
Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, followed the
discussion about Vievakananda by sharing his hypothesis on the connection
between spirituality of Vedanta and genetic-molecular science.
Another eminent speaker Rostislav Rybakov, Indologist, Dr. of historical
sciences and Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian
Academy of Sciences in 1994-2009, elaborated about the relevance of
Vivekananda's teachings to the issues Russia has to face in our day.
Rybakov maintains that Vivekananda's philosophy is very much on the agenda
for Russia and Russians of the 21st century. Rybakov believes that the only
path to follow is to educate children from the youngest age, but not simply
educating but imbibing them with moral and ethical values that will lay the
foundation for their future view of the world. "The way that we need
to go is lengthy, torturous and complex," Rybakov says. But it is the
only possible way." The finishing stroke of Rybakov's speech was
drowned in enthusiastic applause: "Recently, the French actor Gerard
Depardieu has become an honorable citizen of Russia. But, in my view, Swami
Vivekananda should become an honorable citizen of Russia, even after his
death. We need him very much in our lives today."
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Posted on
2013/4/23 18:33:43 ( 977 reads )
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Bharti Tailor
UNITED KINGDOM, April 20, 2013: (HPI Note: This report was sent in by
Bharti Tailor, bharti@rgenterprises.co.uk).
The groups who are considered 'Low caste' on whose name the legislation on
case is being brought in spoke out today to say that they do not want the
legislation (being proposed in the British Parliament). "All the
groups enjoy protected status and enjoy the privileges that come with this
in India." said Mukesh Naker of the British Hindu Voice a
Leicester-based organisation. "However they are fully integrated into
the British Indian and the wider British community in the UK and feel that
there is no need for legislation on caste grounds in Britain."
"We were brought up as equals, we know our history but it has never
restricted our present and certainly does not hold an influence on our
children and grandchildren's futures." said Jitendra Mistry President
of the Prajapati Association of the UK who represents 25,000 potters and
carpenters from the state of Gujarat.
Manish Amriwala General Secretary of the GAKM who represent 25,000 people
from the Gujarati Mochi (Cobblers) in the UK said "Why are Labour MPs
legislating for something that they admit hardly occurs? Why are they not
legislating on class discrimination, which is more prevalent and effects
all the population of Britain? This legislation on caste will lead to caste
profiling, identification of people along castes lines and permanently
stigmatise many groups across the country. It will bring caste into
forefront when there is so little of it in the minds of the people. We
appeal to British politicians to think hard and long before embarking on
legislation over here that has done much harm in India; where it has become
ingrained and permanently a marker on people's records."
Until this issue was brought to his notice last week, Jawahar Patel of the
Koli community, like many people in the UK was not even aware what his
caste was. Now he has read up about it and feels that the legislation will
lead to caste entering the psyche of many. He feels it is best left in the
past, in the History books. The children born in the UK after the 1970's do
not know what caste is. In one or two generation they will even forget
their roots as to which village, town or State their forefathers came from.
The groups are angry that the Labour Party has used this issue as a
political tool and are trying to rush it through without due diligence,
when there is no initiative to event talk about the issue of class in the
British context. Shila Tailor President of the Darji Community who
represents 2500 people in London, noted, "The NIESR report on which
the politicians are jumping to act was inconclusive. Who did they consult?
Because it seems that not a single person was interviewed from any of the
communities we represent.
The Anti Caste Discrimination Committee, The ACLC is a task force which has
come together solely for the purpose of stopping caste being
institutionalized in Britain. It is made up of 56 groups representing
344,569 people who are saying that legislation on this issue will do more
harm than good and that the equalities legislation in place in Britain is
adequate for all needs accept class. Of the 344,569, approximately half are
people who would be classed at 'low caste' in India and be in the Scheduled
and Backward class categories and in receipt of positive discrimination
measures. However in the UK the communities are fully integrated and they
feel there is no need for positive discrimination or legislation on the
issue of caste.
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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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