(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)
News from Hindu Press International
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Posted on 2014/2/27 12:57:50 ( 464 reads )
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AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, February 27, 2014 (Community Scoop): Hindu Youth New
Zealand proudly announces the 3rd National Hindu Youth conference in
Auckland on Saturday, 1st March. The theme of the conference is Dynamic You
The Power of Youth. The conference will be held at the Aotea Center in
Auckland.
It is an exciting time for Hindu Youth New Zealand and New Zealand Hindu
Students Forum to be coming together for the National Hindu youth
conference at the commencement of the 2014 academic year. Once again Hindu
youth have come together to create an opportunity for young people to get
motivated, be inspired and advance towards empowerment.
Preliminary findings from the most recent census is indicating that
Hinduism has the third largest following in New Zealand (after Christianity
and Atheism), a population of 89,000 is spread throughout New Zealand. The
census also revealed that Hindi is now the fourth most commonly spoken
language in the country. This conference will highlight the contribution of
this significant population to their country, New Zealand.
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Posted on 2014/2/27 12:57:42 ( 339 reads )
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There are three kinds of devotees. The inferior devotee says, "God is
out there" and thinks God is different from His creation. The mediocre
devotee says, "God is antaryami, the inner guide who dwells in
everyone's heart;" thus the mediocre devotee sees God within. But the
superior devotee sees that God alone is everything, for He has become the
twenty-four cosmic tattvas. That devotee finds that everything, above and
below, is filled with God.
-- Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa (1836-1886)
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Posted on 2014/2/26 18:19:20 ( 572 reads )
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GAZIPUR, BANGLADESH, February 26, 2014 (The Daily Star): Criminals
vandalized the murthis (Deities) of a Hindu temple at Bathania Chala of
Kaliakoir in Gazipur late Tuesday night and left a note. Dilip Kumar, a
member of Sarbojanin Temple Committee, said miscreants desecrated all the
murthis in the temple, including the Durga, Laxmi, Saraswati, Kartik,
Ganesh and Asur. All the damaged murthis were dumped in a field near the
temple. The thugs also left notes threatening the Hindus to stop
worshipping murthis or face bomb attacks. One read: "Stop statue
worship. Next here worship we will cast bomb or all of you accept Islam
else go to India."
General secretary of the temple committee Surja Mohan Sarker said they left
the temple about 7:30 pm on Tuesday night. But in the following morning
they found that all the murthis have been vandalized. A case has been filed
with Kaliakoir Police Station in this regard. On February 10, miscreants
damaged two murthis at the house of Nepal Chandra Barman in Gachgari area
of the upazila.
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Posted on 2014/2/26 18:19:14 ( 449 reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, February 26, 2014 (Times Of India): In a significant
ruling, the Supreme Court on Tuesday assured it would come to the rescue of
any citizen who felt harassed by a fatwa issued by a Muslim cleric and said
such fatwas had no sanction in law.
A bench of Justices C.K. Prasad and P.C. Ghose made it clear that the
judiciary could redress a fatwa while hearing final arguments on a PIL by
Vishwa Lochan Madan, drawing the court's attention to parallel Shariat
courts that were mushrooming in India. Madan sought a declaration that such
fatwas were illegal.
The bench said fatwas and dictates by muftis had no sanction in law.
"Anything not sanctioned by the law need not be taken cognizance by
anyone. The muftis can take up any issue and dictate a fatwa. But this will
be akin to any common man's view on an issue," it said.
"If someone voluntarily follows the fatwas or directions of the
religious figures, it is purely up to them. But can these dictates, fatwa
or religious head's directions, be enforced in a court of law? If someone
is punished for not obeying the fatwa, then the judiciary is there to set
right that wrong," the bench said.
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Posted on 2014/2/26 18:19:07 ( 330 reads )
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The syllable gu means shadows. The syllable ru, he who disperses them.
Because of the power to disperse darkness, the guru is thus named.
-- Advayataraka Upanishad
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Posted on 2014/2/25 18:40:51 ( 751 reads )
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INDIA, February 22, 2014 (TTD Devastanams): The TTD Trust board under the
leadership of its Chairman Sri K. Bapi Raju has approved an approximately
US$388 million budget for the fiscal year 2014-15.
The TTD board chief briefing the media persons on the expected income
through various means said that the offerings to be made by millions of
devotees in the temple hundi (offering box), are expected to fetch about
$135 million while the interest on investments deposited in national banks
by TTD was estimated to account for $106 million. The sale of human hair (a
common penance at the temple is to have the head shaved) is expected to
bring $31 million to TTD coffers, prasadams sale profiting TTD up to $31
million, and on rentals TTD is expecting an income of $17.5 million during
the financial year 2014-15.
Meanwhile TTD has allotted $24 million to the Engineering department, $17.6
million towards Hindu Dharma Prachara activities, about $14 million towards
education, a sum of $14.8 million on Health and Sanitation, $8.4 million to
TTD Vigilance and Security wing and $5.8 million towards the development of
TTD-run hospitals.
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Posted on 2014/2/25 18:40:44 ( 384 reads )
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DENPASAR, BALI, January 21, 2014 (Jakarta Post): An academic from Dwijendra
University in Denpasar, Dr. Gede Sedana, said that farmers grouped in subak
(traditional farming and irrigation communities) conducted 15 different
kinds of ritual for one rice cultivation period. "Dozens of times
these rituals are carried out by farmers in a specific order according to
the phase of the rice cultivation, either individually or in a group,"
said the rector of Dwijendra University's School of agriculture in Denpasar
on Monday.
He said that the subak system continued to exist and develop even today and
had become unique due to its spiritual element, which was significant in
the management of agricultural irrigation. The rituals, or religious
ceremonies, occurred dozens of times on the sidelines while the crops were
growing, and were a strongly binding factor in subak irrigation management
on the island.
"The strong belief in God is a part of the Tri Hita Karana philosophy,
in which a harmonious relationship is maintained between humans and humans,
humans and the environment and humans and God," said Sedana.
See Hinduism Today's 1989 article on Bali's water temples: http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/ ...
ction/item.php?itemid=623
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Posted on 2014/2/25 18:40:38 ( 344 reads )
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Love says, "I am everything." Wisdom says, "I am
nothing." Between the two, my life flows. I express it by saying that
I am both, and neither, and beyond both.
-- Nisargadatta Maharaj (1897-1981), Hindu sage
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Posted on 2014/2/24 18:29:21 ( 393 reads )
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KATHMANDU, NEPAL, February 23, 2014 (ekantipur.com): Around 700,000 Hindu
devotees are expected to visit the Pashupatinath Temple for the Shivaratri
festival on Thursday. To manage the sea of people to route their way to the
temple while ensuring their safety and convenience, the Pashupati Area
Development Trust (PADT) this year has made arrangement for four lines,
among them one will be priority-based, where one could pay Rs 1,000
(US$10.23) for fast track access into the temple. The three other lineups
will be the general queue requiring no entry fee. "From the normal
lines, it would take 45 minutes to one hour to reach the main temple,"
said Gobinda Tandon, the member secretary of the PADT.
With only less than a week remaining for the festival, preparation works at
the temple is well under way. While decoration and construction works on
the Pashupatinath premises have completed, various sub-committees have been
entrusted to carry out specific responsibilities concerning the pre and
post events of the festival.
Security is a major concern for the organiser for the festival dedicated to
Shiva. A total of 3,000 security personnel from the Nepal police and the
Armed Police Force will be deployed to keep law and order during the
festival. The PADT also has decided to deploy around 10,000 volunteers to
assist the devotees.
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Posted on 2014/2/24 18:29:15 ( 406 reads )
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BALI, INDONESIA, February 8, 2014 (Jakarta Post): Dressed in white Balinese
attire, more than 120 devotee couples underwent the pewintenan gana wisesa
ritual recently at Silayukti temple in Padangbai village, Karangasem. The
ritual, which is a purification and initiation rite, elevates the spiritual
and social status of the participants into pemangku (temple priests) for
males and serati banten (offering makers) for females.
It was organized by Maha Gotra Pasek Sanak Sapta Rsi (MGPSSR), arguably the
biggest clan-based organization on the island. Silayukti temple is a
historic place of worship believed to have been constructed in 11th century
by Mpu Kuturan, an influential sage with supernatural power who played a
pivotal role in the birth of Balinese Hinduism.
After the end of the ritual, participants' bodies and minds are considered
sufficiently "pure" to carry out important errands in the temple,
including placing offerings in the shrine and sprinkling holy water on the
devotees.
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Posted on 2014/2/24 18:29:08 ( 313 reads )
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It is impossible for me to reconcile with the idea of conversion as it
happens today. It is an error and perhaps the greatest impediment to the
world's progress toward peace. Why should a Christian want to convert a
Hindu? Why should he not be satisfied if the Hindu is a good or godly man?
-- Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
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Posted on 2014/2/21 18:09:11 ( 466 reads )
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INDIA, February 19th, 2014 (travPR.com): The Holy Amarnath Yatra
(pilgrimage) 2014 dates have been announced. The 44-day Yatra will commence
on June 28, an auspicious day as per Hindu Calendar and shall conclude on
Raksha Bandhan on 10 Aug, 2014. A very special puja will be conducted on
June 13, the day of Jyesth Purnima, to invoke the blessings of Lord Shiva
for the safe yatra. This year, 7,500 yatris (pilgrims) on a per day per
route basis will be allowed to register for the pilgrimage. This excludes
Yatris who travel by helicopters to Panjtarni. The registration process is
expected to commence on 1st March 2014.
In view of the complaints received from yatris last year, a new design of
Yatra Permit Registration Forms has been created, which will have a number
of high security features. This will ensure that the Yatra Permit Forms are
not duplicated by unlawful elements. The Yatra Permit Form will be
available at the designated 422 Bank Branches.
It is mandatory that the intending Yatris furnish the prescribed Compulsory
Health Certificate (CHC) issued only by the authorized Doctors/Medical Institutes.
No other certificate will be accepted. There is no change in the format of
CHC this year. CHC must be issued only after February 1, 2014. The
intending yatris must be above 13 years and below 75 years of age.
See:
http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/ ...
tion/item.php?itemid=5363
For Hinduism Today's feature story on the 2012 yatra.
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Posted on 2014/2/21 18:09:05 ( 493 reads )
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He cannot be seen by the eye, and words cannot reveal Him. He cannot be
reached by the senses, or by austerity or sacred actions. By the grace of
wisdom and purity of mind, He can be seen, indivisible, in the silence of
contemplation. This invisible Atman can be seen by the mind wherein the
five senses are resting.
-- Atharva Veda
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Posted on 2014/2/20 18:46:49 ( 498 reads )
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NADI, FIJI, February 19, 2014 (Fiji Times): The first-ever gathering of
Hindus to celebrate their contribution to the country will be held in Nadi
in April. The conference will be held on April 12 and 13 at the Tanoa
International Hotel.
Organisers of the event -- the Vishva Hindu Parishad Fiji or World Hindu
Council of Fiji -- emphasized that the first Fiji National Hindu Conference
was not a religious or philosophical meeting but rather, a community
conference.
The theme is "The contribution of the Hindu community in strengthening
and building Fiji" and it will cover economic, health, environmental,
social and cultural aspects. The conference will provide a platform for all
Hindu organisations, temples and like-minded groups to showcase their
contributions to Fijian society in general and Hindu society in particular.
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Posted on 2014/3/9 18:07:10 ( 261 reads )
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O Mother! Let all my speech be your prayer; let all my crafts and
technology be your worship and be the mystic gestures of my hand, adorning
you. May all my movements become your devotional circumambulations. May
everything I eat or drink be oblations to you. Let my lying down in rest
and sleep be prostrations to you. Mother! Whatever I do, may all that
become a sacramental service and worship for you.
-- Adi Sankaracharya's 'Hymn to the Divine Mother'
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Posted on 2014/3/5 16:19:30 ( 471 reads )
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GILBRALTAR, Marcy 4, 2013 (Gibraltar Chronical): HPI note: This is perhaps
our first-ever story on the Hindu community of Gilbraltar, the British
Overseas Territory located at the south end of Spain's Iberian Peninsula at
the entrance of the Mediterranean. It has 30,000 residents, 1.8% of them
Hindu, in an area of 2.3 square miles.
The Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, yesterday officially
opened the new accessible entrance to the Hindu Temple (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibraltar_Hindu_Temple)
and attended a reception held in his honor. Greeted by former speaker of
Parliament, Haresh Budhrani, and many members of Gibraltar's Hindu
community, Mr. Picardo was joined by Minister for Equality, Samantha Sacramento.
As part of the evening events, Mr Picardo unveiled a plaque and took part
in a Hindu version of cutting the ribbon before he entered the temple. Mr.
Picardo and Ms. Sacramento were welcomed into the temple. An aarti - a
Hindu ritual of worship, where lighted wicks are waved around a person in a
spirit of humility and gratitude - to venerate Mr. Picardo came next before
a garland was draped around his neck. To finish the welcoming Mr. Picardo
lit a lamp. He commented that it was his first time inside the temple and
asked many questions about his unfamiliar surroundings.
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Posted on 2014/3/5 16:19:23 ( 525 reads )
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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, February 28, 2014 (Southern California Public Radio):
Arshya Gurbani, president of USC's Hindu Student Organization, hopes one
day to learn Sanskrit to better connect with her faith. Gurbani, 21, and
the other members of the Hindu Student Organization at USC put their own
modern spin on the ancient practice of aarthi during their weekly meetings.
They play the devotional song "Om Jai Jagdish Hare" on YouTube as
they sing off computer printouts. And coupled with the Hindi songs are
verses in Sanskrit, spelled out phonetically so anyone can follow along.
"Growing up, you don't necessarily know what you're saying, but you
keep saying certain Sanskrit phrases anyways," Gurbani says. "Now
that I'm older, I want to know what it means, and that causes me to look at
it more critically than I would have if it were in English or even in
Hindi."
Hinduism's canon of sacred texts -- such as the epic poem
"Mahabharata" and, within it, the Bhagavad Gita -- is written in
Sanskrit, but few Hindus today can read or speak the language. Many
Hindu-Americans' religious experiences are taught orally by family members
or through translations into modern Indian languages. India's most recent
census numbers reported fewer than 15,000 people identified Sanskrit as
their native tongue.
But despite being the world's oldest language, Sanskrit has survived and
remained largely unchanged due to its preservation within religious and
scholarly studies. And now a resurgence of interest among young Hindus is
pushing this once deemed "dead language" back into the conversation
of what it means to be Hindu.
More at source.
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Posted on 2014/3/5 16:19:17 ( 310 reads )
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It is very important to give light and love to everyone, because everyone
needs affection. Let light, love and peace live today and always in our
hearts. Let these words not just be words pouring out of our lips. Let
light invade your whole being so that everyone may be able to love.
-- Mataji Indra Devi
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Posted on 2014/3/4 17:24:28 ( 709 reads )
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BALI, March 4, 2014 (The Jakarta Post): As Balinese Hindus will observe
Nyepi (the Day of Silence) on March 31, the highest Hindu council on the
island -- Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI) -- has issued guidance
related to the celebration of the Caka New Year 1936. A series of rituals
would be adjusted to the tradition and situation in each desa pakraman
(customary village) on the island. The melasti purification ritual marks
the beginning of Nyepi. In this procession, Hindu adherents will bring
their pretima (sacred objects) to beaches, lakes or springs that are believed
to be sacred, to be cleansed.
After completing melasti, they perform Bhatara Nyejer in the Pura Desa or
Bale Agung, the village's temple, which is followed by Tawur Kesanga, or a
ritual of sacrifice on Sunday, one day before Nyepi. Tawur Kesanga is
carried out at several levels, starting from the highest at the island's
mother temple, Pura Besakih, down to the regencies, villages, hamlets and
households. This ritual is aimed at strengthening relations between humans,
humans and the environment, as well as humans and God.
On the following day, the whole island will turn into a quiet and peaceful
sanctuary as Balinese Hindus observe Nyepi and perform the four abstinences
known as Catur Brata Penyepian. They will abstain from lighting fire or
lights, abstain from work, abstain from traveling outside one's home and
abstain from enjoying leisure activities.
All access to Bali will be closed for the duration of Nyepi and only
hospitals and emergency services will be in operation. Hotels will also
provide suitable activities for their guests. Beaches will also be closed
and tourists are urged to stay inside their respective hotels' compound.
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Posted on 2014/3/4 17:24:13 ( 420 reads )
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MUMBAI, INDIA, March 4, 2014 (Press Release): Chinmaya Mission, Sandeepany
Sadhanalaya, Mumbai opens their 16th Vedanta Course in English.
Applications are invited from University graduates, men and women. They
must be unmarried and free from family encumbrances, with a sincere
interest in the study of Vedanta, a zeal to share the message of the
Rishis, and between ages 20-30 years. The course duration is two years
starting on August 29, 2014. It is free of cost - all accommodation, food,
clothes books and medical care will be provided by Chinmaya Mission.
Application forms are available from http://sandeepany.chinmayamission.com.
The deadline for applications is April 30, 2014.
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Posted on 2014/3/4 17:24:07 ( 275 reads )
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Like treasure hidden in the ground, like flavor in the fruit, like gold in
the rock, and oil in the seed, the Absolute is hidden in the heart.
-- Akka Mahadevi, twelfth-century Vira Saiva saint
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Posted on 2014/3/3 18:25:59 ( 443 reads )
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SRI LANKA, March 1, 2014 (Economist): The end of their bitter war, nearly
five years ago, has done little to unite Sri Lanka's divided communities.
In their modest way, a photographer and an anthropologist are working
together to try bridging the distance that separates the country's two
largest ethnic groups--by showing them how they worship the same Goddess.
The majority, Sinhala-speaking Buddhists, call Her Pattini while the
minority Tamil Hindus name Her Kannaki. For the most part, neither of the
two communities knows that the other reveres Her under a different name.
But their beliefs are deeply syncretic, and point towards a shared history
and traditions.
Sharni Jayawardena, the photographer, and Malathi de Alwis, the
anthropologist, are using this shared background in an attempt to foster
reconciliation. For more than two years they traversed the country
photographing the worship of the Goddess; Her many temples, rituals and
processions.
The result is a captivating collection of images that not only displays the
similarities between the religious practices of the Sinhalese and the
Tamils, but the many variations within their communities. Their work was
shown over two days in the cosmopolitan capital, Colombo. The exhibition is
still to be staged in Jaffna and in Batticaloa. The creators hope it goes
at least a small way towards breaking down the walls of estrangement that
were built up over decades of strife.
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Posted on 2014/3/3 18:25:54 ( 391 reads )
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INDIA, March 3, 2014 (The Hindu): The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam alone
is entitled to use the brand name "Tirupati Laddu," the Madras
High Court has ruled while granting a decree in favor of the TTD on a civil
suit filed against a city-based sweet shop. The TTD had claimed that it had
the Geographical Indications (GI) tag for making Tirupati Laddus which were
being given to pilgrims as prasadam.
Small time vendors as well as well-known big sweet outlets had been selling
laddus using the name of Tirupati. This could mislead people into believing
that the original Tirupati laddus were being sold through these sources.
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Posted on 2014/3/3 18:25:47 ( 290 reads )
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Like the household fire, devotees seek the glory of the Lord even from afar
and enshrine it in their inner chamber for enlightenment. The glory of our
Lord is full of splendor, all-illuminative and worthy to be honored in
every heart.
-- Rig Veda 7.1.2
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Posted on 2014/3/2 18:42:49 ( 410 reads )
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PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINADAD/TOBAGO, March 1, 2014 (Free Press Journal): Away
from fetes, dancing and merry-making as Trinidad and Tobago, the oil-rich Caribbean
republic observes its annual carnival, devout Hindus went to temples and
other public places to observe the annual Sivaratri here February 27.
Thousands of Hindus spent Thursday night in over 400 temples across the
land, offering special jhalls (a mixture of milk, dhai, flowers,
sugar-cane, sweets) to Lord Siva. Scores of temples hosted special Lord
Siva Yagnas, all of which were carried live on several radio stations.
Satnarayan Maharaj led Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, which controls
approximately 80 primary, secondary and pre-schools, were given the day off
from classes.
The observance of Sivaratri was brought by the indentured Indian labourers
who came from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar between 1845 and 1917. Out of a
population of 1.3 million people, some 25 percent people are devout Hindus.
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Posted on 2014/3/2 18:42:37 ( 425 reads )
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CHIDAMBARAM, INDIA, March 1, 2014 (The Hindu): The hallowed precincts of
Lord Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram started reverberating with the 33rd
edition of the Natyanjali festival from Thursday. The five-day event that
would go on till March 3 will feature performances of exponents, drawn from
various parts of the country as well as from abroad, of classical dance
forms such as Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Koodiyattam and Mohiniattam.
Madras High Court Judge Justice V. Ramasubramanian in his chief guest address
said that the "Dance of Lord Nataraja actually portrays the elementary
particles in their eternal and constant dance of creation, preservation and
dissolution." The Judge further said that the parallel between Siva's
dance and the dance of atomic particles was first discussed elaborately by
Fritjof Capra, an Austrian-born American physicist and founding director of
the Centre for Eco Literacy at Berkeley, California, titled "The Dance
of Siva: The Hindu view of matter in the light of modern physics" published
in 1972.
Capra explained the connection between modern physics and eastern
mysticism. Siva's cosmic dance thus became the central metaphor in his
international best-seller "The Tao of Physics," first published
in 1975 and was still in print in over 40 editions around the world. For
the modern physicists the dance of Siva is the dance of subatomic matter.
The Judge also noted that on June 18, 2004, an unusual new landmark was
unveiled at CERN (European Centre for Research in Particle Physics) in Geneva.
"The 2-meter tall statue of Lord Nataraja, given by the Indian
Government, is a dancing Deity representing the cosmic cycle of creation
and dissolution and also depicting the dynamic of subatomic particles, the
basis of creation of the universe that is being researched by physicists
the world over," the Judge said.
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Posted on 2014/3/2 18:42:31 ( 563 reads )
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WASHINGTON, U.S., February 27, 2014 (Top News): A new study, published in
the journal Geology, has suggested that climate change may have contributed
to the decline of a city-dwelling civilization in Pakistan and India 4,100
years ago.
Scientists from the University of Cambridge have demonstrated that an
abrupt weakening of the summer monsoon affected northwest India 4,100 years
ago. The resulting drought coincided with the beginning of the decline of
the metropolis-building Indus Civilisation, which spanned present-day
Pakistan and India, suggesting that climate change could be why many of the
major cities of the civilisation were abandoned.
The research involved the collection of snail shells preserved in the
sediments of an ancient lake bed. By analyzing the oxygen isotopes in the
shells, the scientists were able to tell how much rain fell in the lake
where the snails lived thousands of years ago. Moreover, the finding now
links the decline of the Indus cities to a documented global scale climate
event and its impact on the Old Kingdom in Egypt, the Early Bronze Age
civilisations of Greece and Crete, and the Akkadian Empire in Mesopotamia,
whose decline has previously been linked to abrupt climate change.
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Posted on 2014/3/2 18:42:24 ( 309 reads )
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The boundless ocean of births can be crossed, indeed, but not without
intimate union with Infinity's Holy Feet.
-- Tirukkural
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Posted on 2014/2/27 12:58:02 ( 528 reads )
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KATHMANDU, NEPAL, February 24, 2014 (My Republica): Around five thousands
yogis, santa and mahasanta from India are visiting the Pashupatinath Temple
on the occasion of Mahasivaratri festival this year. The Pashupati Area
Development Trust (PADT) has estimated that around US$141,000 will be spent
for food and accommodation of the saints coming to the temple on
Mahasivaratri including dakshina (financial offering during farewell) to
them. As per age-old tradition, saints from India visit the temple on
Mahasivaratri. The 110-year-old Milanbaba from Kamrup Kamaksha has already
arrived to Pashupatinath to observe the Mahasivaratri.
A clean up of the temple and its premises, Bagmati river and paintings have
been completed. Arrival of saints and temporary installation of
Vaishnawidevi Temple at Banakali are the central attractions for the
devotees visiting the temple on Mahasivaratri. The temple will be open for
the public for homage and pooja on Sivaratri. This year's Mahasivaratri
which is observed with much fanfare by the Hindus as the birthday of Lord
Shiva falls on February 27, Thursday.
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Posted on 2014/3/14 18:34:02 ( 81 reads )
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MUMBAI, INDIA, March 13, 2014 (Mumbai Mirror): With eyes firmly on putting
Siddhivinayak temple on the tourist map, the temple's trust has brought on
board Parsi architect Jimmy Mistry, who designed the much-talked about
Della Tecnica tower in Dadar. Mistry made a presentation on Wednesday
showing how Siddhivinayak temple would look once it is illuminated. The
project will be completed in the next three months.
Mistry has agreed to take up the US$98,000 project and has waived off his
fee. "It is my contribution to Mumbai," said Mistry, adding that
the theme of the temple's lighting will change with the phases of moon.
"We are mostly using shades of yellow, orange and magenta, which will
depict the moods of Ganesha. The automated lights with dimmer panels will
change with full moon, new moon, and special days such as Ganesh Chaturti, Diwali
and other festivals," he added.
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Posted on 2014/3/14 18:33:55 ( 82 reads )
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INDIA, March 14, 2014 (Washington Post): Holi is a spring festival also
known as the festival of colors. It is celebrated at the approach of the
vernal equinox, on the Phalguna Purnima (Full Moon). The festival date
varies every year, per the Hindu calendar, and typically comes in March.
The festival signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring
and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh.
Slide show at source.
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Posted on 2014/3/14 18:33:49 ( 71 reads )
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MINNESOTA, U.S., March 14, 2014 (Farmington Independent): Clouds of colored
powder will serve as an early sign of spring this weekend, even if they're
likely to leave behind more than a few technicolor snowdrifts. The colors
will fly Sunday as part of Minnesota Hindu Milan Mandir's recognition of
Holi, a religious festival held each year to welcome spring.
"It's a growing festival not only in Minnesota, but in all the
states," said Satya Balroop, treasurer at Minnesota Hindu Milan
Mandir, which has been in Farmington for about two years. "We're
really looking forward for this event to share the love and joy with the
people of Minnesota so they can have a better understanding of what we're
all about."
The Holi celebration at Minnesota Hindu Milan Mandir will feature music and
dancing and food for sale, but the most recognizable part of Holi is the
colors. With colored powders and colored water, Holi typically leaves
participants looking like human Easter eggs, covered from head to toe in
pastel shades.
Joys and sorrows are time-born and cannot last. Therefore, do not be
perturbed by these. The greater the difficulties and obstructions, the more
intense will be your endeavor to cling to His feet and the more will your
prayer increase from within. And when the time is ripe, you will gain
mastery over this power.
-- Anandamayi Ma (1896-1982), God-intoxicated Bengali saint
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Posted on 2014/3/13 18:50:11 ( 280 reads )
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INDIA, March 12, 2014 (Daily Mail): These amazing photographs give a whole
new meaning to the phrase "painting the town red." Hindu men and
women have welcomed the beginning of spring by hurling colored powder at
one another during the annual Holi festival in India. The festival is now
one of the biggest in the world. In recent years, it has spread among
non-Hindus in many parts of South-east Asia, as well as to parts of Europe,
North America and Australia. Holi is held every year before spring on the
last full moon day of the lunar month.
Slideshow at source.
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Posted on 2014/3/13 18:50:03 ( 163 reads )
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TIRUPATI, INDIA, March 13, 2014 (The Hindu): The temple city of Tirupati, a
cultural centre and a major pilgrimage destination in southern India, might
be succumbing to a phenomenon common to urban areas. There has been steady
rise in population and the usage of vehicles here, which in turn contribute
to increasing pollution levels of the city, a study by city-based
researchers has revealed.
The presence of eight hazardous air pollutants has been confirmed in the
city's atmosphere, says a research paper authored by Y.V. Rami Reddy,
Associate Professor at Sri Venkateswara University's Department of Chemistry
and P. Muni Nagendra, a scientist at Hyderabad's First Source Laboratory,
pointed out.
Increased construction activities, vehicular emissions, road dust, burning
of wood/biomass, emissions from diesel generators etc., were to blame for
the rising pollutions levels, Prof. Reddy said. "Though some elements
are found in low concentrations, they can exert considerable influence on a
range of health issues and environmental processes," he added.
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Posted on 2014/3/13 18:49:57 ( 182 reads )
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DENPASAR, BALI, January 20, 2014 (Jakarta Post): Dozens of residents in
Kesiman village gathered at the Luhur Dalem Mutering Jagat Temple on Sunday
to preserve the site of worship. They planted at least 1,500 trees provided
by the government and helped conserve water sources in the 12.5 acre area,
carrying shovels, hoes and sickles. There were more than 10 types of
plants, including durian, jackfruit and coconut, and other trees, parts of
which are useful for ceremonial purposes.
"We plan to add 3.5 acres of wooded area through this program,"
said the temple's spiritual leader I Wayan Duana. In addition to greening
the temple area, he said the activity was a start to conserve several water
sources located at the northern side of the temple. To the local people,
the temple is more than just a place of worship, it is also somewhere that
must be protected.
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Posted on 2014/3/13 18:49:50 ( 157 reads )
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It is Divinity that shapes, not only your ends, but also your acts, your
words and thoughts. Your duty is to treat everybody, including yourself, as
a manifestation of the Lord.
-- Swami Sivananda (1887-1963), founder of Divine Life Society, Rishikesh
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Posted on 2014/3/11 15:39:14 ( 313 reads )
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GANDHINAGAR, GUJARAT, March 11, 2014 (by Prof. T. Harinarayana, Director,
GERMI Research Centre): Sri Venkateswara temple on Tirumala Hills, located
near Tirupati town, Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh in India is well
known to be the most sacred place for all Hindus . It has largest number of
visitors compared any other temple in India, perhaps in the world.
Although, there is no clear evidence on the history of its origin, there is
evidence that it has attracted the attention of great kings since the 9th
century ce. The Pallavas of Kanchipuram in 9th century, the Cholas of
Tanjore in 10th and Vijayanagara pradhans during 11 to 14th developed this
temple by adding various facilities for the visitors. For example, it was
not easy in earlier days to visit this temple as it is located in the
middle of a thick forest cover over a hill at an elevation of about 850
meters. Development of the temple included creation of approach paths in
the hilly terrain and addition of other facilities both inside and outside
the temple. Unlike many other Hindu temples, especially in north India,
which are grossly mismanaged with disorderly way, this temple is relatively
well organized.
Realizing the importance of the holy Hindu temple located on Tirumala hills
near Tirupati town of Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh state in India,
and also keeping the safety and comfort of half-a-million people visiting
the temple daily an effective queue system is suggested in the present
study available at "source" above. The salient points of the new
queue system are - 1) to create separate entry and exit gates to the
temple, 2) maintenance of single person queue throughout and 3) introduction
of steps at the nearest location of the God where the persons will have
darshan of the Lord Venkateswara.
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Posted on 2014/3/11 15:39:08 ( 318 reads )
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AUSTIN, TEXAS, March 7, 2014 (New York Times): California is experiencing
one of its worst droughts on record. Just two and a half years ago, Folsom
Lake, a major reservoir outside Sacramento, was at 83 percent capacity.
Today it's down to 36 percent. In January, there was no measurable rain in
downtown Los Angeles. Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency.
President Obama has pledged $183 million in emergency funding. The
situation, despite last week's deluge in Southern California, is dire.
With California producing nearly half of the fruit and vegetables grown in
the United States, attention has naturally focused on the water required to
grow popular foods such as walnuts, broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes,
strawberries, almonds and grapes. These crops are the ones that a recent
report in the magazine Mother Jones highlighted as being unexpectedly water
intensive. Who knew, for example, that it took 5.4 gallons to produce a
head of broccoli, or 3.3 gallons to grow a single tomato? This information
about the water footprint of food products -- that is, the amount of water
required to produce them -- is important to understand, especially for a
state that dedicates about 80 percent of its water to agriculture.
But for those truly interested in lowering their water footprint, those
numbers pale next to the water required to fatten livestock. A 2012 study
in the journal Ecosystems by Mesfin M. Mekonnen and Arjen Y. Hoekstra, both
at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, tells an important story. Beef
turns out to have an overall water footprint of roughly four million
gallons per ton produced (that's 2,000 gallons per pound!). By contrast,
the water footprint for "sugar crops" like sugar beets is about
52,000 gallons per ton; for vegetables it's 85,000 gallons per ton; and for
starchy roots it's about 102,200 gallons per ton.
That said, a single plant is leading California's water consumption.
Unfortunately, it's a plant that's not generally cultivated for humans:
alfalfa. Grown on over a million acres in California, alfalfa sucks up more
water than any other crop in the state. And it has one primary destination:
cattle. Increasingly popular grass-fed beef operations typically rely on
alfalfa as a supplement to pasture grass. Alfalfa hay is also an integral
feed source for factory-farmed cows, especially those involved in dairy
production.
If Californians were eating all the beef they produced, one might write off
alfalfa's water footprint as the cost of nurturing local food systems. But
that's not what's happening. Californians are sending their alfalfa, and
thus their water, to Asia. The reason is simple. It's more profitable to
ship alfalfa hay from California to China than from the Imperial Valley to
the Central Valley. Alfalfa growers are now exporting some 100 billion
gallons of water a year from this drought-ridden region to the other side
of the world in the form of alfalfa. All as more Asians are embracing the
American-style, meat-hungry diet.
It's understandable for concerned consumers to feel helpless in the face of
these complex industrial and global realities. But in the case of
agriculture and drought, there's a clear and accessible action most
citizens can take: reducing or, ideally, eliminating the consumption of
animal products. Changing one's diet to replace 50 percent of animal
products with edible plants like legumes, nuts and tubers results in a 30
percent reduction in an individual's food-related water footprint. Going
vegetarian, a better option in many respects, reduces that water footprint
by almost 60 percent.
It's seductive to think that we can continue along our carnivorous route,
even in this era of climate instability. The environmental impact of cattle
in California, however, reminds us how mistaken this idea is coming to seem.
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Posted on 2014/3/11 15:39:01 ( 194 reads )
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All this universe is in the glory of God, of Siva, the God of love. The
heads and faces of men are His own, and He is in the hearts of all.
-- Krishna Yajur Veda, Svetasvatara Upanishad 3.11
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Posted on 2014/3/10 18:50:00 ( 288 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 2014/3/10 18:50:00 ( 365 reads )
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U.S., February 25, 2014 (Maria Wirth Blog): Is Hindutva really different
from Hindu Dharma and dangerous? Or have those, which coined the term, an
interest in making it look like that? No doubt, Hindutva has a bad name in
the eyes of many, in spite of the ruling of the Supreme Court in 1995:
"Hindutva is indicative more of the way of life of the Indian people.
...Considering Hindutva as hostile, inimical, or intolerant of other
faiths, or as communal proceeds from an improper appreciation of its true
meaning." I would like to explain from a personal angle, why I came to
the conclusion that it is indeed 'an improper appreciation of its true
meaning,' when Hindutva is branded as communal and dangerous.
For the full discussion, see 'source' above.
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Posted on 2014/3/10 18:50:00 ( 292 reads )
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ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN, March 10, 2014 (Daily Times): Armed men have burnt
down a yoga center in Islamabad inaugurated by a world famous Indian Hindu
guru who once offered to teach inner peace to the Taliban, police said on
Sunday. The Art of Living center was torched on Saturday night in the
upmarket Bani Gala suburb of the capital. It was the Pakistan branch of an
international non-government organisation founded by Nobel peace prize
nominee Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, described by Forbes magazine in 2009 as the
fifth most powerful person in India.
Nayyer Salim, a police official told AFP some eight to nine people were involved
in the attack. "The watchman told us that some eight to nine men armed
with pistols and guns came and asked for money. Then they tied up three
employees on duty and spread petrol," he said. The staff members
survived the attack, police said.
Shahnaz Minallah, the Pakistan co-chair of Art of Living who was in Lahore
at the time of the arson confirmed the incident but declined to comment
further until she reached the site. Police said the motive behind the
incident was not yet clear but they were investigating whether it was
related to the center's connection with India.
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Posted on 2014/3/9 18:07:23 ( 333 reads )
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OHIO, US, March 5, 2014 (Toledo Blade): For the third time recently, an
acquisition by the Toledo Museum of Art is the subject of a federal probe.
The museum was contacted just over a week ago by the U.S. Justice
Department regarding a bronze figure it purchased from Subhash Kapoor, a
second-generation antiques dealer and owner of Art of the Past Gallery in
New York City. He is facing trial in India on charges of illegal
exportation, conspiracy, and forgery.
The investigation is in its very early stages, Kelly Garrow, communications
director for TMA, said, adding that the museum will cooperate fully.
"At the time of consideration, the museum received a provenance
affidavit, and the curator personally spoke to the listed previous
owner," the statement says. "The object was also run through the
Art Loss Registry with no issues detected."
Questioned is a bronze statue of the Hindu Deity Ganesh, known as the
Ganesha, on display in the Asian Sculpture Gallery. The museum acquired the
figure in 2006 from Mr. Kapoor. A New York Times report says the museum
bought the Ganesha for $245,000.
The museum has not been asked to turn over the Ganesha, which closely
resembles a figure listed as stolen in an Indian police report. The item is
one of 18 metal Deities missing from a village in Tamil Nadu, a state in
southeast India. The museum's Web site says the Indian police department
sent the museum copies of the report along with photos of the looted goods
in July.
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Posted on 2014/3/9 18:07:17 ( 328 reads )
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BRUCEVILLE, TEXAS, March 5, 2014 (Press Release by H. Venkatachalam): In
the vast and enormous collection of Hindu texts, there is a group of Vedic
writings known as the "Aranyakas." The texts are known for their
mystical quality, often referring to less commonly understood or performed
rituals and expounding on various philosophical concepts. The very word
"Aranyaka" means belonging to the wilderness, and has often been
interpreted to refer to "forests." The texts themselves are
believed to be inspired by those who left civilization to discover deeper
spiritual truths. Anyone who has gone camping or hiking can appreciate how
being in the wilderness taps into an awareness; a keener understanding of one's
self and the world we inhabit. Thoreau had Walden Pond, Rama had his
sojourn away from Ayodhya, and in not so different of a manner, Hindu
Students Association has its annual retreat in Bruceville, Texas: Gateway.
This year's Gateway occurred on the weekend of February 7th through
February 9th. This was the fourth Gateway the Hindu Students Association
had organized. Satguru Bodhinathaswami and Senthilnathaswami, from Kauai's
Hindu Monastery, launched the conference with a prayer to Ganesha. From memory,
most of the attendees, numbering up to 80 individuals from all across the
country, joined in to recite the sacred prayers.
This is what Gateway was envisioned to be when Hindu Students Association
created this annual retreat. It was an opportunity for Hindus to experience
and learn about the different shades and intricacies of their faith: Yoga
sessions helped shape Hindu values of physical and mental health, campfires
underlined the importance of camaraderie, and intimate discussions in
smaller group settings allowed for spiritual growth. Gateway is, however,
more than just a spiritual retreat. It is an opportunity for attendees to
learn skills for personal and professional development as well. Ruchita
Naik, National Vice-President, explained that "This year's Gateway was
different from previous years' in that it included more leadership
presentations and gave attendees, most whom are still students, windows of
opportunity to grow professionally after college."
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Posted on 2014/3/9 18:07:10 ( 292 reads )
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O Mother! Let all my speech be your prayer; let all my crafts and
technology be your worship and be the mystic gestures of my hand, adorning
you. May all my movements become your devotional circumambulations. May
everything I eat or drink be oblations to you. Let my lying down in rest
and sleep be prostrations to you. Mother! Whatever I do, may all that
become a sacramental service and worship for you.
-- Adi Sankaracharya's 'Hymn to the Divine Mother'
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Posted on 2014/3/5 16:19:30 ( 510 reads )
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GILBRALTAR, Marcy 4, 2013 (Gibraltar Chronical): HPI note: This is perhaps
our first-ever story on the Hindu community of Gilbraltar, the British
Overseas Territory located at the south end of Spain's Iberian Peninsula at
the entrance of the Mediterranean. It has 30,000 residents, 1.8% of them
Hindu, in an area of 2.3 square miles.
The Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, yesterday officially
opened the new accessible entrance to the Hindu Temple (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibraltar_Hindu_Temple)
and attended a reception held in his honor. Greeted by former speaker of
Parliament, Haresh Budhrani, and many members of Gibraltar's Hindu
community, Mr. Picardo was joined by Minister for Equality, Samantha
Sacramento.
As part of the evening events, Mr Picardo unveiled a plaque and took part
in a Hindu version of cutting the ribbon before he entered the temple. Mr.
Picardo and Ms. Sacramento were welcomed into the temple. An aarti - a
Hindu ritual of worship, where lighted wicks are waved around a person in a
spirit of humility and gratitude - to venerate Mr. Picardo came next before
a garland was draped around his neck. To finish the welcoming Mr. Picardo
lit a lamp. He commented that it was his first time inside the temple and
asked many questions about his unfamiliar surroundings.
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Posted on 2014/3/5 16:19:23 ( 569 reads )
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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, February 28, 2014 (Southern California Public Radio):
Arshya Gurbani, president of USC's Hindu Student Organization, hopes one
day to learn Sanskrit to better connect with her faith. Gurbani, 21, and
the other members of the Hindu Student Organization at USC put their own
modern spin on the ancient practice of aarthi during their weekly meetings.
They play the devotional song "Om Jai Jagdish Hare" on YouTube as
they sing off computer printouts. And coupled with the Hindi songs are
verses in Sanskrit, spelled out phonetically so anyone can follow along.
"Growing up, you don't necessarily know what you're saying, but you
keep saying certain Sanskrit phrases anyways," Gurbani says. "Now
that I'm older, I want to know what it means, and that causes me to look at
it more critically than I would have if it were in English or even in
Hindi."
Hinduism's canon of sacred texts -- such as the epic poem
"Mahabharata" and, within it, the Bhagavad Gita -- is written in
Sanskrit, but few Hindus today can read or speak the language. Many
Hindu-Americans' religious experiences are taught orally by family members
or through translations into modern Indian languages. India's most recent
census numbers reported fewer than 15,000 people identified Sanskrit as
their native tongue.
But despite being the world's oldest language, Sanskrit has survived and
remained largely unchanged due to its preservation within religious and
scholarly studies. And now a resurgence of interest among young Hindus is
pushing this once deemed "dead language" back into the
conversation of what it means to be Hindu.
More at source.
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Posted on 2014/3/5 16:19:17 ( 329 reads )
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It is very important to give light and love to everyone, because everyone
needs affection. Let light, love and peace live today and always in our
hearts. Let these words not just be words pouring out of our lips. Let light
invade your whole being so that everyone may be able to love.
-- Mataji Indra Devi
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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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