(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)
CHENNAI, INDIA, JUNE 3, 2014 (Hindustan Times): National Award winning art
director Thota Tharani has played Swami Chinmayananda, a Hindu spiritual
leader who inspired the formation of Chinmaya Mission, in an upcoming
English documentary The Quest, scheduled to release in August.
R.S. Prasanna of Tamil comedy Kalyana Samayal Saadam fame has directed the
film, which is currently in its post-production stage. "When you do a
biopic of a character that has lived in the recent memory, it's difficult
to find someone who can act as well as physically resemble that person.
When we were discussing this with my team, my costume designer Preethi, who
worked as an assistant to Thota Tharani, suggested his name," Prasanna
said. "She told us he looks exactly like Chinmayananda. Two days
later, I was at his office and he agreed to do the film without any
remuneration. He said he's doing so because it's for a spiritual
purpose," he said.
Prasanna says Hollywood filmmaker Martin Scorsese was his biggest
inspiration behind this project. "I was inspired by Scorsese's The
Last Temptation of Christ and Kundun. Here was a director who was not known
for his spiritual leanings, yet he made these two wonderful films. That
influenced me a lot and in a way I saw these two films in this
project," Prasanna said.
UNITED STATES, June 4, 2014 (Washington Post): Christianity is by far the
largest religion in the United States; more than three-quarters of
Americans identify as Christians. A little more than half identify as
Protestants, about 23 percent as Catholic and about 2 percent as Mormon.
But what about the rest of us? In the Western U.S., Buddhists represent the
largest non-Christian religious bloc in most states. In 20 states, mostly
in the Midwest and South, Islam is the largest non-Christian faith
tradition. And in 15 states, mostly in the Northeast, Judaism has the most
followers after Christianity. Hindus come in second place in Arizona and
Delaware, and there are more practitioners of the Baha'i faith in South
Carolina than anyone else.
All these data come from the Association of Statisticians of American
Religious Bodies, which conducts a U.S. Religion Census every 10 years.
Correcting oneself is correcting the whole world. The sun is simply bright.
It does not correct anyone. Because it shines, the whole world is full of
light. Transforming yourself is a means of giving light to the whole world.
-- Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950)
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, June 6, 2014 (Scoop): Plans to make grieving
families seek permission before scattering the ashes of loved ones and
charge them for the privilege need to be reconsidered, Labour's Ethnic
Affairs spokesperson Phil Goff says. "Auckland Council's proposals
seem heavy handed, unnecessary and bureaucratic. There has been
insufficient consultation with the public and in particular with ethnic
communities before proposing the restrictions. Nor has the council made a
solid case for why the restrictions are necessary."
"There are no health considerations because cremations are carried out
at 800 degree temperatures and families almost always conduct the
scattering of their loved ones ashes with care and consideration. "The
last thing we want to impose on grieving families are bureaucratic
procedures, long time delays and additional expenses."
"I have also been made aware of another important and unnecessary
restriction of preventing more than two people attending the placing of the
casket in the cremator. This cuts across Indian Hindu cultural tradition
where all the deceased's male children are normally involved."
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, June 4, 2014 (Malay Mail Online): Selangor Islamic
authorities interfered with the affairs of other religions when it raided a
Hindu temple to probe a bride-to-be it suspected was Muslim, Malaysia's
largest interfaith group said. Jagir Singh, the president of the Malaysian
Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and
Taoism (MCCBCHST), described the Selangor Islamic Religious Department
(JAIS)'s actions in this case as "high-handed" and lacking in
"understanding."
Last Sunday, JAIS stopped a Hindu wedding ceremony in a Shah Alam temple
after it received a tip-off that the 32-year-old bride named Zarena Abdul
Majid is a Muslim. Jagir also pointed out that the wedding was not a
ceremony to propagate non-Muslim faith to a Muslim and not in breach of the
state enactment cited as the basis for the enforcement. He questioned why
JAIS had chosen to "barge into a wedding" when the department
could have taken action after the ceremony was over.
JAIS maintains that it did not raid the Hindu temple, insisting that it
merely conducted a routine check and had followed procedure by summoning
Zarena to its headquarters to assist in investigations. Although JAIS said
it is investigating the case under Section 10 of the Shariah Criminal
Enactment (Selangor) 1995 for insulting or bringing disrepute to Islam,
Jagir pointed out that the state law was only applicable to Muslims.
According to Schedule 9 of the Federal Constitution, JAIS only has
jurisdiction over individuals professing the religion of Islam, but Jagir
argued that Zarena has been a practising Hindu since birth and was
allegedly converted to Islam illegally.
She has gone to the National Registration Department (NRD) twice -- in 2007
and 2013 -- to change the details of her religious status in her
identification card. Yesterday, local daily Harian Metro reported JAIS
deputy director Ahmad Zaki Arshad as advising Zarena to appoint a lawyer
and apply with the Shariah court to change her name and religious status.
But Jagir said the move was not without possible complications. Appearing
before the Shariah Court would be akin to Zarena "in fact admitting
she's a Muslim," he asserted. Instead, Zarena should go to the civil
courts and "apply for a High Court order to say she has always been a
practising Hindu," said Jagir, who is also a lawyer.
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, June 6, 2014 (The Malay Mail): Officers who
interrupted a Hindu wedding Sunday will be disciplined if found to have
violated its code of conduct, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department
(JAIS) said. The state Islamic agency said it is investigating fully the
controversy in which its religious enforcers had gatecrashed a marriage
ceremony at a Hindu temple in Taman Sri Aman, Petaling Jaya last weekend
and taken away the bride who had a Muslim name.
"In a series of top management meetings, officers have been told that
they must first notify and get approval from their superiors in JAIS and
the state exco before carrying out any enforcement action in religious
places outside of Islam," said the statement, issued yesterday.
"The Selangor Islamic Religious Department views this matter seriously
and will not hesitate to take the necessary action against any officer
found guilty and were insubordinate," the statement added.
JAIS' statement came hot on the heels of an order by the Selangor
government to help the allegedly Muslim bride, Zarinah Abdul Majid, change
her religious status from Muslim to Hindu. Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri
Khalid Ibrahim said JAIS had already been ordered "to assist her in
resolving the matter," since she has never been a practising Muslim.
Khalid said it was not proper for state religious authorities to have
barged in and stopped the wedding ceremony.
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
DEHRADUN, INDIA, May 31, 2014 (The Hindu): Chief Minister Harish Rawat, on
Saturday, said that the first and second phases of reconstruction work
shall begin in the Kedarnath Valley in the coming week. Suggesting that the
State government would want to make the Char Dham yatra a year-long yatra,
Mr. Rawat said that the priest community of the four shrines of Badrinath,
Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri shall be consulted to change the yatra
from six months to the one that continues throughout the year.
Mr. Rawat visited Kedarnath on Friday. On Saturday he addressed the media
to present the reconstruction measures that would be taken in Kedarnath
Valley. "The Mandakini and the Saraswati rivers that have changed
course after the June 2013 deluge, shall be channelized to their original
course," he said adding that the Nehru Institute Of Mountaineering
(NIM) and the State Irrigation Department would be the agencies responsible
for the channelization of the rivers.
Channelization and flood protection works shall be done in the first phase
of reconstruction. The Public Works Department and the Irrigation
Department shall be the agencies responsible for the flood protection
works, he said. Mr. Rawat said, "Two protection walls - an outer wall
and an inner wall - shall be built near the Kedarnath shrine. While the
outer wall will protect the temple from any floods from the side of the
Chorabari glacier, the inner wall will be constructed near the Divya Shila
(divine rock), which is a large boulder placed a few metres from the
shrine." He suggested that projects like ropeway, electric cars, alternative
routes, and betterment of 24 kilometer bridle path to Kedarnath, were being
worked on.
Mexico City, June 1, 2014, (OEM): At exactly 8:30 am, families, couples,
young cyclists and children gathered at the fountain of the Glorieta Diana
on Paseo de la Reforma to participate in a yoga session outdoors, sponsored
by the Government of the Federal District, through the Institute of Sport
(Indeporte), held every Sunday as part of the strategy for promoting physical
activation since February this year. With breathing exercises and
stretching attendees halted en route to join this free class, learned more
of this discipline that encompasses exercise of body, mind and contributes
to a better state of consciousness and peace.
In today's class government officials attended the city as Government
Secretary, Hector Serrano Cortes, who said that in addition to classes,
this discipline helps care for other aspects to improve our health, such as
food, which in set results in a better quality of life. Guadalupe Villegas
Juarez, who moved from the State of Mexico to take part in this session
said the Mass Yoga Class "is well taught, especially for people who
are beginners, then give instructions slowly."
With actions like this , Paseo Reforma Avenue Sunday has become one of the
most successful strategies of city government in physical activation and
yoga bet on the overall health of the public, in addition to promoting
coexistence.
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
ONTARIO, CANADA, May 29, 2014 (Caledon Enterprise): When his father died
more than 15 years ago, Hindu priest Pandit Roopnauth Sharma took his ashes
down to Lake Ontario. Sharma looked around, made sure no one was watching
and placed them in the water. “I realized there was a lot that was wrong
with that,” recalls the spiritual leader of Mississauga’s Ram Mandir Hindu
temple and president of the Hindu Federation. Not having a proper place to
scatter the ashes - a sacred ritual for Hindus and Sikhs - was “very
stressful and very painful.” That prompted the federation to work with
community members, conservation authorities and government officials,
resulting in the provincial guidelines of 2009 allowing ashes to be
scattered on Ontario’s Crown land and water. Now, the Hindu Federation
plans to ask Mississauga and Oakville to erect signs and create designated
areas for the scattering of ashes along Lake Ontario. Signs would prevent
curious onlookers from asking what’s going on or saying it’s not permitted.
Plus, it would alleviate discomfort some Hindu families have. That’s just
one of many examples of how the Greater Toronto Area’s ever-evolving
demographics are redefining how we handle our dead. Hospitals now allow
Buddhists to stay by the bedside of deceased loved ones, chanting prayers
to help the spirit leave the body. Interfaith couples can be buried
together. And cemetery operators have turned to Feng Shui masters for
advice on positioning graves. Years ago this would have been unheard of.
But now, a concerted effort is being made to accommodate cultural and
religious needs for final disposition in a region that’s among the most
ethnically diverse in the world. At Mount Pleasant Group (MPG), funeral
homes have units for burning oils and ghee during Hindu services; and they
set up a table during Buddhist services for relatives to leave the deceased
offerings, such as vegetarian food, fruit and tea. In recent decades,
there’s been a steady increase in cremation rates - today it’s about 60 per
cent in Ontario. In part, this has been driven by immigration - many
Buddhists choose cremation and it’s required of Hindus and Sikhs. Because
Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists must witness the cremation, MPG is upgrading
its four crematoriums, from small industrial-like spaces to areas that
comfortably accommodate large groups. Often, the oldest son — or next of
kin — begins the cremation process as tradition stipulates. Much more at
source.
AUSTRALIA, May 30, 2014 (Gizmodo): Even a building as famous and
photographed as Angkor Wat has its secrets. With the help of an image enhancement
algorithm, a sharp-eyed rock-art researcher has revealed that unassuming
smears of pigment are actually faded drawings. It could be graffiti - or it
could be the remnants of a concerted 16th century restoration program. Noel
Hidalgo Tan, a rock-art researcher from Australia, was working on an
excavation at Angkor Wat in 2010 when bits of the red pigment caught his
eye. He took some photos with a bright flash. Then he put his photos
through through decorrelation stretch analysis, which exaggerate the color
contrast. The technique is commonly used to enhance rock art as well as
NASA’s Opportunity Rover’s Martian landscapes. All of a sudden, monkeys,
elephants, boats and buildings leapt out from the walls. Tan eventually
found 200 of these paintings all over the temple. Most of the paintings
appear haphazardly, most likely the handiwork of early pilgrims. But one
particular stretch on the highest tier in Angkor Wat’s central tower
features elaborate scenes with musical instruments and people on horseback.
These scenes may be more deliberate attempts to redecorate the temple when
it transitioned from a Hindu temple to a Buddhist pilgrimage site, says
Tan.
You may develop a thousand virtues and be reckoned as the greatest in the
land. But the lotus of your heart will not blossom until you receive the
grace of the Guru, the grace of God!
-- Dada Sadhu Vaswani
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN, June 16, 2014 (The Express Tribune): The two-storey
Krishna Mandir, nestled in a bustling market in Rawalpindi, welcomes
worshipers with a small cage-like gate and a guard. As the only place of
worship for more than 3,000 Hindus in the twin cities, the temple
management always struggles to fulfill the water requirement for regular
worshipers.
In October 2012, the ETPB made an allocation of US$5,000 for the
rehabilitation of the temple, but, the funds never came through. The
allocation was meant for boring a well for regular supply of water, but,
two years on, no work could be initiated. "There is nothing extravagant
about this temple. It's a humble building with minimal visual appeal. Our
demand is to have some basic amenities such as water," Pakistan
Hindu-Sikh Social Welfare Council President Jagmohan Kumar Arora told The
Express Tribune.
He said that there were no set timings for water supply, and the wait can
be as long as two to three days. "We store water, not knowing when
will be blessed with it again," said Arora.
ETPB Shrines Deputy Secretary Azhar Sulehri said funds have been allocated
for renovation and repair of shrines across Pakistan. He said that while
renovations were done regularly, minorities were also given funds on
special occasions such as Diwali and Holi for the maintenance work. While
acknowledging the problems at the temple, Sulheri said a tender for the
project was advertised thrice, but got no response. He said that according
to the law, if a project did not get a response against the tender, then
the government can move to take it on with special instructions. He said
the ETPB chairman recently approved a water boring project for the temple
and work on the project will begin in a few months.
At the same time, Arora said that while sending in regular requests for a
follow-up, government teams occasionally turns up at the temple with
assurance that the requests will be entertained. "It's been two years
and nothing has been done."
FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA, June 17, 2014 (World Hindu Council of America): Hindu
Mandir Priests' Conference (HMPC) grew out of the Hindu Mandir Executives'
Conference (HMEC). The mission of HMEC is to provide leadership to the
Hindu-American community by promoting program activities to nourish,
protect and sustain Hindu Dharma in North America through Hindu Temples.
The 3rd HMPC was hosted by Durga Temple, Fairfax Station, VA, from May 29 -
30, 2014.
Over 30 Pundits and 50 adult and youth delegates, representing more than 25
Mandirs and Hindu organizations, attended this year's conference. The Theme
of the conference was "Role of Temple Priests in 21st Century."
The conference was organized into 7 sessions, and the topics were
consistent with the HMPC's objective: Sustainability and Advancement of
Sanatana Dharma by making the modes of worship meaningful and relevant for
the younger generation of Hindus. The seven sessions were: Inaugural
Session, Bal Samskaras, Open Forum, Priests-Management-Devotees, Roles of
Priests not associated with Mandir and other Topics, Education &
Training, and Concluding Session.
Deep Prajjwalan, Sri Ganesha Atharvashirsha by all priests formally opened
the conference. The convener, Sant Gupta and the President of Executive
Board of Durga Temple, Srilekha Palle delivered the welcome address and
conference goals and objectives. Ekatmata Mantra led by Abhaya Asthana
followed by Vandana by Durga BalGokulam Children led by Madhuri Prasad set
the tone for the rest of conference. Emcee for the evening was Navin
Kadakia of Pittsburgh thanked The World Hindu Council of America (VHP of
America) for providing the leadership for such an important event.
You may turn your bones to fuel, your flesh to meat, letting them roast and
sizzle in the gold-red blaze of severe austerities. But unless your heart
melts in love's sweet ecstacy, you never can possess my Lord Siva, my
treasure-trove.
-- Tirumantiram Verse 272
BHUBANESWAR, INDIA, June 15, 2014 (Odisha Today): The Govardhan Peeth, the
seat of Puri Shankaracharya, today slammed the Odisha Government for not
imposing a blanket ban on devotees climbing chariots during Lord
Jagannath's Rath Yatra and demanded to reconsider its decision. "The
state government should reconsider its decision and impose a complete ban
during the entire festival. No decision should be taken in a haste,"
the official spokesman of Govardhan Peeth Manoj Kumar Rath said here.
Stating that the government's decision leaves ample scope for priests and
servitors to allow devotees to climb on the chariots and touch the Deities,
Rath appealed people to raise their voice to protest the move. In absence
of Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, Rath along with Govardhan
Peeth Council chairman Amiya Kumar Mohapatra and Biswamber Das,
Vice-President of Mukti Mandap Pandit Sabha of Sri Jagannth Temple,
rejected the state government's decision of allowing the devotees to climb
the chariots and touching the Deities.
SIERRA LEONE, AFRICA, June 12, 2014 (BBC): Sierra Leone may not be the kind
of place you expect to find yoga. But thanks to a group called Yoga
Stretch, it is becoming increasingly popular. The organization is headed by
Tamba Fayia, once a child soldier in Sierra Leone's civil war, who in 2012
became the country's first qualified yoga teacher. He says yoga transformed
his life.
While Sierra Leone has long been at peace, many still suffer the mental
effects of its 11-year civil war. With just one psychiatrist and poor
mental health facilities in the country, Mr. Fayia wants to use yoga to
help them, as well as ordinary people, overcome their trauma and stress.
BHUBANESWAR, INDIA, June 11, 2014 (Orissa Diary): Devotees cannot climb on
the huge chariots during Ratha Yatra. As it's a sensitive matter further
consultations are going on. This was announced by the Law minister, Arun
Sahoo. The minister also said that the decision applies not just on Rath
Yatra day, but also on Bahuda Yatra (return car festival) and Suna Besha
(golden attire). However, the minister refused to come up with a concrete
rule on the issue of touching the devotees. "It is a highly sensitive
issue and needs wider consultation with all stakeholders", he said.
Daitapati Niyog leader Ramakrushna Mohapatra spoke to reporters after the
meeting and expressed his approval of the government's proposal. "We
have accepted the state government's proposal of not allowing the devotees
to climb chariots on three days- Rath Yatra day, Bahuda and Suna Vesha from
the security point of view. But, the practice of devotees mounting to
chariots after they reach destination will continue," he said.
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, June 11, 2014 (India West): Calif. -- Gods,
demi-gods, demons, giant ogres, birds and monkeys garbed in splendid
bejeweled Indian wear with gilded headdresses and crowns created a vivid
spectacle at the opening weekend of the 36th annual production of the epic
"Ramayana!" presented here by the students of Mount Madonna
School. This portrayal of the epic at San Jose's Mexican Heritage Theater
June 6, 7 and 8 was a wonderful amalgam of dance, music and drama.
An agile cast of more than 200 students accompanied by a choir and
musicians brought this lyrical and engaging over 2,600-year old story to
life, taking the audience -- among whom were many Indian Americans -- from
the kingdom of Ayodhya to the isle of Lanka.
The show, which means to capture the essence of this ancient Indian epic,
opens with a narration by Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and a traditional
invocation to Goddess Saraswati. It revolves around the life and times of
Rama, the beloved prince of Ayodhya, beginning with his marriage ceremony
with princess Sita, his banishment from the kingdom on the eve of his
enthronement, and his trials as he endures exile and the kidnapping of his
wife Sita.
"I am coming here for the first time because I want my daughter to see
this. I grew up in India and my parents used to take me to watch Ramayana.
My daughter has not seen anything like this before so it's a perfect
opportunity for her," said Ramneek, who came from Danville to watch
the show. "The thing that blows my mind is that somewhere in
California, this is being done for the last 35 years. As a school
production it is just remarkable. The kids' performances along with the
setup and costumes are just amazing," said Nalin, a San Jose native
who came to the show with friends and family.
BHUBANESWAR, INDIA, June, 10, 2014 (by PTI): With this year's Rath Yatra
festival slated for June 29 fast approaching, the controversy triggered by
the suggestion of a ban on the devotees of Lord Jagannath climbing over the
chariots as they are pulled is yet to be resolved. Devotees are at present
allowed by the pandas to mount the chariots of the three Deities of Lord
Balabhadra, Lord Jagannath and Devi Subhadra, often resulting in chaos.
The controversy surfaced in 2011 following a clash between priests and the
police over allowing people on top of the chariots. Taking up the incident
seriously, the temple administration sought the views of Shankaracharya,
who is considered the chief of the decision-making body of the 12th century
shrine. The seer was asked to suggest to the SJTA whether non-Hindus can
also climb the chariots and touch the deities. The practice has been
decried by the Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati and king
Divyasingha Deb, who described it as Mahapap (great sin). The Sri Jagannath
Temple Managing Committee, headed by Gajapati king Divyasingha Deb, has
endorsed the ban recommended by the Puri seer.
The Daitapati priests argue that as the very nomenclature of the Lord
suggests that He is Jagannath, the master of the universe, there should be
no ban on the people cutting across religions, castes and creed, from
climbing the chariots and touching the deities during the festival. Eminent
Sanskrit scholar and vice-chancellor of Rastriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth,
Tirupati, Harekrushna Satpathy says: "It is in fact a sin to touch
Lord Jaganath as he is the Brahma. Keeping in view growing threat to Hindu
Dhams, former director general of police, Odisha, Gopal Nanda said:
"If not for the state of religion, the people should help the
administration by not climbing the chariots and touching the Deities for
security point of view. However, the daitapati priests feel that there is a
conspiracy to debar devotees from touching the Lord and climbing the
chariot.
UNITED KINGDOM, 05 June, 2014 (by Sarah Knapton, The Telegraph): A person's
entire immune system can be rejuvenated by fasting for as little as three
days as it triggers the body to start producing new white blood cells, a
study suggest. Researchers say fasting "flips a regenerative
switch" which prompts stem cells to create brand new white blood
cells.Although fasting diets have been criticized by nutritionists for
being unhealthy, new research suggests starving the body kick-starts stem
cells into producing new white blood cells, which fight off infection.
Scientists at the University of Southern California say the discovery could
be particularly beneficial for people suffering from damaged immune
systems, such as cancer patients on chemotherapy. It could also help the
elderly whose immune system becomes less effective as they age, making it
harder for them to fight off even common disease. "It gives the 'OK'
for stem cells to go ahead and begin proliferating and rebuild the entire
system," said Prof Valter Longo, Professor of Gerontology and the
Biological Sciences at the University of California.
Prolonged fasting forces the body to use stores of glucose and fat but also
breaks down a significant portion of white blood cells. Scientists found
that prolonged fasting also reduced the enzyme PKA, which is linked to
aging and a hormone which increases cancer risk and tumor growth. "We
could not predict that prolonged fasting would have such a remarkable
effect in promoting stem cell-based regeneration of the hematopoietic
system," added Prof Longo. However, some British experts were
skeptical of the research. Dr Graham Rook, emeritus professor of immunology
at University College London, said the study sounded
"improbable."
Chris Mason, Professor of Regenerative Medicine at UCL, said: "I have
received emails from hundreds of cancer patients who have combined chemo
with fasting, many with the assistance of the oncologists. Thus far the
great majority have reported doing very well and only a few have reported
some side effects including fainting and a temporary increase in liver
markers. Clearly we need to finish the clinical trials, but it looks very
promising."
There is something beyond our mind which abides in silence within our mind.
It is the supreme mystery beyond thought. Let one's mind and one's subtle
body rest upon that and not rest on anything else.
-- Maitri Upanishad
KOTA KINABALU, BORNEO, June 9, 2014 (The Borneo Post): Close to a thousand
Hindu followers spent yesterday at the Sri Pasupathinath Temple in Bukit
Padang here to celebrate the Maha Kumbabishegam. The consecration ceremony
is celebrated at all Hindu temples in the world once in every 12 years. It
is a form of ceremony to celebrate the cleansing or renovation of the
temple, in this case, the Sri Pasupathunath temple, which underwent
renovation and repairs that began last year in preparation for this
ceremony yesterday.
"With the allocation of US$15,625 from the State Government for this
ceremony alone, and with additional funds obtained from donations, we were
able to make this ceremony a success," president of Sri Pasupathinath
Temple, Datuk Dr. K. Mathavan said, adding that he was very happy with the
turnout of the followers yesterday. "I hope that with the new look and
new vibration of this temple, it will attract more believers to come for
the prayer and worship rituals," Mathavan said.
The main highlights of the event were the pouring of sacred water to
sanctify the newly-renovated temple and the raining down of 150 kgs
(330lbs) of flowers from two helicopters onto the temple.
INDIA, June 8, 2014 (by Venugopala Reddy, The Hindu): Every day, thousands
of devout Vaishnavas from all over the world return disappointed and
frustrated from the ghats in Braj mandal, the land of Sri Krishna-Radha,
when they see the miserable condition of the Yamuna river, stinking and
rotting with pollutants, dead fish and toxins flowing down from upstream
industrial clusters in Delhi and Haryana. Most go to take a holy dip or
aachman (sip) of the Yamuna, but the water of the river, fills them with
disgust, says Acharya Madhukar Chaturvedi, a Haveli Sangeet specialist. The
ghats along the banks of the river are buried in polluted silt.
On weekends, lakhs turn up for a darshan of Bankey Bihari in Vrindavan and
a parikrama of the holy Goverdhan hill. When these people go to the Yamuna,
the reaction is sharp and negative. One hears only curses and abuses,"
Mr. Poddar told IANS. In Mathura, the polluted effluents from hundreds of
sari dyeing units discharged in the river have only compounded the problem.
After the construction of the Gokul Barrage, the river has distanced itself
from the historical Gokul ghats. This obviously causes deep resentment and
angry outbursts.
Citizens groups like India Rising have been exerting pressure on the
government agencies to take up cleanliness drives, build permanent ghats
and dredge out silt from the riverbed to hold back the monsoon overflow,
but so far there has been no positive response. The Braj Mandal Heritage
Conservation Society has in a memorandum to the Prime Minister urged him to
replicate the Sabarmati model in Agra and Mathura. "The Sabarmati
river in Ahmedabad was reduced to a dirty drain, but the Modi government
carried out structural changes and the success is there for all to
see," society president Surendra Sharma said.
NEW YORK, U.S., June 20, 2014 (New York Daily News): Some beach goers
worship more than the sun along the shores of Jamaica Bay during the
summer. Hindu pilgrims take to the beaches to perform Puja rituals using
flowers, coconuts and fruit as offerings designed to honor and respect
nature. But detritus from ceremonies sometimes washes up on shore, posing a
threat to the delicate ecosystem and fueling a decades-old rift between the
pilgrims and the people who safeguard the bay.
"This is a beautiful practice if it is done properly -- it's not being
pagan or barbaric," said Kamini Doobay, a 25-year-old medical student
from Queens who is helping lead a community meeting on Sunday in Ozone
Park, hoping to get both sides to air their concerns in candid,
constructive discussion. Doobay is part of Sadhana, a group of young Hindus
trying to promote better communication between the National Park Service,
which takes care of the bay, and members of the Indo-Caribbean community.
Filmmaker Dan Hendrick, who is working on a documentary about Jamaica Bay,
was so intrigued by the issue that he produced a short, "The Divine
Waters of Jamaica Bay," featuring Doobay. It will be screened during
the community meeting. "The surprising diversity of Jamaica Bay isn't
limited to wildlife," said Hendrick. "Our goal with this film is
to build bridges between communities, move beyond outward appearances and
start a dialogue about how we can all work together for a cleaner and
healthier Jamaica Bay."
MONTREAL, CANADA, June 7, 2014 (Weekly Voice): Samskrita Bharati (Canada)
participated in the 10th Annual Sanskrit Conference held at McGill
University in Montreal on Friday, May 30th where they launched their unique
product -- Sanskrit Greeting Cards -- with the support of Prof. (Dr.)
Arvind Sharma.
Samskrita Bharati (Canada) wishes to make Sanskrit popular in daily lives
through the use of many innovative approaches like greeting cards for
special occasions and have many more exciting future projects in the
pipeline.
Dr. Sharma is a member of the Faculty of Religious Studies at McGill
University since 1987 and has been instrumental behind the Annual Sanskrit
Conference. In its 10th year, the conference had seen participation from
not only far off places of Canada but also guests and speakers from the
United States.
NEW ZEALAND, April 10, 2014 (Indian Weekender): The inaugural World Hindu
Congress will be held in New Delhi, India, later in the year. The November
21-23 conference has been organized by the World Hindu Foundation. Leaders
and representatives of various Hindu organizations, temples and
associations are invited to attend the congress. The number of delegates is
limited to 1500, of which foreign delegates are limited to 750.
The theme envisioned is the Hindu principle of Sangachchhadhwam
Samvadadhwam, which means "Step together, Express together." The
main purpose for the World Hindu Congress is to provide a global platform
for Hindu society to deliberate and formulate solutions to the myriad
challenges being faced by Hindus throughout the world and to devise
workable and tangible solutions that can be implemented.
(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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