Saturday, August 2, 2014

News from Hindu Press International -86
























(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 




Posted on 2014/7/15 18:33:29 ( 351 reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, July 12, 2014 (The Hindu): Delhi is now the world's second most populous city with 25 million inhabitants. Tokyo remains the world's largest city with 38 million inhabitants. The 2014 revision of the World Urbanisation Prospects by U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA)'s Population Division has pointed to rapid urban growth in India, China and Nigeria.

Further, the report says that while Tokyo's population is projected to decline, Delhi's would continue to grow rapidly and by 2030, the Capital would have 36 million inhabitants. Among the other most populous cities, Mumbai is in the top six with a population of 21 million.

The number of mega cities with a population of over 10 million has risen rapidly. While there were 10 such cities in 1990, there are 28 now and by 2030, the world is projected to have 41 mega cities with 10 million inhabitants or more. In Delhi, the pressure of such rapid increase in population has already started showing. Be it water, power, education, health care, infrastructure, law and order or sanitation, all the systems are under immense pressure, which is only set to increase.
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Posted on 2014/7/15 18:33:22 ( 301 reads )
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One must seek the shortest way and the fastest means to get back home--to turn the spark within into a blaze, to be merged in and to identify with that greater fire which ignited the spark.
-- Swami Nityananda of Ganeshpuri (1885-1961), South Indian Mystic
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Posted on 2014/7/14 17:35:15 ( 456 reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, July 2, 2014 (Telegraph India): A retired history professor who has written articles arguing that stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are truthful accounts of events that took place has been named chief of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), the government agency to promote historical research.

Yellapragada Sudershan Rao, whose interests include Vedic literature, Sanatana Dharma and Bharatiya Sanskriti, set the tone for his three-year tenure after taking charge on Saturday. Under his leadership, the ICHR, he told The Telegraph, should take up projects to rewrite ancient history to establish the "continuous Indian civilization," including the period of the two epics.

"The stories of the Ramayaan and the Mahabharata cannot be termed a-historical just because there is not enough archaeological hard evidence. Excavations cannot be done in many places since people are living there and you cannot evict them," explained Rao.
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Posted on 2014/7/14 17:35:09 ( 347 reads )
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VICTORIA, BC CANADA, June 27, 2014 (Times Colonist): Music, movies, dance and the auspicious arrangement of home furniture are featured in this year's Cultural and Arts Festival of India at the Victoria Hindu Temple. A Mosaic of Music, Movies and Dance is this year's cultural theme for the festival, running today and Sunday, and the temple wants to honor more than 100 years of Indian film.

Suresh Basrur, temple trustee, said the first Indian movie was created in 1913, a silent picture called Raja Harishchandra. Indian cinema has since exploded into the colossal, colorful art form it is now. Other elements of this year's festival are palm readings, astrology sessions and the always popular (and hilarious) lessons in how to wear a sari.

The Victoria Hindu Temple in Central Saanich dates back to 1995, when Hindu families in the Victoria area banded together to buy the 100-year-old, no-longer-used St. Mary's Anglican Church. Now, about 200 Hindu families, nearly 400 people, count themselves as temple members.
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Posted on 2014/7/24 16:55:34 ( 362 reads )
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KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, July 23, 2014 (Press Release): The Sambodh Society, Inc., and the Sambodh Center for Human Excellence will celebrate the 12th Annual Rudrabhishekam and Chandi Homam on August 1-3, 2014 at the Sambodh Ashram in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The program will consist of a number of poojas and homas for benefit of people of all ages and from all walks of life. Click "source" above for complete information, and to download the full program brochure.
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Posted on 2014/7/24 16:55:28 ( 320 reads )
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Listen for silence in noisy places; feel at peace in the midst of disturbance; awaken joy when there is no reason.
-- Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001), founder of Hinduism Today
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Posted on 2014/7/23 18:10:37 ( 452 reads )
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PANAMA, July 21, 2014 (Panama On): The First Lady of the Republic, Lorena Castillo de Varela, attended the lecture by Hindu spiritual preacher Morari Bapu. At the event, the preacher, on his first visit to Panama (to present Ram Katha), spoke of truth, love, compassion and forgiveness as essential values for all religions that can transform anyone into a peacemaker. The event, organized by the Hindu Temple at a local hotel, was attended by the Ambassador of India to Panama Shamma Jain, government representatives, members of the Hindu community in Panama, and special guests.
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Posted on 2014/7/23 18:10:32 ( 418 reads )
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INDIA, May 3, 2014 (pparihar.com): Note: This is a long editorial piece by Dr. Subramanian Swamy, an economist and prominent Indian politician with the BJP.

The identity of India is Hindustan, i.e., a nation of Hindus and those others who acknowledge with pride that their ancestors were Hindus. Hindustan represents the continuing history of culture of Hindus. One's religion may change, but culture does not. Thus, on the agenda for a national renaissance should be the dissemination of the correct perception of what we are. This perception has to be derived from a defalsified history. However, the present history taught in our schools and colleges is the British imperialist-sponsored one, with the intent to destroy our identity.

A correct, defalsified history would record that Hindustan was one nation in the art of governance, in the style of royal courts, in the methods of warfare, in the maintenance of its agrarian base, and in the dissemination of information. Sanskrit was the language of national communication and discourse.

Much more of the lengthy discussion and history at source above.
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Posted on 2014/7/23 18:10:17 ( 350 reads )
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UNITED STATES, July 21, 2014 (BBC): A new study suggests that the production of beef is around 10 times more damaging to the environment than any other form of livestock. Scientists measured the environment inputs required to produce the main US sources of protein. Beef cattle need 28 times more land and 11 times more irrigation water than pork, poultry, eggs or dairy. The research has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The researchers developed a uniform methodology that they were able to apply to all five livestock categories and to four measures of environmental performance. As a result, beef comes out clearly as the food animal with the biggest environmental impact. As well as the effects on land and water, cattle release five times more greenhouse gas and consume six times more nitrogen than eggs or poultry.

"The overall environmental footprint of beef is particularly large because it combines a low production efficiency with very high volume," said Prof. Mark Sutton, from the UK's Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. "The result is that the researchers estimate that over 60% of the environmental burden of livestock in the US results from beef. Although the exact numbers will be different for Europe (expecting a larger role of dairy), the overall message will be similar: Cattle dominate the livestock footprint of both Europe and US."

Cutting down on beef can have a big environmental impact they say. But the same is not true for all livestock.

"One can reasonably be an environmentally mindful eater, designing one's diet with its environmental impact in mind, while not resorting to exclusive reliance on plant food sources," said Prof Eshel.

"In fact, eliminating beef, and replacing it with relatively efficiency animal-based alternatives such as eggs, can achieve an environmental improvement comparable to switching to plant food source."
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Posted on 2014/7/23 18:10:11 ( 292 reads )
HPI

KAUAI, HAWAII, July 22, 2014: A reader has pointed out that millet does not have a low glycemic index number as claimed in the July 21 news item, "Millets: The Nutrient Rich Counterparts Of Wheat And Rice," (even though coming from a government of India press release).

Generally anything over 70 is considered high glycemic. Ragi, a common form of red millet in India is 86 (
http://www.indiacurry.com/obesity/glycemic.htm). Bajra, or millet, is given here (http://www.bloodindex.org/glycemic_index.php) as 82. Other sites give similar numbers.

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Posted on 2014/7/23 18:10:04 ( 276 reads )
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Hindu Dharma was a great reconciler. It reconciled various viewpoints, various doctrines. It knew how to look at things from various angles and viewpoints. It knew no conflict between science and religion, between rationalism and spiritualism. It was so because it was not dogmatic in reason or religion.
-- Ram Swarup (1920-1998), distinguished spokesperson of Hindu spirituality and culture in India
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Posted on 2014/7/22 18:08:09 ( 349 reads )
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SOUTH AFRICA, July 20, 2014 (Indian Spice): The largest-ever national festival showcasing Indian culture & heritage in South Africa is set to kick off this week. The year "2014" marks 20 years of diplomatic relations between India and South Africa since the end of apartheid era; and 100 years since the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India on 18 July 1914. The Indian community was fundamental in the overall development of the country and nation building including the struggle against apartheid.

The festival also coincides with the celebration of life and values of our liberation struggle icon, "Tata" Nelson Mandela. The Department of Arts and Culture is proud to co-host the Festival of India in commemorating this milestone achievement. This festival will showcase Indian performing arts, exhibitions of modern Indian art, visual and photographic digital exhibitions on the late Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi, food festivals, film festivals as well as events involving Indian and South African scholars and writers.
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Posted on 2014/7/22 18:08:03 ( 329 reads )
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AUSTRALIA, July 20, 2014 (Indian Sun): Sankat Mochan Samiti (SMS) celebrated the opening of Sankat Mochan Kendra (SMK), on June 15. This is the first North Indian Hindu temple, social welfare kendra and Indian cultural education institution of its kind in Australia. The SMK will cater not only to the Hindu population but also other communities interested in Hinduism. More than 1,000 devotees attended the inaugural function of SMK located at 1289A North Road, Huntingdale, 3166

The ceremony began with a prayer to Lord Ganesh, after which the Vastu Puja and Navagraha Puja were performed. The most overwhelming ceremony, which took place for the first time in the history of Australia, was when 11,000 ahutis (offerings of sacred mixture of grains, ghee and aromatic perfumes) were offered to the Gods and the maha Gayatri mantra performed. Five stations were carefully placed with all the precautions of fire safety, as Havan Kunds, with eight devotees at every station. It was a powerful ceremony with divine vibrations keeping the full of spiritual energy. The volunteers made sure that every one who wanted to participate in the mantra ahutis could do so as several of them had traveled long distances to be part of it.
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Posted on 2014/7/22 18:07:56 ( 377 reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, July 16, 2014 (Financial Express): In a circular dated June 30, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked the Directorate of Education of various states, including New Delhi, Arunachal Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, to celebrate Sanskrit Week in their schools from August 7-14 this year. It also asked principals to commence "Sanskrit-related activities" from July onwards and send in entries for selection at the national level by July 20, 2014.

"The celebration of Sanskrit Week would provide a medium for popularizing Sanskrit and stimulating the interest in the language by increasing the awareness about the close relationship between Sanskrit and other languages and the cultural heritage in India. The Sanskrit Week in schools may encourage linguistic creativity among students and provide them an opportunity to benefit from the systematic structure around Sanskrit...," the circular reads.

According to CBSE, the schools may hold short-speech competitions for students from classes IX to XII. Another proposed national-level competition for students is essay-writing in Sanskrit. CBSE also directed schools to organize Yuva Sansad or Youth Parliaments, seminars for teachers on "practical applications of Sanskrit," screen Sanskrit films and organise interactions for children with eminent Sanskrit scholars.
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Posted on 2014/7/22 18:07:48 ( 292 reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, July 18, 2014 (Wall Street Journal): New Delhi's infamous Tihar Jail--home to more than 13,000 inmates--has opened a restaurant that serves comfort food crafted by criminals. Tihar Food Court opened earlier this month in the sprawling Tihar complex, the largest prison in South Asia. Samosas and other snacks along with drinks like lassi and even a thali with a variety of vegetarian dishes are on the menu.

The simple restaurant has seating for 45 and no iron bars, metal detectors or armed guards. It has indoor and outdoor seating, a tandoor oven and its cream walls are decorated with pieces of art painted by prisoners. It has small staff of a constable manager and seven convicts who have proven themselves through good behavior during long years in Tihar. While the restaurant is still waiting for more government approvals to officially open, it started a soft launch on July 10 to test whether it will attract customers.

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Posted on 2014/7/22 18:07:41 ( 290 reads )
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With love enshrined in the heart, one truly lives. Without it, the body is but bones encased in skin.
-- Tirukkural
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Posted on 2014/7/21 18:23:10 ( 359 reads )
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BIELEFELD, GERMANY, July 2, 2014 (Westfalen-Blatt): There are almost 5,000 Hindus in Bielefeld. Among them the devotees of Krishna now have a new focal point: the Hindu temple at Am Stebkamp 10. In 2013 the first Hindu temple (the Kalyana Thiru Murugan Temple) opened nearby. Iyer Sarma Parameswaran, priest of the new temple, explains why the new temple is important to Krishna devotees: "In Hinduism we have a similar distinction (between groups worshipping different Deities) as does the Christian church between Protestant and Catholics. We believe in Radha Krishna. Krishna is the Deity and Radha, his wife, is always called first. The core of this faith is devotion and peace."

The Hindus wanted to also introduce the neighbors to the new temple last weekend. "We are very open and invite everyone to visit us. Whether German, Indian, Hindu or not, everyone is welcome," says Sarma Parameswaran. Every night from 6 to 7:30PM the temple is open for prayer, singing and meditation.
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Posted on 2014/7/21 18:23:04 ( 295 reads )
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INDIA, July 19, 2014 (Press Information Bureau): The 2nd India-China Yoga Summit was held in Dali, Yunnan Province in China recently. Around 1,500 yoga practitioners participated in the event besides local government officials, media professionals and academicians. The theme of the Summit was "Science of Yoga."

Speaking on the opening ceremony, India's Ambassador to China Shri Ashok K. Kantha highlighted the importance of yoga and traced its long history. He also said the summit which is the biggest yoga event in China has already become a signature event and is generally viewed by serious yoga practitioners as a platform where one can directly learn from the masters of this practice and to engage in a dialogue that will help disperse all the doubts of the practitioners and helping them align with the roots of this ancient Indian practice.

Seventeen yoga teachers from all over India participated in the summit including Dr. Geeta S. Iyengar from Iyengar Yoga School Pune, Dr. H.R. Nagendra, Chancellor of Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana, Bangalore and from Department of Ayush Shri Ishwar V. Basavaraddi. The purpose of the summit was to guide Chinese yoga enthusiasts to have a more scientific, rational, and objective look towards yoga.
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Posted on 2014/7/21 18:22:58 ( 307 reads )
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INDIA, July 17, 2014 (Press Information Bureau): Millets are one of the oldest foods known to humans. These are the small-seeded hardy crops belonging to gramineae family which can grow well in dry zones/rain-fed areas under marginal conditions of soil fertility and moisture. Due to their short growing season, these can develop from seeds to ready to harvest crops in about 65 days. This highly beneficial characteristic of the millets is of vital importance in thickly populated regions of the world. If stored properly, millets can keep well for two years or beyond.

Most of the millets are highly nutritious, non-glutinous, non-acid forming and easily digestible foods. Being gluten free, individuals suffering from celiac disease can easily incorporate various millets in their diets. Millet ingestion helps in a slower release of glucose over a longer period of time; thus, due to low glycemic index (GI), their habitual intake reduces the risk of diabetes mellitus.

Further, millets are rich sources of minerals like iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. Ragi (Finger millet) is very rich in calcium; and bajra in iron. These also contain appreciable amounts of dietary fibre and various vitamins (Carotene, niacin, vitamin B6 and folic acid); high amounts of lecithin are useful for strengthening the nervous system.
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Posted on 2014/7/30 16:00:18 ( 165 reads )
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TABAQUITE,TRINIDAD,July 25, 2014 (by Seeta Persad, Newsday): Massive preparations are now taking place for the second annual Shri Krishna Leela at the Guaracara Recreation Ground in Tabaquite. This ten-day drama based on the life and times of the Hindu God Lord Krishna is being staged by the Krishna Rama Shakti Mandir (KRSM) of Tabaquite. This play runs from August 1 to 10 between the hours of 6 pm to 8 pm. Members of the KRSM will be playing the various roles in this unfolding drama of Lord Krishna.

According to Pundit Lackram, Chan Krishna Leela drama production depicts the exploits of Lord Krishna (an incarnation of God), when He took descent on Earth thousands of years ago in India. This is a play similar to Ramleela and it consists of scenes depicting Krishna's appearance from a baby to his teenage days.
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Posted on 2014/7/30 16:00:12 ( 159 reads )
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COLOMBO, SRI LANKA, July 23, 2014 (Colombo Page): Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has ruled that the Hindu temples can perform animal sacrifice under controlled conditions. The apex court on Monday hearing an appeal filed by the trustees of the Sri Bhadrakali Amman Kovil at Munneswaram in Chilaw ruled that the Hindu Temple can slaughter the animals under the supervision of the Public Health Department.

In recent years the customary ritual of sacrificing hundreds of goats and fowl in the annual feast of the Munneswaram Sri Bhadra Kali Amman Kovil in Chilaw has come under severe protest from the animal lovers, Buddhist clergy and politicians. (HPI Note: The Buddhists of Sri Lanka are not vegetarians.)

The Chief Justice Mohan Peiris said he is not ready to ban the animal sacrifice since the practice was hundreds of years old. However, he said the number of animals slaughtered normally is too high and urged the devotees to talk to each other to bring down the number of animals killed. He ordered the temple authorities to slaughter one animal at a time in a specially designated enclosure away from the public view under the supervision of the Public Health Department.
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Posted on 2014/7/30 16:00:06 ( 188 reads )


BELIZE, July 29, 2014 (Press Release): The Corozal Organization of East Indian Culture and Heritage (COEICH) and the National East Indian Council of Belize - Southern Chapter (NEICBSC), along with the National Institute of Culture and History of Belize (NICH) are having the first Indian diaspora conference in Belize August 6 to 10, 2014. The theme of the conference is: "Highlighting Indian Culture and Contribution in a Multi-ethnic Society." The first two days of the conference will be held in Corozal Town (Northern Belize) and the next two days will be held in Punta Gorda Town (Southern Belize).

Academic presentations will be given by presenters from the United States, the Caribbean and Belize. Other presentations will be given by elders and others from the Indian community in Belize. Some of the areas covered in the conference include race relations, entrepreneurship, dreams of young East Indians, medicine, identity, migration, indentured laborers, East Indian women, reparation, outstanding East Indians in Belize, and agriculture, including sugar cane and rice production and yellow ginger processing.

For more information, email
sylviaperez1@yahoo.com.
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Posted on 2014/7/30 15:59:59 ( 138 reads )
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It is far easier to conquer others than to conquer oneself, because the former can be attained by recourse to outside means, while the latter can be achieved only with one's own mind.
-- Mahatma Gandhi(1869-1948)
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Posted on 2014/7/28 17:13:44 ( 281 reads )
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PAKISTAN, July 26, 2014 (ndtv): The book, "Historic Temples in Pakistan: A Call to Conscience," authored by Karachi-based journalist Reema Abbasi, focuses on minority Hindus who celebrate Indian festivals on the other side of the border. A result of extensive research, the book highlights around 400 photographs that cover different aspects of overlooked historical temples and shrines in Pakistan that few know about.

Madiha Aijaz who teaches photography at the Indus Valley School of Architecture, does justice to the book by beautifully capturing the multi-colored and vibrant images. "It is a subject that is just so less documented and it hasn't been talked about," she says.

Reema and Madiha travelled far and wide to various pilgrimage sites like Hinglaj, the abode of goddess Durga in Balochistan; the Katas Raj temple in Punjab, one of the holiest in Hinduism and known for providing refuge to the Pandavas; the Kalka cave temple in Sindh; the Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir in Karachi, among others.
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Posted on 2014/7/28 17:13:38 ( 230 reads )
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CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE, July 11, 2014 (Concord Monitor): From the windows of the Heights Community Center auditorium in Concord, a man's monotone voice chants holy Sanskrit legends. This is Srimad Bhagavata Maha Purana, a week of devotion and community organized by the new Hindu Faith Trust of NH.

The people inside pray for peace around the world, enlightenment in their own hearts and brotherhood in their community. From 9 a.m. until the evening, every day until Wednesday, people will gather in the auditorium to pray, chant, dance and sing, and receive blessings. Organizers from the Hindu Faith Trust said they expect people from across New England to attend over the weekend.

Though it has been organized mainly by Hindus from Bhutan, the event is designed to bring New Hampshire's Hindu community - from India, Nepal and elsewhere - together to worship and bond. Less than 1 percent of the population in New Hampshire is Hindu, according to a study released in April, but that population is growing and seeking to build places to gather for traditional services and festivals.
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Posted on 2014/7/28 17:13:31 ( 383 reads )
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UNITED STATES, July 27, 2014 (She Knows): New studies suggest that regular exercise, and yoga in particular, plays a big role in keeping the mind active and memory intact. A series of studies published in Science and the Journal of Neuroscience showed that exercise can stimulate new brain cells, which can then migrate from one area of the brain to another allowing you in essence to "create a new brain," according to the author of "Brain Longevity," Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa, in an article published on Yoga Journal.

But the catch, according to Khalsa, is that in order to keep those new brain cells alive and active, one must be relieved of as much stress as possible. That's why the practice of yoga, which engages the mind, body and spirit, is the perfect solution to the problem.

"We took people with memory loss and prescribed 12 minutes of kirtan kriya [a technique used in kundalini yoga that combines meditation, mudra, chanting and mantra] every day," Khalsa states. "After eight weeks, you can see on our scans that after the meditation, the blood flow to the frontal lobe, the area responsible for attention, concentration and focus, is improved." Khalsa also noted that the main components of yoga -- exercise, posture, focused breathing and meditation -- are all good for the brain. "Because of that," he said, "yoga should go far in creating positive brain changes."
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Posted on 2014/7/28 17:13:19 ( 198 reads )
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Just as the Earth bears those who dig into her, it is best to bear with those who despise us.
-- Tirukkural
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Posted on 2014/7/27 17:47:42 ( 293 reads )
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ALLAHABAD, INDIA, July 14, 2014 (Times of India): In a unique initiative of making the holy river clean and pollution-free, the priests of the city have decided to clean the banks of Ganga every Sunday. Many priests assembled at Sangam today and started cleaning the banks. They also created awareness among the people for keeping the ghats clean and making the river pollution-free.

General secretary of Prayagwal Sabha Rajendra Paliwal said: "Ganga is holy and sacred for us from time immemorial. It is our prime duty to keep the river pure and make it pollution-free. The responsibility of keeping the river clean is also on the priests. Therefore, we have decided to clean the banks of Ganga every Sunday and urge the people to join and lend support in making the river clean."

In the cleanliness drive, priests belonging to various organizations like Narayan Sewa Sansthan, Prayag Dharam Sangh, Beni Madhav Sansthan and others participated. They picked up polythene, flowers, garlands and other material lying scattered at the Sangam.
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Posted on 2014/7/27 17:47:36 ( 247 reads )
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ALLAHABAD, INDIA, July 16, 2014 (Times of India): Driven by devotion and desire to offer prayers to Lord Shiva at Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, a large number of women Kanwariyas (pilgrims) are joining hands with their male counterparts in walking the extra mile.

Dressed in saffron attire, the number of women carrying the decorated pot has increased manifold at Dashashwamedh Ghat and Sangam. Here the Kanwariyas collect water from Ganga before heading to Varanasi. Most of these women kanwariyas hail from rural area and are in the age group of 25-40 years. After collecting water from Ganga, these women walk barefoot to offer jalabhishek to Lord Shiva. The start of Shrawan month has already filled Sangam city's streets with saffron-clad Kanwariyas carrying decorated kanwars structure on their shoulders.

"It's a matter of devotion. Women are making a mark in all fields like education, engineering and medical. They are also strong enough to follow the custom and practice (taking kanwar on their shoulders) as men do" said Savita, a woman kanwariya from Soraon. She added "The number of women kanwariyas has increased in the last two to three years. Earlier, they preferred offering puja to the Deity at local temples."
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Posted on 2014/7/27 17:47:30 ( 251 reads )
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GUYANA, May 8, 2014 (Kaieteur News): The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha (GHDS) on Monday commissioned a multi-million-dollar home for abused women and children at Ankerville, Port Mourant, Corentyne. Doing the honors of cutting the ribbon to the majestic multi-wing edifice, Bal Nivas, was Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, President Donald Ramotar, Indian playback singer Sonu Nigam and President of the GHDS, Dr. Vindhya Persaud.

Dr. Persaud spoke about the project and thanked President Ramotar for giving them the land a few years ago. She thanked the donors who worked selflessly and voluntarily behind the GHDS and behind the project.

The shelter, which will become fully operational by July, will house more than 60 children and their mothers. Additionally, it will encompass a Skills Training Centre which will be opened to the community and a Counseling Unit, "so we offer this facility to serve you, the Guyanese people."
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Posted on 2014/7/27 17:47:23 ( 292 reads )
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USA, December 18, 2011 (cinemanrityagharana.blogspot.com): HPI Note: We came across by chance today this long article on a noted dancer of the 1930-50s, Jack Cole, who had learned--from whom is uncertain--a fair amount of Bharatanatyam dance style. He then developed a form of jazz dancing using some of this style, including for movie dance choreography. This blog, whose author identifies herself only as "Cassidy, a white chick" wrote up a long article on Cole in 2011, along with clips from the old movies, some of which are absolutely fascinating. Her article begins:

Ever heard of choreographer Jack Cole and "Hindu Swing?" Four weeks ago I had not either, but I think this could be one of the grooviest discoveries I've ever made on this blog.

While researching films about India and Orientalism for my "Indian Dances in Western Films About India" post series, I came across the article "The Thousand Ways There Are to Move: Camp and Oriental Dance in the Hollywood Musicals of Jack Cole." Clearly an interesting article just from the title, but as I read it my fascination was piqued when I read that Cole fused ethnic movements (most notably East Indian) into his choreography, started out as a Denishawn dancer, and studied with Uday Shankar! A Hollywood choreographer that studied with Uday Shankar? Tell me more! Tell me more!

The article discussed in detail the number "Not Since Nineveh" that Cole choreographed for the Arabian-themed Hollywood film Kismet (1955) and it emphasized his use of clear signifiers of Indian dance. OK, I figured there would maybe be some Indian-inspired hand gestures, some pretty arm movements, some namaste hands....

but nothing prepared me for THIS:

"Not Since Nineveh" - Kismet (1955) -link to video

I don't think I've ever seen a dance in Hollywood so brilliantly inspired by the geometry and precision of Bharatanatyam! I'm simply in awe. The Indian inspiration coupled with the syncopated jazz music makes for a completely new visual experience.

Much more at "source" above.
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Posted on 2014/7/27 17:47:17 ( 227 reads )
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Today is in your hands. Tomorrow the chance may never come.
-- Swami Sivananda (1887-1963), founder of Divine Life Society
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Posted on 2014/7/24 16:55:46 ( 439 reads )
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PEGOGNAGA, ITALY, June 1, 2014 (Gazzetta Di Mantova): A thousand people belonging to the Hindu community in Northern Italy participated in the second annual Pegognaga Shoba Yatra, organized by Shri Hari Om Mandir together with the Municipality of Pegognaga. In a festive folkloric atmosphere, with music, songs and prayers, the faithful gathered in the square of the Coop and then proceeded in a long procession along Avenue San Lorenzo to arrive in Piazza Matteotti, where the religious leaders of the Hindu community and the crowd were greeted by the mayor Dimitri Melli.

In the days preceding the festival, a reading of the the Ramayana scripture was held at the Mandir on via Martin Luther King, where they venerate statues of Shiva, Kali and ten other Gods that were gifted by the Indian state. Svamini Hamsananda of Savona, vice president of the Italian Hindu Union, says that a meeting of representatives of all the temples in northern Italy, with the participation of the president of the Italian Hindu Union, took place during this time.
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Om Tat Sat
                                                        
(Continued...) 


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