Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, April 26, 2015 (New York Times): While Indian parents still take the lead in arranging marriages, many are turning to websites to widen the pool, and are allowing their children veto power. Just an estimated 5% of marriages in India today are so-called love marriages–those completely conceived without family involvement. The rest have traditionally been arranged…
Source HOUSTON, TEXAS, April 24, 2015 (Houston Chronicle): Construction of Houston’s Sri Guruvayurappan Temple was anything but a standard Houston real estate deal. Planetary trajectories were factors in the design; a precise consideration of the elements – earth, air, fire, water, sky – was crucial in construction. And as workers and temple officials, many attired in traditional Indian dhotis, scurried…
Source KATHMANDU, NEPAL, April 30,2015 (Huffington Post): Bells that once chimed for Nepali royals and centuries-old wooden figurines are among the mounds of treasure dotted around a city slowly trying to recover from the largest earthquake to hit Nepal in 80 years. With fears of looting and further destruction rife, scores of Nepali volunteers have come forward in recent days,…
Source KATHMANDU, NEPAL, April 29, 2015 (IBNLive): The devastating earthquake that struck the Nepalese capital has turned the 500-year-old Kasthamandap temple to rubble, killing several under the debris of the historic structure from which the city derives its name. Incidentally, on the fateful day, a private company had organized a blood donation camp and most of the donors including the…
Source When the Creator dances, the worlds He created dance. To the measure that He dances in our knowledge, our thoughts, too, dance. When He in heart-endearing dances, the several elements, too, dance. Witness in rapture surpassing the dance of that One who is a glowing flame.— Tirumantiram, 2786
Source UNITED STATES, April 24, 2015 (Focus News): American Vivek Murthy took the oath as US’s youngest surgeon-general on the Bhagavad Gita. He also invoked the Indian roots of his success in the United States. “By any reasonable measure, I shouldn’t be standing here. My father is the son of a farmer in rural India. He was supposed to have…
Source MEDAN, INDONESIA, April 22, 2015 (MedanBisnis): The mayor of Medan, Dzulmi Eldin, has granted a “facultative holiday” for Hindus in the city of Medan to celebrate Diwali. This was done so that Hindus can be more calm and solemn during the ritual of celebrating the festival of the victory of good against falsehood. This optional holiday will be implemented…
Source WASHINGTON, D.C., April 16, 2015 (Indian Panorama): George Washington University is gearing up to permanently ban from campus an important religious symbol, one which is sacred to many Hindus and Buddhists in India and elsewhere, because it looks like something else which may upset the sensibilities of some students. The University has seemingly taken the position that posting anything…
Source The learned have prescribed penance for the murderer of a pious man, a drunkard, a thief or for one who has violated a solemn vow. But there is no pardon for the ungrateful.— The Panchatantra
Source HOUSTON, TEXAS, April 26, 2015 (Sewa USA): Sewa has released $10,000 towards immediate relief in Nepal. Sewa International’s sister organization in Nepal and several hundreds of its volunteers have already started helping the unfortunate victims within hours of this massive earthquake. Help is being rendered in rescue operations, providing first aid and distributing safe drinking water bottles, food packets,…