Source UNITED STATES, November 12, 2011 (by Aziz Haniffa for Rediff.com): Reacting to a report funded by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom that textbooks in Pakistan foster hatred and intolerance of minorities, especially Hindus and their faith, the head of the influential Hindu American Foundation Suhag Shukla, said, “It’s about time!” The study conducted by the International Center…
Source HARIDWAR, INDIA, November 3, 2011 (ians live): They come here from Russia, Malaysia, Belarus, South Korea and the U.S., lured by Hinduism which they say answers questions that have plagued them for years. Foreigners flocking to Haridwar, one of the holiest Hindu holy spots, are mostly the educated, both men and women, from all parts of the globe, and…
Source Eternal, pure, groundless, death-and-birth free, pervasive, ever immaculate, distant, near, enveloping effulgence of void, the support of all, the fullness of bliss, the consciousness-form beyond thought and speech, That which thus stood, the expanse vast that generates bliss, let us contemplate.— Tayumanavar (1706-1744), South Indian devotional poet
Source LONDON, UK, October 21, 2011 (by Sally Adee): In the basement of a building in South London people shell out GBP 45 (US$72) to spend an hour in a sensory deprivation tank. The shiny white pod is about the size of a SmartCar. Inside, the total-immersion bathtub is flooded with an unearthly blue light and a quietly swishing mass…
Source PURI, INDIA, November 1, 2011 (daily pioneer): Devotees present at the western entry gate (Paschim Dwar) of the Sri Jagannath Temple on Tuesday ran as two stones fell from the roof of the gate. While some of them were hit by the splinters of the stones, they managed to escape unhurt. Due to the holy month of Kartik, there…
Source USA, October 25, 2011 (online.wsj.com): A new study, believed to be the largest of its kind, suggests that hatha yoga’s effectiveness at relieving low back pain is attributable to its stretching component rather than to its mental effects. The researchers studied 228 adults who had chronic low back pain with no known physical cause. Three groups were formed. About…
Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, February 9, 2011 (tehelka.com): The United States recognized in 2005 that the Dalits in India were subject to “human rights abuses, including rape, trafficking, and segregation” and that “widespread prejudice against Dalits in India will make quick progress difficult.” However, it ignored attempts by Dalit organizations and individuals to globalize support for Dalits and push for…
Source LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, October 31, 2011 (voanews): As American universities become increasingly diverse, the job of supporting the spiritual life of students has become more complex. Many universities have chaplains and faith-based clubs, often overseen by a school official called the dean of religious life for all religions. The man who fills that post at the University of Southern…
Source As to a mountain that’s enflamed, deer and birds do not resort–so, with knowers of God, sins find no shelter.— Krishna Yajur Veda, Maitreya Upanishads 6.18
Source UK, Novemeber 12, 2011 (BBC): A survey of about 600 scientists published this week found that a majority think it’s time to consider conservation triage – focusing resources on animals that can realistically be saved, and giving up on the rest. Those that fall into the too-expensive-to-save category, it has been suggested, might include the panda and the tiger.…