Source: in.christiantoday.com MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA, September 1, 2009: Responding to a petition filed by the Catholic Church, the Madhya Pradesh High Court issued an interim order Friday directing the BJP-run state government to no longer require students to perform surya namaskar (worship of the sun) and pranayama (yogic breathing exercise) as extra-curricular activities. Two years ago, the BJP made surya…
Source: parisaraganapati.net USA, September 5, 3009: A new website, parisaraganapati.net, wants to foster worship of Lord Ganesha in a way suited to Hinduism’s compassion for all creatures and nature itself. It is the hub of activities for the Parisara Ganapati project of the Youth For Seva movement. The website aims to promote eco-friendly practices during Ganapati puja celebrations. Another key…
Source: www.hinduismtoday.com To define God–is grinding what is already ground; for He is the only being we know. Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com CHENNAI, INDIA, August 23, 2009: In a significant decision, the Tamil Nadu government has decided to grant Scheduled Caste community certificate to children of converted Christian parents who reconvert to Hinduism. The Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department has issued a government order to this effect. Granting Scheduled Castes status for re-converted Hindus has been one of the…
Source: www.livescience.com July 22, 2009: Scientists have learned that the human body literally glows, emitting a visible light in extremely small quantities at levels that rise and fall with the day. Past research has shown that virtually all living creatures, including humans, emit visible light. Thought to be a byproduct of biochemical reactions, this light is 1,000 times less intense…
Source: www.hinduismtoday.com The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, not to anticipate troubles, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly. Siddhartha Gautama (ca 566-486 bce)
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com KOLKATA, INDIA, August 30, 2009: Don’t be surprised if you spot your doctor or banker performing Durga puja at your neighborhood pandal. Kolkata’s new tribe of professionals turned purohitas are learning to recite slokas while juggling high-flying careers. Among the students at Vaidik Pandit O Purohit Mahamilan Kendra, a school for purohitas in north Kolkata, are doctors, lawyers,…
Source: www.dnaindia.com MUMBAI, INDIA, August 27, 2009: On Wednesday, 11 priests sat neck-deep in water in three-foot wide drums for over three hours, chanting sutras from the Vedas at the Sri Sankara Mattham in Matunga. “We do this to gain the goodwill of the rain god Varuna for abundant rains in the city and the country,” said 65-year-old Venkataraman Shastri,…
Source: www.nytimes.com NEW YORK, USA, August 28, 2009: Some 50 singers, beautifully dressed in traditional Indian clothing, gathered Sunday morning in the senior center across the street from the Ganesha Temple in Flushing, Queens for one last rehearsal of a hymn. They would be performing on the busiest day of the temple calendar — the first day of the festival…
Source: beta.thehindu.com HAMPI, INDIA, August 30, 2009: The 500th anniversary of the coronation of Sri Krishnadevaraya, emperor of the erstwhile Vijayanagara kingdom, will be celebrated at Hampi, the seat of the dynasty, from January 27 to 29, 2010. Tourism minister Janardhana Reddy said that several special programs will mark the event. The government has also planned celebrations across the state…